Ideal weight for market turkey 4H

[Billst]

Our fair doesn’t have any weight limits and this is our first year taking turkeys. They currently weight 22 pounds and have 8 weeks till fair. What is the ideal weight for a market turkey? Thanks for any input

 

[iwltfum]

What variety of turkey do you have? A broad breasted white might be like 50 pounds if you let it go another 8 weeks. A heritage breed wouldn't gain as much, but 22 pounds is pretty big already. It would be roughly 15 pounds dressed

Here's another way to think of it. Most thanksgiving turkey recipes call for 1-1.5 pounds per person eating so a 15 pound bird (dressed) will feed about 10-15 people. For alot of people it depends on how many people they are having over that determines how big of a bird they want. I have sold 40+ pound turkeys in the past, but if you are fair to yourself when you price them, they can get pretty pricey and most people aren't having 40 people over for thanksgiving. If they will grind the turkey meat, that's a different story- the bigger the better in that case.

 

[Billst]

They are the broad breasted turkeys. I was thinking 40-45 pounds is a good weight for 4H showing

 

[iwltfum]

I'd say you are right on track then.