Toms marketed at 20 weeks will have consumed about 94 pounds of feed with a feed conversion of about 2.9. Turkey Marketing Hens are marketed between 14 and 16 weeks of age. At this age hens will typically weigh from 14.7 to 17.5 pounds. Toms are often marketed between 17 and 20 weeks of age and will weigh from 26.4 to 32.3 pounds. Market age is determined by the product being produced.
Most integrators produce both whole bodied and further processed products.
For this market, the industry prefers to grow toms, because their larger weight is advantageous. However, many hens are also further processed even though the unit cost is higher with the lighter weight. A larger proportion of hens are sold as whole body due to the preference for further processing the larger toms. In the past, parts like wings and drums were often sold at greatly reduced prices. Today, these parts are used extensively in further processing and often end up as part of a further processed product such as ground meat.