I have seen 26 pound hens. My grandfather told us when we were young, "Never buy a hen over 15 pounds. Buy a Tom - they are lean. A heavy hen is full of fat"!

>I usually go for the larger ones, too, although I don't think I've seen one as large as 26 pounds. Did you know those are all toms? Turkey hens don't get much bigger than 12-14 pounds.
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>One of my most vivid childhood memories is of my Uncle Bunny cleaning a turkey he had shot in our kitchen sink. (No, Dragan, it wasn't in our kitchen sink when he shot it). He reached in with his hand and scooped out all the detritus from its stomach. Then he hacked off the feet and the very dead looking head. I don't recall eating turkey that year. But like most childhood traumas it was not long lasting.
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>>Considering that a turkey is typically cooked for a large group of people, not a single family, I'd say the average is 20-25lbs. Many cook it outside to leave the oven available for cooking the side dishes (and warming the ham). Today my friend roasted a 26lb turkey for 15 people. Nowadays I usually just cook a turkey breast and have cold turkey sandwiches for a couple of days afterwards. Yum.
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