Raising meat turkeys is an adventure on many levels. I’ve had the pleasure of growing a turkey for Thanksgiving for years, starting back in high school. Growing turkeys for Thanksgiving is one thing, but attempting to turn a profit can complicate matters. To help you get started, let me share a few of my experiences raising meat turkeys with you.
One quick and inexpensive way to have turkey for dinner is to buy a frozen one from the grocery store. That being said, like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Just as store-bought eggs can’t compare to your fresh eggs from the coop, supermarket turkeys aren’t the same as birds that are fresh from the farm. The best choice for the most flavorful, tender, and fresh bird for your celebration or dinner is one that has been raised at home.
Because I completed my high school education at a regional agricultural school, I was a member of the FFA. All members of FFA need what’s called an SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) project. Some kids did gardening, some had horses, but I raised birds.
As a freshman in high school, I already had experience raising show poultry. I was having a great time raising beautiful show chickens, but there was no money to be made. AgEd stressed the importance of handling your project like a business, and since my company was losing money, I needed a product to sell. Suddenly, turkeys drew my attention.
Like any business, it’s important to watch how much you spend and how much you make. As long as your expenses are lower than your gross income, everything is fine, exactly as it was when I started working with turkeys. However, things changed.
In the early 2000s, feed prices started to climb, and consequently, so did my costs. By the time I graduated college, my farm expenses were exceeding my farm income, which was an issue. Despite that, I did continue the tradition for a bit longer than I should have.
Sometimes you need to take a step back from things and give yourself time to reconsider. Now that I’ve had some time away from raising meat turkeys, I can identify my shortcomings. When I started, my inexperience was offset by low feed prices. The fault in the business’ foundation opened wide when those feed prices climbed.
I was a big fan of big birds. Unfortunately, my success in growing a big, broad-breasted turkey would be my undoing. My customers wanted something larger than the average supermarket bird, but not as big as what I was creating. After I started making 50-pound dressed weight turkeys, I should have known when to give up, but I didn’t
Hey there, fellow poultry enthusiasts! So, you’re thinking about adding turkeys to your backyard flock or small farm? That’s fantastic! Turkeys offer a delicious and rewarding alternative to chickens, providing you with fresh, free-range meat for the holidays or year-round enjoyment.
However, let’s first explore the world of turkey husbandry and provide you with the information and resources you need to secure both your success and the well-being of these magnificent birds before you dive right in.
Why Raise Turkeys?
While supermarkets offer a readily available source of frozen turkeys, there’s nothing quite like raising your own The difference in taste and quality is truly remarkable. Home-raised turkeys boast a tenderness, flavor, and freshness that surpasses anything you’ll find in a store If you’re looking for the ultimate Thanksgiving or holiday centerpiece, a bird raised with care and attention is the way to go.
Learning from Experience
My own journey with raising turkeys began in high school as part of an agricultural program. Starting with show poultry I quickly realized the potential for turning my passion into profit. However, as feed prices soared, my business model faced challenges ultimately leading to a hiatus from turkey raising.
Reflecting on My Mistakes
Looking back, I recognize my shortcomings Inexperience, coupled with rising feed costs, led to a focus on producing massive birds While customers desired a larger-than-average supermarket turkey, my 50-pound behemoths proved too much, resulting in unsold birds and financial losses.
Finding the Sweet Spot
The key to success lies in finding the sweet spot – a balance between customer demand and efficient production. Most turkey breeds reach a dressed weight of around 30 pounds at 4.5 months. Pushing them beyond that point, as I did, leads to unnecessary feed expenses and challenges in finding buyers.
Saving on Feed Costs
One of the most significant expenses in raising turkeys is feed. Purchasing feed in bulk from a nearby feed mill as opposed to bagged feed can drastically cut expenses. Additionally, choosing the right feed for the stage of growth is crucial. Although high-protein diets may appear to be the best for quick growth, they can also cause oversized birds and increased costs.
Investing in the Right Equipment
Turkeys require specialized equipment. While they can eat from chicken feeders, regular chicken water nipples won’t suffice. Their higher water consumption necessitates high-flow turkey nipple valves or automatic bell waterers. Over time, purchasing the appropriate tools can save you time and effort.
Choosing the Right Breed
When selecting a breed, consider your goals and preferences. If you’re looking for a heritage breed for fun and personal consumption, the Royal Palm or Midget White are excellent choices. However, for maximum production efficiency, the Broad Breasted Bronze or White varieties are unbeatable. These giants offer rapid growth, high feed conversion rates, and are readily available at most hatcheries.
