[Padge]

Quick question      we've seen some Norfolk black/bronze 10 week old poults for sale....will they be likely to finish in time for xmas...not had them before...thanks in advance

[Victorian Farmer]

depends if you give them light and warmth to keep them eating .

[Clansman]

Hi Padge,

i would leave them.

They are going to be around 17 weeks by Christmas.

Bronze turkeys don't usually start putting on fat much before 22 weeks and they will still be quite light weight and lanky at 17 weeks so they are going to be lean and dry.

Those ones look to have been hatched at the end of August so I wouldn't be expecting them to reach a good killing weight much before February.

i'd say a mid July hatch would be the very latest date to rear bronze turkey for Christmas.

I've just killed some this weekend which were hatched at the start of June (23 weeks) hens were 14-16lb live weight, Stags 26-28lb

I have some hatched mid July which are now 17 weeks but they are too skinny looking to eat yet.

They will be 23 weeks by Christmas so should just be about spot on for killing.

[Padge]

Thanks Clansman....we took them anyway  and are happy to keep until they're ready    just to try and see how we go really...we'd have liked to keep them year round as someone else on here does   Hermit I think .....will bring update when they're ready