meat turkeys do you let them out on the grass

Ronnan · **Joined:** Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:33 am **Posts:** 5

With meat turkeys do you let them out on the grass or do you keep them caged so as to keep the fat on them? or does the grass help fatten them up?

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

depends on your philosophy.

Maximum growth will occur if they are locked up and fed high protein ration. Better flavoured meat comes from a slower grown bird that has been allowed to free range a bit.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

I feed mineTurkey and Meat Bird Starter then Grower crumbles to age 20-24 weeks then introduce them to the paddock each morning - by 30 weeks they are exclusively free ranged and they grow to a good size and taste great

average male weight at 12 months old 45kg - they tend to be a bit lean being males
average female weight same age 35kg but they tend to have a bit of fat on them - but that makes them tender and juicy :-D

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

Sooz, think you mean pounds not kilos

A 45 Kilo gobbler would be something to behold indeed!

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

no Andrew I meant kilos - Turkey Sandwhich amd his son Meat Sandwich were both weighed at the Vets and yep TS weighed in at 45kg and MS weighed 42kg - yeah they are huge
why do you think TS was lead trained :?:

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

Hmm, seems to me anyway that hens around 12 Kg are big enough and gobblers probably about double or a bit more than that. Otherwise egg laying of hens and 'ability' of gobblers will be a problem.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

so far there have been no probs with the meat birds mating naturally and egg production is very good in them

it is the RPs that give me trouble re eggs and natural mating :roll:

go figure!

but a smaller meat bird would be good regards handling AND processing/cooking - yes - 12kg for a hen would be a good size

Ronnan · **Joined:** Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:33 am **Posts:** 5

Thank you for the information 12kg hen sounds like a good size for eating?

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

12kg live weight gives a good sized bird for the oven when dressed – so – yes – 12kg bird would be the ideal

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