Where to Buy Turkey Chicks: The Complete Guide

Turkey chicks, also known as poults, make a great addition to any backyard flock But where can you find high-quality, healthy poults for sale? I’ve raised turkeys for years, so I want to share my tips on the best places to buy turkey chicks

Why Raise Turkeys?

Before jumping into where to buy poults, let’s first go over why you might want to raise turkeys in the first place. Here are some of the best reasons to add these birds to your flock:

• Meat production – Turkeys are most well-known for being a delicious source of meat for holiday meals. Raising your own turkeys means you can enjoy fresh, organic, homegrown turkey meat.

• Insect control – Turkeys are excellent foragers and will devour insects like ticks grasshoppers and more. Put them to work in your garden or pasture for natural pest management.

• Fun pets – Believe it or not, turkeys have very individual personalities and can be quite friendly when raised by hand. They definitely add entertainment value to any backyard flock.

• Conservation – Heritage turkey breeds preserve genetic diversity and rare traits not found in commercial turkeys. Raising heritage turkeys helps protect these unique birds.

Turkey Breeds

The two main types of turkey you’ll encounter when shopping for poults are commercial broad-breasted turkeys and heritage turkeys.

Broad-breasted turkeys are the kind you find in the grocery store. They grow very fast and produce a lot of breast meat. However, their rapid growth means they can suffer from health issues.

Heritage turkeys encompass traditional, old-fashioned breeds. They grow slower and have a more balanced body type. Although smaller, heritage turkeys tend to be hardy and excellent foragers. Popular heritage breeds include Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Jersey Buff, and more.

Consider your goals in raising turkeys when deciding which breed to purchase. Broad-breasted poults are best for maximum meat production. Go with a heritage breed if you want pets, insect control, or to conserve rare genetics.

Where to Find Turkey Chicks for Sale

Okay, you’ve decided you want to raise some turkeys. Where should you look to buy poults? Here are my top recommendations for finding healthy chicks.

Local Feed Stores

The first place I always check is local farm supply or feed stores. These stores aimed at farmers and homesteaders often have poults available in spring. Call around beginning in February to ask if they will have turkey chicks for sale and when they expect shipments to arrive.

Shopping local is great because you can pick up the poults right away, avoiding shipping stress. You also get to see the quality and health of the chicks in person. Ask questions about where the hatchery sources their eggs and if the poults were vaccinated.

However, local stores may have a limited selection of breeds. If you want a specific heritage breed, you may need to look further afield.

Mail Order Hatcheries

Online mail order hatcheries offer the widest selection of turkey breeds. They also ship day-old poults nation-wide, providing access for those without local options.

Look for hatcheries that specialize in rare and heritage poultry. Avoid those that only focus on commercial production. Reputable hatcheries should be members of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). Here are two of my favorite hatcheries for quality turkey chicks:

• Cackle Hatchery – Offers over 10 heritage turkey breeds as well as broad-breasted Bronze and White turkeys. You can order as few as 3 poults at a time. They also sell adult breeding stock.

• Meyer Hatchery – Good selection of heritage turkey breeds. Requires a 25 poult minimum order. Helpful information provided on their turkey breed pages.

Other hatcheries like Murray McMurray, Stromberg’s, and Hoovers also sell turkey chicks. Compare options to find your preferred breeds and minimum orders.

Allow 1-2 weeks lead time for shipping day-old poults. They will need to get set up in a brooder upon arrival. Review brooder requirements before ordering.

Local Classified Ads

Finally, check classified ads online and in your local paper. Backyard turkey keepers often sell extra poults from their own flocks. Sometimes 4H or FFA members auction off project turkeys.

Buying directly from a local breeder is nice because you can see the parents and how the poults were raised. Ask about any vaccinations or medications given. Be aware that health and genetic quality can vary greatly between backyard flocks.

Only buy poults once they are at least 2 weeks old, when they have a more robust immune system. Transport them carefully and keep stress to a minimum.

What to Look for in Healthy Poults

Picking out quality turkey chicks is an important part of finding where to buy poults. Here are signs of healthy turkey poults to look for:

• Dry, fluffy feathers – Avoid poults with matted or wet feathers

• Bright eyes – Eyes should be shiny and alert, not dull or sunken

• Active, lively behavior – Healthy poults will peep and move around curiously

• Clean vent – The area under the tail should be clear of caked feces

• No discharge from nose or eyes – Minor clear discharge is normal but thick discharge indicates illness

• Good body condition – The keel bone should not protrude sharply. Poults should have full round breasts.

When buying mail order, request the hatchery NOT vaccinate for Marek’s disease. You want to vaccinate poults yourself at day-old for best immunity. Refuse shipments of sickly looking poults.

Plan Brooder Setup in Advance

Once you decide where to purchase your poults, get the brooder area fully prepped and ready before birds arrive. Turkey poults are sensitive and need an ideal environment those first 4-6 weeks.

Your brooder area should have:

• Draft-free shelter maintained at 90°F the first week
• 3-5 inches of clean pine shavings for litter
• Chick feeders and waterers at proper poult height
• A brooding lamp or heater for warmth
• A thermometer to monitor temperature

See my article on turkey poult brooder setup for step-by-step brooder preparation. Planning ahead will give your new turkey chicks the best start.

Be Ready for Rapid Growth

Lastly, understand that turkeys grow extremely fast. Poults can gain about 1 pound per week. They’ll need frequent adjustments to space, feeders, and heat as they grow.

Heritage poults grow slower than commercial broad-breasted birds but still put on weight rapidly. Make sure to transition feed appropriately as poults age to support proper development.

Overall, allow at least 5-6 months from poult to processing for broad-breasted turkeys, and 7-9 months for heritage breeds. Be prepared for their quick progression from cute chick to giant bird!

Find the Right Poults for You