Cost of raising backyard turkeys?

Expect $30 to $70 in feed cost per turkey raised to market weight. A Broad Breasted turkey consumes 75 to 100 pounds of feed over 14 to 18 weeks, while heritage breeds eat 60 to 80 pounds over 24 to 28 weeks. Commercial turkey feed runs $20 to $35 per 50-pound bag. For a flock of 10 Broad Breasted…

Budget $250 to $1,500 for the one-time infrastructure needed before poults arrive. A coop costs $200 to $1,000 depending on whether you build from reclaimed lumber or buy a prefabricated unit. A brooder setup (heat plate or lamp, container, feeder, waterer) runs $50 to $100. Perimeter fencing adds…

Factor $8 to $20 per poult into your budget depending on breed and source. Broad Breasted White or Bronze poults cost $8 to $12 each from major hatcheries. Heritage breeds such as Bourbon Red, Narragansett, or Standard Bronze range from $10 to $20 per poult. Shipping from online hatcheries adds $30…

Choose between DIY processing at $100 to $500 in one-time equipment costs or professional processing at $10 to $25 per bird. DIY requires kill cones ($15 to $30 each), a scalding pot ($50 to $150), a plucker ($300 to $800 for mechanical, or hand-pluck for free), sharp knives, and shrink bags ($1 to…

Budget $5 to $15 per month for coop and brooder bedding depending on flock size. Pine shavings cost $6 to $10 per compressed bale and cover roughly 16 square feet at 3 to 4 inches deep. Straw bales run $4 to $8 each. A 10-bird flock needs bedding replaced or topped off every 1 to 2 weeks with the…

Set aside $50 to $150 as a contingency fund for unexpected health issues across a small flock. A poultry veterinary visit costs $50 to $100. Common medications include amprolium (Corid) for coccidiosis at $15 to $25 per bottle, electrolyte supplements at $8 to $12, and prescribed antibiotics at $15…