When are BBs ready to butcher?

[aesch]

My 3 toms and 1 hen are approximately 6 months old. How much should they weigh before they go to the butcher's? Also if I start increasing their feed (they free range and get store feed now) will it just turn into fat?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You can butcher whenever you want. It all depends on what size you want them.

 

[aesch]

Thank you. My concern is that if it's too early all I'll get is skin and bones.

 

[FredsGobblers]

no worry on BB being skin and bones. At 4 months a hen would dress out about 10-12# and tom about 18#. I did a BB tom for 28 weeks (7 mnths) and it dressed out to 40#

 

[aesch]

Wow. I'm sure they won't dress out that size but they'll be plenty big. I love my hen and would keep her as a pet but have heard that a lone turkey isn't a good idea. Your thoughts?

 

[FredsGobblers]

A lone turkey after being part of a flock would probably not do well. You could keep a tom with her until you find another turkey to be with her. Being free range they probably get enough exercise that they would do ok for a while. Just remember BB are not bred for long life span.
You might think of finding 2 heritage hens to keep as pets.

 

[aesch]

FredsGobblers, thank you. I've been looking into it. If she weren't such a sweetheart!

 

[muddy75]

FredsGobblers, thank you. I've been looking into it. If she weren't such a sweetheart!

that part of having bbs is the most difficult!!! they are typically sooo sweet and lovable!! I raised 3 last year...my white was named Thanksgiving from the beginning, but on Thanksgiving day, even my younges DS made the joke “wrong bird died” I gave my bronzes a “holiday” pardon as Christmas rolled around, but then in early January my bronze Tom broke a leg while freeranging on one of few nice weather days......i had no choice at that point but to butcher them both or have 1 lone hen......
i got 2 more poults last month and while sweet as can be....they are picky eaters and have given us a scare that they would starve themselves.....we finally got them figured out, but it’s likely to cost me a small fortune as they will not eat unless i mix their food with yogurt and treats!!!

 

[aesch]

Fortunately mine will eat just about everything. I'm wondering if I'm feeding them enough though. They get 1.5 gal mix of all flock and finisher and .5 gal corn. It's shared with the chickens and ducks and by 3 pm it's gone. But they have half an acre of grass to forage through.