[Simon O]

Have not heard anybody elses results: of my 5 one died - unfortunately one male died at start of Dec - my best is 10kg/22lb (male) this is ovenready weight; it looks a cracker sadly going to someone else - the other 3 are smaller females

[Victorian Farmer]

Biggest bronze was 28 pound biggest white 42 pound .

[doganjo]

I doubt if anyone wants huge turkeys these days.  I asked my daughter but she just wanted enough for Christmas day for 8 of us.
Perhaps they should be being hatched later so they aren't too big by Christmas?

[graham-j]

Hi,when was yours hatched Victorian Farmer to achieve that weight.What do you consider the Ideal number of weeks to grow a bronze turkey.

Graham.

[Victorian Farmer]

We do 40 to 50 turkeys and 100 geese never kill eney sell live .The only way to get big birds is get the breeding stock from norfolk 6 whites and 6 bronze and 2 stags in each cost £5 each 6 weeks old  . Incubate hatching for the 1st of June and feed 2 times a day turkey starters high protein then barley corn etc reedy 12 December.The cost this time was min goose £60 and turkeys 42 av Big birds do sell hotels etc .The bronze grow slower than the whites but when cooked you Carnot tell the difarancen.Ginni fowl is a nother to think about £7 each quail £4 .

[Simon O]

That's a good big one VF. Ours were hatched about start of July. The other CSSA members who grew from the same batch achieved a bit bigger than mine. I think they were from proper stock. There are certainly a few people who have big Christmas family get-togethers and want a big turkey but the 5kg one was fine for us. The 3 females were 5kg, the male 10kg, fed ad lib. Is this the normal size difference or does the male hog the food and chase the females off it (I certainly did not notice this, but afterwards I wondered if I should have had more than one feeder). First time with turkeys and I quite enjoyed it - they are placid and easyish to look after, and having only a few there was a ready market among friends which at least paid for their food. They were a bit easier to pluck and gut than I thought, I did not find the primary feathers such a problem as expected from some of the postings on here even when plucked cold - some of the little abdominal ones I found more of a hassle. Our one tasted very good too but I think I should have hung longer

[Victorian Farmer]

Whit you did took us a long time to get right you done well for the first time .Try a month earlier and try to build a breeding flock so the young is you re own. The stags do eat more ,I still dont like them going all quiet naw the geese is the best grass till October and very easey .If you bought all the geese in the September sales you would pay £15 to £20 the prophet is massive on the geese .The other thing is cockerels £10 each never done them but if you done 10 off each it would pay for all of Christmas so keep in touch or drop me a line .

[graham-j]

Hi,where would you manage to sell that many birds all live for those sort of prices.That sounds really good to me I struggled to sell my geese for £50 each oven ready.My best seller again this year where cockerel £36 each for a 12lb bird again oven ready.My turkeys I started to late but this was my first go with them.

Graham.

[Victorian Farmer]

The trick is to find Christmas sales where poultry is sold the butchers tesco etc have agents like Perth sterling Huntley .This December i new the sales were short of turkeys geese etc .So when the retailers take half out the price has to go up.Bronze dont grow to fast so whites are Whit you need .Work out Whit Christmas cost you food feeding stock presents pay for the food up front and go for that .You said £50 for a goose work at £35 across the board and go for that ,I have had no Christmas or new ya re because i have so much stock for the march sales .Hatch October November for 3 big sales .So march will make more than Christmas so in the winter months cove rd for spring on these 2 things .

[graham-j]

Hi,thanks that is very interesting,what birds are you hatching for the march sales.Turkeys and cockerels for easter?

Graham.

[Victorian Farmer]

FIRST LOT GOLD TOPS utility Sussex and silky from £15 to £20 each next Colombian black tails £12 each then black rocks £15 then bared rocks then am rocks roads Sussex all sext no cocks .So from the 1st of September hatch every week till Christmas   .I have no cock birds till may i gas all at the mo so were getting 60 /40 and 40 is hens .Chicks are £3 .80 each .no turkeys or geese till the end of February i have 2 pares of geese to get rid off will be cheap i didn't wont to kill these very nice stock and lade well .   Soft i no

[graham-j]

Hi,do you buy all your eggs in.How will you sell most of these birds in sales or direct to the public.

Graham.

[Victorian Farmer]

I have 10 pens at each sale 3 or 4 hens in each pen average price £60 a pen some £80 chicks 7 or 8 in 1 pen all hens vaccinated  average £50 a pen .Yes all stock is mine so no cost for eggs but a food bill of over 1000 for 6 weeks . I did run 53 pens in 2012 i think we have 4 to 5 hundred young stock and 200 12 months old stock .We will sell all the young stock by April .I then do hex am york clitharo and Carlie and then rest in June if things dont work out this march the hens will be dropt and no hatching in winter .Lambing  starts April i have 200 ewes to lamb that month .So if the price is dawn that's it for march sales .Lots of cost feed electricity transport and the pens at £5 each . The hens are the only things that are not making money .Wev sold no think since October and 2 months to go .So we will see whot happens .

[graham-j]

Hi, thanks for the advice,I nice to here from some one who knows what they are talking about been there seen it done it.

Thanks.

[Victorian Farmer]

yes its very hard at the mo for the poultry ,i think it will go the same way as pigs .If you don't keep the stock through the winter the work and feed is massive .So go on 5 months October till march you have 20 birds wood shavings 1 a month £50 and 2 bags of feed a month 1 mixt corn and 1 of crumbs £100 for 5 months  and then work that's £150 so if the hens were £10 each 15 hens £150 not worth the bother .The hens i use are so good but you have to be realistic ,I dont no where we go from here i could  by new stock in, in march and start again .If i done more turkeys and geese and dropt the hens at least you would make money just dont no haw things will go whits you re big earner on you re land.