How Much Is a Live Turkey? Pricing and Cost Considerations

For many families, a roast turkey is the centerpiece of holiday meals and celebrations. But if you’re interested in raising your own turkeys, you may be wondering – how much does a live turkey cost? Here’s a breakdown of live turkey prices, costs, and factors to consider

Live Turkey Pricing

Live turkey prices can vary widely depending on the type, size, seller, and time of year Here are some typical price ranges

• Commercial broad-breasted turkeys – The most common and affordable type of turkey. A 20-25 lb young hen costs $15-30. Toms range from $25-45 for a 30-45 lb bird.

• Heritage breed turkeys – Heirloom breeds raised sustainably. Cost $4-7 per lb. A 25 lb bird runs $100-175.

• Organic/free-range turkeys – Commercially raised breeds that are organic or free-range. Run $3-5 per lb, so a 25 lb turkey is $75-125.

• Day-old poults – Baby chicks. Around $5 each for broad-breasted, or $10-25 for heritage breeds. Minimum order of 10-25 chicks.

• Ready-to-lay turkey hens – Mature breeder hens. $45-65 each.

• Adult heritage breed toms – For breeding. $150-300 each.

So generally, commercial broad-breasted turkeys cost $1-2 per lb live weight. Heritage and organic birds run $3-7+ per lb. Day-old poults and starter birds are cheapest, mature breeders and heritage toms most expensive.

Factors Impacting Cost

Several factors influence the pricing on live turkeys:

Type/breed – Heritage breeds cost more to raise so pricing is higher. Broad-breasted whites are the most efficient commercial meat bird.

Age and sex – Younger birds are cheaper than older. Hens are smaller and cost less than toms.

Feed – Organic and non-GMO feeds cost more, raising production costs.

Housing – Free-range and pastured housing has higher labor and land costs.

Processing – Selling live vs slaughtered, dressed birds affects pricing.

Supplier – Large commercial hatcheries offer lowest pricing. Small farm sellers charge a premium.

Organic/sustainable farming – Requirements like organic feed and humane harvesting increase costs.

Time of year – Prices drop after holidays when demand is lower.

Convenience – Buying locally vs online, delivery fees, farm pick up options all impact final cost.

Order size – Bulk discounts from large orders vs minimum chick requirements.

So heritage breed, older, and sustainably raised turkeys command the highest prices due to higher production costs. But you pay for quality and humanely raised birds.

Estimated Costs of Raising Turkeys

If you plan to buy poults and raise your own turkeys, here are estimated costs:

• Poults – $2.50 to $5 per poult. Plan for 10-25 birds for starter flocks.

• Brooder supplies – $75-200 for heat lamp, bedding, waterer, feeder.

• Feed – Up to 50 lbs per bird at $20 per 50 lb bag. So $20-40 total per bird.

• Housing – $2-5 per sq ft to build coop and run. Or buy pre-fab for $300-800.

• Processing – $10-25 per bird if using a service.

• Health care – $1-5 per poult for vaccines. Meds as needed.

Total estimate per broad-breasted turkey: $40-75

Total estimate per heritage turkey: $75-150

So with all costs factored in, broad-breasted turkeys run about $1-3 per pound, and heritage breeds $3-6 per pound to raise yourself.

Buying Locally vs Online

You can purchase live turkeys from local farms or online hatcheries. Here’s how the options compare:

Local farm pros:

• Support local business and agriculture
• Hand select exact birds you want
• Arrange pickup dates and delivery
• Birds raised in your climate already

Local farm cons:

• Very limited availability and options
• May need to preorder months ahead
• Higher per bird cost due to smaller scale

Online pros:

• Large Selection of breeds, ages available
• Order exact number and type needed
• Shipped directly to your post office
• Lower per bird pricing in bulk

Online cons:

• Added shipping cost
• Must pick up shipment promptly
• Cannot see birds in person before purchase
• DOA risk in shipping

For maximum selection and best pricing, ordering online is ideal. But for convenience, supporting local, or custom orders, local farms can be worth the premium.

Pricing Variations by Turkey Size and Type

To give more specific pricing examples, here’s what you can expect to pay for some common turkey sizes and varieties:

• Heritage turkey poult – $5 to $10 each

• Young broad-breasted hen – $20 to $30 for a 20 lb bird

• Young broad-breasted tom – $35 to $45 for a 30 lb bird

• Mature broad-breasted hen – $25 to $35 for a 25 lb bird

• Mature broad-breasted tom – $40 to $60 for a 45 lb bird

• Organic/free-range young hen – $60 to $100 for a 20 lb bird

• Organic/free-range young tom – $100 to $150 for a 30 lb bird

• Heritage breed young hen – $80 to $140 for a 20 lb bird

• Heritage breed young tom – $120 to $200 for a 30 lb bird

So you can budget $20-30 for a small commercial hen, $35-60 for a large tom, or $60-200 for premium heritage and organic turkeys. Poults and starter birds are most affordable.

Buying Direct vs Ordering Online

To get the freshest, healthiest turkeys, many people prefer to buy direct from local farmers. However, for wider selection and bulk pricing, ordering from a national hatchery can save substantially.

For example, a minimum order of 10 broad-breasted poults starts around $2.50 each from a hatchery. That’s just $25 total! A mature tom costs $35 online vs perhaps $100 from a local farm. Of course, you need to pay shipping and pick up the birds yourself with online ordering.

So while buying local harvested turkeys are best for freshness, purchasing live turkeys online is far cheaper than locally for small or starter flocks. The tradeoff is convenience vs cost.

Why Are Heritage and Pasture-Raised Turkeys So Expensive?

Comparing standard supermarket turkey prices to small farm heritage birds, the cost difference can be shocking. Why is there often a 400-700% premium for pasture-raised heritage breeds?

Several reasons these specialty turkeys command a higher price:

• Smaller scale production with higher labor costs

• Slower growth rates mean longer time to reach slaughter size

• Requirements for humane treatment and processing

• Higher cost organic and GMO-free feeds

• More land required for free-range pasturing

• Higher mortality rates under natural conditions

So for heritage breed turkeys raised humanely and sustainably, $100-200 for a single bird is typical. When you consider the time, care, and costs involved, the pricing seems more reasonable compared to commercial production. The higher cost translates to better quality, flavor, and welfare standards.

When Are Turkeys Cheapest? Planning Your Purchase

As a general rule, turkey prices are lowest in late fall after the holiday rush. Demand declines in winter, so farmers offer discounts to move inventory.

Here are some tips for getting the best deals:

• Buy turkeys in bulk quantity for volume discounts

• Buy shortly after holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas

• Check for special limited-time sales and promotions

• Order early in the season for best selection

• Purchase poults and starter birds for lower cost

Keep in mind turkeys sold before holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas will command a higher price. Avoid these busy times or expect to pay premium pricing.

Is It Cheaper to Raise Your Own?

With live commercial turkeys costing as little as $15-$25 for a young bird, is it really worth the effort to raise your own? For small backyard flocks, probably not in terms of pure cost savings.

However, there are several good reasons you may want to buy poults and raise turkeys yourself:

• You control the quality of feed, housing, and care

• Fun experience for kids or hobby