{"id":39874,"date":"2025-11-13T03:00:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T08:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/?p=39874"},"modified":"2025-11-13T11:55:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T16:55:36","slug":"turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising Turkeys for Meat: A Guide for Small Farms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Raising turkeys<\/a> for meat and eggs is a popular choice and has a loyal following among small-scale, sustainable farmers. With a little know-how, it\u2019s possible to successfully add these feathered fowl to your farm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoy the birds, their sounds and expressions,\u201d says Lynn Gillespie of The Living Farm, in Paonia, Colo. Gillespie started raising heritage varieties, including Narragansetts, Bourbon Reds, Slates and Bronze, alongside Broad Breasted Whites eight years ago and believes that the birds are a profitable addition to her farm.<\/p>\n

The biggest reason for raising turkeys for meat, especially heritage varieties, is for the holiday market, according to Don Schrider, author of Storey\u2019s Guide to Raising Turkeys<\/em> (3rd edition, 2013).<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a huge demand for turkey at Thanksgiving<\/a> and Christmas,\u201d he says, \u201cand it can be a very profitable market.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s also possible to create a market outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The birds produce eggs and meat that is popular for bacon, sausage and ground turkey.<\/p>\n

Although raising turkeys for meat and eggs is low-maintenance and suitable for beginning farmers, they are not chickens.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey might look similar,\u201d Gillespie says, \u201cbut they need different care; if you raise your turkeys like chickens, there is a good chance that all your turkeys will die.\u201d<\/p>\n

Choosing the Best Turkeys for Meat Production<\/h2>\n

Farmers can choose between commercial\/industrial varieties and heritage varieties when raising turkeys for meat.<\/p>\n

Commercial\/Industrial Varieties<\/h3>\n

Industrial varieties, such as the Broad Breasted White and the Broad Breasted Bronze, are fast-growing birds that produce meaty, moist breasts. It takes about 20 weeks to grow the birds; hens will grow up to 20 pounds and toms, up to 70 pounds. Industrial birds are often raised in poultry houses with limited light and access to the outdoors.<\/p>\n

The rapid growth cycle of commercial varieties means the meat is cheaper to produce and sell, which can appeal to a broader consumer market.<\/p>\n

Heritage Varieties<\/h3>\n

In contrast, heritage turkeys come in multiple varieties\u2014the American Poultry Association recognizes seven distinct varieties, including Black, Bourbon Red and Royal Palm, each with its own feather pattern and color. Heritage birds are raised outdoors and take up to 16 months to reach 12 pounds.<\/p>\n

Although the market for heritage turkeys is smaller, the birds fetch a premium price.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to choose between meat and flavor,\u201d Schrider says. \u201cThe volume of meat on an industrial bird is greater but the flavor of a heritage bird is much more intense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where to Buy Poults and Eggs<\/h2>\n

Once you know which variety you want for raising turkeys for meat and eggs, locate a breeder. To ensure the birds come from disease-free stock, choose a hatchery that participates in the USDA\u2019s National Poultry Improvement Plan; a reputable hatchery will be able to provide their NPIP number. Eggs and poults can be shipped via the U.S. Postal Service.<\/p>\n

Raising Turkeys for Meat & Eggs: Poults<\/h2>\n

Industrial varieties are often raised in confinement. Poults are started in a small section of the poultry house, and as they grow and need additional space, they are moved into the main part. It\u2019s also possible to raise industrial varieties on pasture.<\/p>\n

Pasture Management<\/h3>\n

To keep poults safe, keep them in a brooder until they are at least 8 weeks old. Be sure to provide at least 1 square foot of floor space per poult to prevent cannibalism; after 6 weeks of age, increase it to a minimum of 2 square feet. Poults that are confined past 12 weeks of age need at least 3 square feet of floor space each. In a brooder, Gillespie favors keeping poults in groups of up to 15, but not more: Poults will potentially smother each other in larger numbers.<\/p>\n

Once the birds are old enough, they can be released onto the pasture until harvest, either to free-range<\/a> or be kept with electric fencing and a shelter. Be sure to keep turkeys and chickens separate, especially in areas where blackhead disease is a problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cChickens will be immune, but they can be carriers and turkeys will get it,\u201d Schrider explains.<\/p>\n

