Give me the dirt on turkeys

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
We raise our turkeys with the chickens, ducks, geese and guineas.
Also, we brood them the same, the turkeys do need a higher protien starter feed than chickens. We use 28% game birds starter for the first 3 months, then 21% for the next 3 months, after that they eat 16 layer mash with everybody else.

Steve in NC

 

[al6517]

Quote:
We have raised BB Whites in the past and yes they do finish quickly. They also eat like pigs to gain weight that fast. However taste wise they don't hold a candle to a heritage turkey. The Americian Livestock Breeds Conservancy did a blind taste test in 2008 and the heritage won hands down on taste and apperance. Needless to say we no longer raise BB Whites.

Steve in NC

I have also heard of this blind taste test, and it sounds as though it has some credance, as I have not raised any I may try. I found that these BB whites didn't eat that much. I did cook one of the 26lbers today and it was good but not fantastic, I just found that it could have had a touch more flavor, it was a little bland and was a little shy on fatty tissue, so i may certainly try the heritage breeds next yr.
AL

 

[pdpatch]

Q: How are they in the brooder? Do they have to be on wire? (I heard they will eat their own droppings- like chicks don't!?)

A:They are fine in the brooder, They just get bigger faster then a chicken, and yes they do eat there own poo, But this is natural for them. In the wild they eat there mothers poo this gives the extra vitimans and minerals they need to get started. Since they are closer to there Wild cousins then chickens it's more obvious. But this also leads to them being more exceptiable to diesises the chickens.


Q: How are they with preditors such as hawks? Do they get snatched as quickly by hawks/eagles as a hen will? (kinda a stupid question I know, but its like Jerasic park around here).

A: Well that depends on how big they are when you let them out. and how you let them out. Since we live in the middle of a Prairie Dog town e have lots of raptors. Our are kept in runs during the day and put in coops at night we try to let them roam for an hour or two each day. Usually an eagle or Hawk won't mess with anything that ias large or larger thenit is, unless it's really hungery.

Q:Approximate growth time, say 6, 8, or 11 months til slaughter?

A: Generally 20 week for a Great White or BB bronze, or 30 weeks for a hertiage bread. But yo can butcher earily and later if you want a larger or smaller turkey.

Q: And lastly, are they weaker then a chick and what about cocci? Do they also have this issue?

A: They do not react to some desises as Chickens do. If you have raised Chikcens before and not had a problem with cocci then most likely you won't with the Turkeys. There are a few desisies that effect turkeys harder then chickens. An a chickens imunity system is usually developed at 4 weeks a turkeys is at 7 weeks.

If you are planning a commercial operation then don't mix them. The risk are not worth losing you investment in one season. You can check with you local Ag office to see if you area has had any problem with Poultry desise out breaks.

Q: Thanks to whom ever can answer my "stupid" questions and yes, you can point and laugh!

A: I Asked the same questions at one time or another.

This year we raised Great White, BB bronze, Red Bourbon, and Blue slate.

The Great White were really mello compared to the rest, and at 22 weeks there were in the 26 pound range. But in hind sight why do we need a 26 pound turkey? The biggest we have ever purchased before was 18 pounds.

the BB bronze were about the same except when I can near them. They would strut, huff and puff, and stomp there feet when ever I can near them. More then once I watched the BB Bronze chest but another turkey and knock it to the ground.

The Red Bourbons were the best of all so far. They can charactors. we had one that when it was small would strut but trip over it's wing tips and fall down. The same one has tried to mate with our German Shepard mixed female dog more then once this month. with a small flock of turkeys it's very easy to get attached, so be carefull.

When we do get ours out side we use mobile runs, since we do have wild turkeys and unless you have a permit for wild turkeys you can have them in captivity, at least in Nebraska, it varies from State to State. The wild Toms ones can and usually do take your domestic females with them as they pass through.

The better one I built this year was from an old chevy van body and a larger mobile run. Although we are down to two turkeys in that one we don't move it very often now.
We also have lots of preditors that can take a full size turkey. So we prefer the mobile runs and mobile coops.

When try to let them out for a couple of hours every other day to free roam around some.

Although we have seperate runs/coops for Chickens and Turkeys they do free roam a couple of hours each day together.

Tom

 

[sweetshoplady]

What is a nice sized run for a turkey? Like how much sq ft per bird.

 

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
I got some Bourbon Red turkey and they are 9 weeks old now. They have been flying since about 2 weeks..

They follow me around where I go when I let them free range, so I have a chair in the (large) yard where they free range so they will eat a little instead of just follow me....

On raising them, there's been a lot of posts as to what and don't do..

I lost a few of my turkeys, but after reading one poster where he fed Medicated Chick starter without any problems... I started that as well, and so far I have not lost any more.

Now at 9 weeks I have been mixing Medicated with Crumble and corn and a little wheat also..

 

[chickenannie]

When I fed my RB turkey poults extra protein daily (in the form of hard-boiled egg yolks) and put enough hay on their floor to prevent them from eating dirt, I didn't lose a single one. I stopped with the extra protein at 2 months. By the way, I never feed antibiotics.

 

[Chicky Joy]

What would be the minimum number to order?

Could we get a few and keep them with our chickens?

 

[BeardedChick]

I have a pair of RP I will sell you cheap..they are fun until they grow up,unless penned they will be everywhere,eating everything and roosting on you husbands 2007 chev dark blue and chrome pickup..

This is exactly what I was going to say.

My 5 bourbons were alot of fun until they started flying out of the bird yard and climbing on the car, the truck, pooping on the front door... My truck has a poop right on top of it. GRRRRR!

There is a ton of space for them to free-range, but they want to be right there at the house with me. They are driving me CRAZY. I just today finished the fully enclosed pen, and there will be no more free ranging for them. No more picking at my hands every time I try to pull a weed in the landscape. No more spilling/stealing my tools when I'm working. No more jumping in the camper every time I leave the door open for 2 minutes (oh, man that made me SO mad!).

I will finally be able to finish sealing the patio, which was impossible with a pack of pooping turkeys on it every day.

They ate every grape off of my vines.

Reminds me, I need to call and get the cost to have them processed. They will make nice freezer ornaments. Think I'll serve them with grapes and a nice wine.

BUGGERS.​

 

[pdpatch]

Quote:
Usually the minimun order form a hatchery for turkeys is 15. Some time you can get some from someone locally. A few farm stores will carry them in the spring

As far as keeping Chickens and turkeys together, there are several poultry desieses that can cross between then that will kill a turkey but not a chicken. Generally if your flock has not had a problem with then desieses then it's not a problem.

Our chicken and Turkey pens are right next to each other, and when we moved the outside frequently the chickens visited the turkey coops and runs. When we let them out to free range the were in a large group together.

 

[je]

Do turkeys head in to the coop at night on their own like chickens do?