Turkey conclusion

[Digger]

When I first got my flock I hoped to make a profit by selling the meat and eggs. I went with a heritage breed, so they could reproduce without the added expenditure of artificial insemination. I thought I had a steady source of cheap healthy meat for my family. I was dead wrong. That second year I just hoped to break even. Now that I'm coming up on my third year, I've finally concluded that it would be cheaper to buy organic turkey at the grocery store. Have any of you guys managed to make a profit or at least break even on your turkeys?

 

[leon]

I am yet to venture into the rearing of turkey, but from what I've heard, the heritage breed has a slower but more natural pace of growth. They achieve the market weight between the 24th and 30th week. I would consider them an ideal source of flavorful meat.

 

[Gardenry]

I've never raised turkeys. Would it be less expensive to grow their food rather than purchasing a commercial mix? I think they eat seeds, nuts, plants, grains, and fruits. You should be able to grow some of those things. A nut tree takes time to get established, but it will produce for years. I think turkeys also eat worms, insects, and small reptiles. You could harvest those too.

 

[jack]

When starting a new venture, miscalculations do happen, and afterward, everything becomes a lesson. I also have never raised turkeys, but my choice would be the heritage breed because of the natural pace of growth.

 

[Digger]

You guys raised some good points and truthfully, I didn't do enough to grow their food and relied almost entirely on commercial rations. You've given me a lot to think about moving forward.