To protect the flock, keep turkeys at least 200 feet from chicken pastures and use a barrier to keep them separate; both flocks should have their own pastures, housing, feed and watering equipment. If birds are being raised on pasture, it\u2019s essential to provide shelter and roosts as well as fresh water and feed.<\/p>\n

Feeding Nutrition & Tips<\/h3>\n

Pastured turkeys eat a mix of \u00adformulated food mix and forage.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoults need more protein than chicks,\u201d Gillespie says. \u201cYou need to feed them a turkey starter, not a chicken starter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gillespie also feeds her turkeys weeds, salad trimmings and alfalfa hay. \u201cThey should have a fresh supply of greens every day,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Predator Protection When Raising Turkeys for Meat & Eggs<\/h3>\n

On pasture, turkeys must be moved often. Electric net fencing<\/a> is an inexpensive, easy-to-use system that allows for rotational grazing while keeping turkeys from wandering too far afield.<\/p>\n

Cats, snakes, raccoons, foxes, hawks, owls, snakes and other predators prey on turkeys.\u00a0A secure coop, electric fencing and galvanized wire pens are the best defense to keep your flock safe. Keep in mind that heritage varieties can fly. (The breasts of industrial birds are too heavy to allow them to take flight.) Schrider suggests clipping their wings to keep turkeys from escaping their fencing.<\/p>\n

Marketing Turkey Meat and Eggs<\/h2>\n

When raising turkeys for meat, outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is still a small but profitable market for turkey products, such as bacon, sausage and ground turkey. With a goal of increasing demand, the National Turkey Federation<\/a> launched a 20 by 2020 campaign to encourage people to consume 20 pounds per capita of lean turkey meat by 2020.<\/p>\n

Of the 80 Broad Breasted Whites and 20 heritage varieties Gillespie raises on The Living Farm, most are destined for Thanksgiving tables. Some of the heritage turkeys are reserved for breed stock, but she is confident the farm could sell turkey most of the year. Gillespie also acknowledges the challenge of marketing heritage varieties during the holidays.<\/p>\n

\u201cStores sell turkeys below the cost of producing a turkey,\u201d she says. \u201cYou have to educate your customers as to why your turkeys cost more than the store.\u201d Raising certified organic turkeys is one way to boost your return on investment.<\/p>\n

To boost year-round demand, Schrider encourages farmers to educate shoppers about heritage varieties, including the best cooking techniques.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to use heritage cooking techniques, such as slow-roasting and basting, with heritage birds,\u201d he says. Organizations such as Slow Food USA<\/a> and Chefs Collaborative<\/a> have recipes for preparing heritage varieties on their website.<\/p>\n

Beyond meat, there is a niche market for turkey eggs. Hens start laying at 32 weeks\u2014compared with 20 weeks for chickens\u2014and lay up to 120 eggs during peak laying season, which extends from January through June.<\/p>\n

Although Schrider calls turkey eggs \u201cperfectly good eating eggs,\u201d he notes that the proteins in their egg whites are thicker than in chicken eggs, making them unsuitable for light, fluffy foods. \u201cThey are good for pound cake but not angel food cake,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The Living Farm delivers turkey eggs to its farm-to-table caf\u00e9, The Living Caf\u00e9, in Paonia, Colo., and features them on the menu. The over-easy offerings are popular, according to Gillespie. \u201cIt gives people a chance to try something new,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Heritage Turkey Breeds to Consider When Raising Turkeys for Meat & Eggs<\/h2>\n
\"close
Yumiko Yumiko\/Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slow Food USA, an international grassroots membership organization for good, clean and fair food for all, has identified eight heritage turkey varieties<\/a> that are facing extinction and encourages farmers to preserve these varieties by raising them and encouraging consumers to add them to their plates.<\/p>\n

American Bronze: Classic Copper-Brown Heritage Bird<\/h3>\n

Until the Broad Breasted Bronze was replaced with the Broad Breasted White in the 1960s, it was one of the most popular turkey varieties in the United States. The birds have copper feathers on a background of brown and black with white bars on the tail. Toms weigh up to 36 pounds; hens can reach 20 pounds. The Bronze is listed on The Livestock Conservancy\u2019s Conservation Priority List in the Watch category, with less than 2,500 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 10,000.<\/p>\n

