[Lilljoho]

Hi

No real idea what I'm doing but if I get day old Norfolk black turkeys now will they be ready for Christmas. Or will they be to big?

[bj_cardiff]

What size are you aiming for and do you need them to be fresh at xmas? If your offered a good deal now or its a good time I'd go for it and cull in 6 months and freeze the birds, or just let them run on and have bigger birds? I hatch small batches of turkey eggs and sell them on at 4 weeks and usually hatch my own early as people aren't that interested in buying them until September

[Lilljoho]

So they'll be ok just maybe big. I was hoping to raise them as free range as possible without pushing too much food into them. Does that work or will I get big frames with no meat on my them?

[Eve]

You could reeze them around 5-6 months as mentioned and take some stress out of your Christmas preparations (plus livestock is easier to look after in October than December if you're a wuss like me temperature sensitive  ) , or wait until June / July and have them fresh. Too old = less tender meat.

They need a lot more space (turkey pooh = chicken pooh x 100) and they'll roost up in a tree given half the chance. They need a good shelter as well as they don't do too well in cold, wet weather.

[Marches Farmer]

The feed conversion rate of poults declines the older they get. 

[NewToThis]

They need a lot more space (turkey pooh = chicken pooh x 100) and they'll roost up in a tree given half the chance. They need a good shelter as well as they don't do too well in cold, wet weather.

Totally agree on roosting up a tree (or in my case they favour a barn roof!) Mine refuse to use any shelter and prefer to perch out in all weathers