Starting with Started Poults
Raising turkey poults from day-old can be challenging, especially for beginners. A more manageable approach is to purchase started poults, typically around 4 weeks old. This reduces mortality risks and simplifies the rearing process.
Processing Your Birds
Remember, you’ll need to process your turkeys. Ensure you have a local USDA-inspected processor lined up before you even order your birds.
Words of Wisdom
Raising turkeys can be a rewarding experience, but it also requires dedication and knowledge. My advice? Opt for commercial breeds like the Broad Breasted Bronze or White, start with started poults, and invest in the right equipment. Find a reliable local feed mill and processor, and don’t hesitate to seek guidance from experienced turkey breeders.
Additional Resources:
- Freedom Ranger Hatchery: This hatchery offers a comprehensive guide on raising turkeys, covering everything from brooding to feeding and housing.
- Backyard Poultry Magazine: This online resource provides valuable information on various aspects of raising turkeys, including breed selection, feeding, and health care.
Remember, with the right approach and dedication, raising turkeys can be a profitable and enjoyable venture. So, take the plunge, embrace the challenge, and enjoy the rewards of raising these magnificent birds!
Feed and Water Equipment
Turkeys can eat just fine out of a chicken feeder, but regular chicken water nipples are a no-no. Turkeys’ nipple valves require a significantly higher flow rate to operate correctly because they are such large birds. Turkeys drink a lot of water, much more than you would expect. It is highly recommended to install an automatic water system, as manually filling water dispensers by hand will become a constant source of frustration.
While there are high-flow turkey nipple valves on the market, an easy solution to the issue is to install automatic bell waterers. If you decide to try using turkey nipples, be prepared to buy a commercial style watering system. It’s a good investment if you want to raise meat turkeys seriously, but the cost may deter some people.
You can choose from a few intriguing breeds, like the Midget White Turkey and the Royal Palm Turkey. If you’re raising turkeys with chickens for fun, then by all means, try some cool heritage breeds!.
If you want the best value, a Bronze or White Broad Breasted turkey is a great option. These massive birds are the kings (and queens) of feed conversion due to the ratio of the amount of feed they consume to the amount of meat they produce. These birds grow quickly, are available from most commercial hatcheries, and are generally less expensive than rarer breeds because of their high sales volume.
Point of Diminishing Returns
Properly raised meat turkeys should yield approximately 30 pounds of dressed weight by the time they are 4 months old. 5 months old. I was growing my birds closer to 6 months old before processing, which was a waste of feed. Most of my customers wanted a much smaller bird, preferably one that would fit in their oven. As such, I had a hard time selling my extra-large birds. Those large birds that didn’t sell constituted significant financial losses for me.
When I started growing turkeys, I began on bagged feed. As prices went up, I found my local feed mill and started buying in bulk. If you own a feed mill, make use of it! Buying feed in bulk was significantly less expensive than buying feed in bags.
As I experimented with raising meat turkeys, I also tried different feeds available through the mill. I found a product that was super high in protein, which made my birds grow fast and big. However, that massive bird was my undoing.
Be sure you’re using the right feed, and if you don’t know which is best, ask. Although I was able to find a high-performance feed that yielded results, the results were more expensive than necessary. Had I used the correct feed, I would have seen good, controlled growth in my birds. My feed costs would have been lower and my dressed weights would have been easier to sell.
Raising Turkey for Beginners – What you need to know to get started!
FAQ
How long does it take to raise a turkey for slaughter?
What is the best age to butcher a turkey?
How long does it take to raise a turkey to 20 lbs?
Is it worth it to raise your own turkeys?
How long does it take to raise a Turkey?
How Long Does it Take to Raise Turkeys? The amount of time that it takes to raise a turkey is highly dependent on what type of turkey you are raising. The faster-growing breeds can take as little as 14 weeks to mature and be ready for butchering, while some heritage breeds can take as long as 30 weeks to be ready for butchering.
What are the health benefits of ground turkey?
Ground turkey has multiple benefits. It is a good source of minerals, and B vitamins, rich in proteins, low in fat and it is lower in calories than common turkey.
How many turkeys do you raise a year?
One of our neighbors customarily raises 6 to 12 turkeys a year right next to the hen house, in a pen about 5 feet wide, 12 feet long and about 2 feet high. The entire sunporch is raised about 3 feet off the ground. About half of the pen is roofed over to protect the birds from rain and direct sunlight, and roosts are provided.
How to raise turkeys on a farm?
To raise turkeys on your farm, you need to prepare their living space before the birds arrive. You should provide shelter, food, and water, heat lamps, bedding, and feeders. Turkeys need more space than chickens; the coop, the nesting boxes, the run are all bigger. A large pen or small barn works well for turkeys.