Black: Sleek Metallic Black Poultry Variety<\/h3>\n

Known as Black Spanish in Spain and Norfolk Blacks in England, Black Turkeys originated in Europe and were crossbred with wild turkeys after migrating to the United States with colonists. Although poults often have white or bronze feathers, the mature plumage is metallic black. The birds are small; toms weigh just 23 pounds, while hens weigh in around 14 pounds. The Black is also listed in the Watch category.<\/p>\n

Bourbon Red: Rich Red Plumage and Flavorful Meat<\/h3>\n

Named for its birthplace of Bourbon County, Ky., this variety was developed from the Jersey Buff for improved meat production. Also known as Bourbon Butternut or Kentucky Red, the turkeys have brownish to dark-red plumage, heavy breasts and flavorful meat. Toms weigh up to 33 pounds, and hens tip the scales at 18 pounds. The Bourbon Red is also listed in the Watch category.<\/p>\n

Jersey Buff: Light-Colored, Mild-Tempered Turkey<\/h3>\n

Also known as Buff, these turkeys were named for the color of their feathers. Toms weigh 21 pounds; hens, 12 pounds. The variety originated in the mid-Atlantic region and struggled to gain prominence despite its color providing advantages for processing. By 1915, it was nearly extinct. The variety is still available through small breeders and hatcheries. It is listed as Critical, with fewer than 200 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of fewer than 2,000.<\/p>\n

Midget White: Small, Efficient Meat and Egg Bird<\/h3>\n

A variety developed at the University of Massachusetts by crossing a commercial Broad Breasted White with a Royal Palm. The Midget White is a smaller bird with a broad breast. Toms weigh 13 pounds; hens average 8 pounds. Although it\u2019s a flavorful meat bird, it was bred for improved egg production; hens lay up to 80 large eggs per year. It is also listed as Critical.<\/p>\n

Narragansett: Hardy Bird with Traditional Coloring<\/h3>\n

Named for Narra\u00adgansett Bay in Rhode Island, the variety is a cross between wild and domestic turkeys. The Narragansett has similar coloring to the Bronze breed but is smaller in size. Toms weigh 30 pounds; hens, 18. Hens are strong egg layers. It is currently a Threatened variety, with less than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 5,000.<\/p>\n

Royal Palm: Striking White with Black Feather Edges<\/h3>\n

With white plumage and contrasting metallic black edging on its feathers, the Royal Palm is a small turkey variety with toms weighing
\n16 pounds and hens averaging 10 pounds. The Royal Palm is also listed in the Watch category.<\/p>\n

Slate: Blue-Gray Plumage and Rare Heritage Breed<\/h3>\n

This variety is also known as the Blue Slate, Blue or Lavender because of its solid to muddled blue plumage. Hens weigh about 14 pounds; toms average 23 pounds. Because there are fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States\u2014landing the Slate in the Watch category\u2014production potential is unknown.<\/p>\n

Convincing farmers to raise turkeys is a little like convincing diners to try turkey eggs for the first time. Gillespie offers some encouragement. \u201cYou will need to practice with turkeys before you are proficient at raising them,\u201d she says. \u201cOnce you get the hang of it, it\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article about raising turkeys for meat and eggs was written for Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines. Click here to subscribe.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You Can Raise Turkeys Outside of Holiday Demand for Meat and Eggs <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":39875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10456],"tags":[12058,12059],"class_list":["post-39874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poultry","tag-raising-turkeys","tag-raising-turkeys-and-chickens"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRaising Turkeys for Meat and Eggs Year Round - Hobby Farms<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Raising turkeys for meat is easier than you think\u2014learn how to choose breeds, care for poults, manage pasture, and market meat and eggs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Raising Turkeys for Meat: A Guide for Small Farms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Raising turkeys for meat is easier than you think\u2014learn how to choose breeds, care for poults, manage pasture, and market meat and eggs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hobby Farms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hobbyfarms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-13T08:00:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-13T16:55:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/29105914\/turkey1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"462\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jodi Helmer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@helmerjodi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@hobbyfarms\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jodi Helmer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jodi Helmer\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/person\/1403962d2b42c17c4551c37eb7abcf6c\"},\"headline\":\"Raising Turkeys for Meat: A Guide for Small Farms\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-13T08:00:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-13T16:55:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/\"},\"wordCount\":1922,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/29105914\/turkey1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"raising turkeys\",\"raising turkeys and chickens\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Poultry\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/turkeys-not-just-for-thanksgiving\/\",\"name\":\"Raising Turkeys for Meat and Eggs Year Round - 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