Raising turkeys for meat can be a rewarding way to put fresh, organic poultry on the table. However, it does require some time and planning to go from poult to processed turkey in your freezer. Here’s a complete guide to understanding the timeframe and process for raising meat turkeys at home.
Overview of Turkey Breeds and Growth Rates
The amount of time needed to raise a turkey for harvest largely depends on the breed. Here are growth rates for common domestic turkey breeds:
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Broad-breasted turkeys – The most common commercial breed, these turkeys reach market weight the fastest at about 18-22 weeks for toms and 14-16 weeks for hens. Toms can surpass 30 pounds and hens 15 pounds.
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Heritage breeds – Slower growing heritage breeds like Bourbon Reds, Royal Palms, and Blue Slates take 24-30 weeks to fully mature, with weights from 10-25 pounds depending on sex.
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Midget White – A smaller heritage breed, Midget Whites reach 16-20 pounds for toms and 8-12 pounds for hens in 20-25 weeks.
So generally, plan for turkeys to take 5-7 months from hatch to harvest Broad-breasted commercial turkeys finish quickest under 6 months for hens and just over for toms
When to Get Turkey Poults
Since you need 5-7 months lead time, get poults in late spring or early summer for fall processing
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For Broad-breasted turkeys, order poults in early July to process in November.
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For heritage breeds, order poults in May/June to finish October-December.
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To hatch your own, start incubating eggs 28-30 days before ideal poult arrival dates above.
Starting poults in summer allows time to mature before temperatures drop and growth slows It also provides a buffer if birds grow slower than expected
Month-by-Month Timeline for Raising Meat Turkeys
Here is an approximate timeline for raising Broad-breasted turkeys for Thanksgiving:
Month 1
- Receive day-old poults in early July and set up a brooder.
- Keep poults at 95°F the first week, lowering 5° per week after.
- Feed a 28% protein starter feed and provide ample clean water.
- Expect poults to double in size by 2 weeks old.
Months 2-3
- Around 6-8 weeks old, move poults from brooder to secure outdoor pen with coop.
- Switch to a 20-22% protein grower feed.
- Allow poults to forage if possible but keep confined.
- Monitor for disease and predators.
Months 4-5
- From 14 weeks on, feed an 18-20% protein finisher feed.
- Continue health monitoring and watch for aggression between males.
- Prepare shelter and equipment for processing day.
- Line up helpers for processing and arrange waste disposal/storage.
Month 6
- Process turkeys at 18-22 weeks once at target weight.
- Chill carcasses completely before further processing and freezing.
- Cook, preserve, and freeze meat within 2 days of processing.
- Thoroughly clean equipment and shelter afterwards.
With proper care and preparation, Broad-breasted turkeys will be ready for harvest in November just in time for holiday meals. Heritage breeds on a May/June timeline will finish up in late fall.
Tips for Efficient Raising
Here are some tips for optimal turkey growth:
- Select fast-growing breeds suited to your climate.
- Provide high-protein feed for each growth stage.
- Allow access to pasture for foraging if possible.
- Manage litter and ammonia in housing.
- Minimize stress from overcrowding/aggression.
- Follow biosecurity to prevent disease.
- Use predator protection at all times.
- Butcher at optimal size before feed conversion declines.
Is Raising Meat Turkeys Worthwhile?
Raising turkeys for home use takes significant dedication over many months compared to purchasing a frozen bird. Consider the following when deciding if raising meat turkeys is worthwhile for you:
- Do you enjoy hands-on animal husbandry as a hobby?
- Can you access high quality poults locally?
- Can you commit to daily care for 6+ months?
- Do you have secure housing and fences for predators?
- Are local processors available for butchering?
- Will finished turkeys offset enough meat purchases to justify costs?
For those with the space, time, and commitment, homegrown turkeys can be extremely rewarding. But don’t undertake raising them lightly, as they require considerable time and effort compared to store-bought birds.
Most turkey breeds take around 5-7 months to grow from poults to full butcher size. Plan poult purchase or hatch timing appropriately so birds finish for fall/winter holidays. Provide proper feed, housing, and care during the long grow-out. With some work and patience, you can enjoy delicious home-raised turkey grown right in your own backyard.
Growing your own Thanksgiving turkeys
If you have ever considered raising turkeys for Thanksgiving feasts, now is the time to get started.
Have you ever considered raising your own turkeys to market for the Thanksgiving holiday? Raising market turkeys can be a fun and rewarding way to provide fresh, local food in your community. It is also a great project youth can do to help build animal science content knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.
Most turkey breeds will mature between 14-22 weeks of age, which means you will need to purchase birds early in July to make sure they have enough time to grow. Heritage breeds will take a bit longer, 25-30 weeks, so those birds would need to be purchased in late May or early June.
Turkey poults can be purchased through different hatcheries and are typically a few days old when they arrive to the purchaser. Beginning with the end in mind is a good strategy to help you determine what breed you should purchase. Each breed will vary in the length of time it takes for the bird to mature and the final weight on mature birds. Turkeys should be kept in groups of at least three to six birds.
Turkey poults are raised very similarly to chickens. They will need to be kept in a brooder for the first six weeks and can then be transferred into a coop setting. Turkeys will need a larger area to grow than chicks due to their size, and size requirements will increase as the turkey grows. The following is the amount of coop space per turkey that will be needed:
- 0-8 weeks: 2-2.5 square feet per turkey
- 8-16 weeks: 3-4 square feet per turkey
- 16-20 weeks: 5-8 square feet per turkey
- 20 weeks to market weight: 6-10 square feet per turkey
Turkeys also require different diets during different growth stages. They need a diet very high in protein so that they can grow and gain muscle quickly. Generally, a 30% protein diet is fed as a starter feed from 0-8 weeks of age. After that, birds can be dropped down to a 20% protein grower formula until they achieve market weight. Turkeys must have access to clean, fresh water at all times as well.
“Giving Poults a Good Start” by the University of Maine Extension and “Raising Turkeys” by the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension are great resources that can provide more in-depth information.
Turkeys are sold at a price per pound. In order to determine what you need to charge per pound, consider the following:
- Purchase price of poults
- Feed costs
- Harvesting costs
- Marketing costs
- Other expenses—bedding, supplies, etc.
Determining your input costs will help you set a fair price so that your costs are covered.
Raising turkeys can be a fun and rewarding opportunity for youth to build upon their 4-H poultry experience outside of the local fair.
Get Started with Turkeys: Everything You Need To Know
FAQ
How long does it take to raise a turkey for slaughter?
Most people have their broad breasted turkeys butchered between 18 and 20 weeks of age. Tom’s butchered at 18 weeks will average a carcass of approximately 29 lbs and hens will yield a carcass of approximately 20 lbs. As a general rule turkeys tend to dress at 75-80% of their body weight.
Is it worth raising turkeys for meat?
High-Quality Meat: Turkeys raised for meat production are typically bred for their meat quality, resulting in tender and flavorful meat. Cost-Effective: Raising turkeys for meat can be cost-effective, especially if you have the space and resources to raise a large flock.
What is the best breed of turkey to raise for meat?
If you are solely looking at them for meat, my recommendation is a broad breasted white as white turkeys present the most appealing carcass after processing. Broad breasted turkeys were developed for the best feed conversion to meat. They require the shortest amount of time to raise to the point of processing.
How much meat does a 14 lb turkey yield?
You can assume about 40% to 50% of every turkey is bone or parts that won’t be eaten. That means for every pound of turkey, guests will get about eight to nine ounces of meat.