Feed Costs (Largest Recurring Expense)

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 birds, total feed expense lands between $300 and $700.

Why It Works

Feed typically exceeds 60% of the total per-bird expense. Calculating consumption by breed and growth period gives you an accurate forecast rather than a surprise at processing time.

Tips

• Buy feed in bulk from a local mill to save 15 to 25% compared to bagged retail prices
• Supplement with managed pasture access to reduce commercial feed consumption by up to 20%
• Start poults on 28% protein starter for the first 8 weeks, then transition to 20% grower to optimize feed conversion