Raising a tasty, juicy turkey for your holiday table takes some planning and patience. Unlike picking up a frozen bird at the grocery store, getting a turkey from poult to processed requires a commitment of several months. Here’s what you need to know about the time requirements for raising meat turkeys.
Turkey Breeds Grow at Different Rates
The amount of time it takes turkeys to reach harvest weight depends largely on the breed Here are growth rates for some common options
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Broad-breasted turkeys – The most common commercial breed, these turkeys are the fastest growing, reaching market weight at 18-22 weeks for toms and 14-16 weeks for hens. Toms can exceed 30 pounds and hens 15 pounds
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Heritage breeds – Slower maturing breeds like Bourbon Reds, Royal Palms, and Blue Slates take 24-30 weeks to fully develop, with mature weights from 10-25 pounds.
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Midget White – A smaller heritage breed, Midget Whites take 20-25 weeks to reach 16-20 pounds for toms and 8-12 pounds for hens.
So you can expect most turkeys to take 5-7 months from hatching to harvest. Broad-breasted turkeys, the type used by large commercial operations, will be at the low end of that range at just under 6 months for hens and a little over for toms.
When to Get Turkey Poults
Since you need about 5-7 months of lead time, obtaining poults in late spring or early summer allows harvest in the fall for the holidays. Here are guidelines on timing:
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For Broad-breasted turkeys, order poults in early July so they are ready to process in November.
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For heritage breeds, get poults in May or June to reach target weight between late October and December.
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If hatching your own eggs, begin incubating 28-30 days prior to the ideal poult arrival dates above.
Starting poults in summer gives them time to mature before the temperatures drop and growth rates decline. It also provides a buffer in case your specific birds grow a bit slower than expected.
Month-by-Month Timeline for Raising Meat Turkeys
Here is an approximate month-by-month timeline for raising Broad-breasted turkeys for Thanksgiving:
Month 1
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Receive day-old poults in early July and set up a brooder.
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Keep poults at 95°F for the first week, lowering by 5° per week after that.
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Feed a 28% protein turkey starter feed and provide ample clean water.
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Poults will double in size within 2 weeks.
Months 2-3
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Around 6-8 weeks old, move poults from the brooder to a secure outdoor pen with a coop.
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Switch to a 20-22% protein grower feed.
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Allow poults to explore and forage if possible but keep confined.
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Monitor for signs of disease and predators.
Months 4-5
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From 14 weeks onward, transition to an 18-20% finisher feed.
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Keep watching for health issues and aggressive behavior between males.
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Prepare housing and equipment for processing day.
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Line up helpers for processing and arrange waste disposal/storage.
Month 6
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Butcher turkeys at 18-22 weeks once they reach target weight.
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Chill carcasses completely before cutting up and freezing.
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Cook, preserve, or freeze meat within 2 days of processing.
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Thoroughly clean all equipment and housing afterwards.
With proper preparation and care, your Broad-breasted turkeys will be ready for harvest in November, just in time for Thanksgiving meals. Heritage breeds on a May/June timeline will finish up in late fall.
Tips for Efficient Growth
Here are some tips to help your turkeys grow as efficiently as possible:
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Choose fast-growing commercial strains suited to your climate.
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Provide age-appropriate high protein feed.
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Allow access to pasture for natural foraging if possible.
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Manage litter and ammonia in housing.
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Minimize stress from overcrowding and aggression.
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Follow biosecurity measures to prevent disease.
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Use sturdy housing and fencing to protect from predators.
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Butcher at optimal size before feed conversion efficiency declines.
Is Raising Turkeys Worth the Time Investment?
Growing your own turkeys takes dedication over many months. While you save money on buying a holiday bird, it requires far more time and effort than purchasing a frozen one from the store.
Consider these factors when deciding if raising meat turkeys is worthwhile for you:
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Do you enjoy hands-on animal husbandry as a hobby?
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Can you access quality poults and supplies in your area?
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Can you commit to daily care for 6+ months?
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Do you have secure turkey housing and fences?
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Are there processors available to handle butchering?
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Will the finished turkey offset enough purchases to justify costs?
For the right person with space and commitment, homegrown turkeys can certainly be very rewarding. But don’t take turkeys lightly, as they do require significant dedicated time and labor compared to a frozen grocery store bird.
The Bottom Line
Most turkeys need about 5-7 months growing from poults to full-size for butchering. Broad-breasted turkeys are the fastest, with hens reaching target weight at 14-16 weeks and toms at 18-22 weeks. Heritage breeds take 24-30 weeks to finish. Plan your poult purchase or hatch timing accordingly so your birds are ready for fall and winter holidays. Provide proper feed, secure housing, and attentive care throughout the long grow-out period. With some hard work and patience, you can enjoy delicious homegrown turkey raised 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 to slaughter?
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.
What is the best age to butcher a turkey?
Most people have their broad breasted turkeys butchered between 18 and 20 weeks of age.Mar 9, 2024
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.