What do Turkey Poults Really Need (Feed Wise)?

[ReseisCL16]

So I've decided to try turkeys this year. I have two heritage breeds, a Royal Palm and a Bourbon Red, on order and they're coming in a week or so. These turkeys would be strictly pets; I would never, ever eat them. I have raised countless batches of chicks, so I know the drill for poults (housing, heat, etc). But what's bugging me is that all the websites that are for turkey beginners say to start the turkeys on a super high protein level.

I read on Backyard Chickens that someone used this high protein feed for her poults and also for her chicks that were in the same brooder. The chicks grew to an enormous size, far bigger than those particular breeds should have been. Those turkeys were meat birds and soon reached the correct market size off of that feed in a few months. So obviously, the protein was too high for laying chickens.

This raised the question in my mind: Do poults really need such a high protein level? Shouldn't they be okay on a regular chick starter? If I don't want/need my poults to grow to a certain size within a few months for market, would it be okay for them to have a lower protein? I get that some birds might simply need a higher protein level (maybe for bone development, strong egg shells, etc). Is this the case with turkeys? I understand if it is, but if there is an alternative route that would allow them to grow at a more natural speed, I would love to hear about it. Thanks!

 

[Molpet]

first couple of months they need higher protein.. your breeds will not grow at an unnatural rate ... the meat breeds, broad breasted bronze and white are the ones than grow too big to live long.

https://www.nap.edu/read/2114/chapter/5

 

[R2elk]

So I've decided to try turkeys this year. I have two heritage breeds, a Royal Palm and a Bourbon Red, on order and they're coming in a week or so. These turkeys would be strictly pets; I would never, ever eat them. I have raised countless batches of chicks, so I know the drill for poults (housing, heat, etc). But what's bugging me is that all the websites that are for turkey beginners say to start the turkeys on a super high protein level.

I read on Backyard Chickens that someone used this high protein feed for her poults and also for her chicks that were in the same brooder. The chicks grew to an enormous size, far bigger than those particular breeds should have been. Those turkeys were meat birds and soon reached the correct market size off of that feed in a few months. So obviously, the protein was too high for laying chickens.

This raised the question in my mind: Do poults really need such a high protein level? Shouldn't they be okay on a regular chick starter? If I don't want/need my poults to grow to a certain size within a few months for market, would it be okay for them to have a lower protein? I get that some birds might simply need a higher protein level (maybe for bone development, strong egg shells, etc). Is this the case with turkeys? I understand if it is, but if there is an alternative route that would allow them to grow at a more natural speed, I would love to hear about it. Thanks!

Can turkey poults survive on chick starter? Yes but it is not good for them and may cause long term issues and prevent the proper development of their bones and internal organs.

Turkey poults should be fed a high protein turkey/gamebird starter. These types of starters typically contain 28% to 30% protein. It isn't just about the protein levels. A good turkey/gamebird starter will also contain higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin which are every bit as important to the proper development of the poults as is the high protein.

The companies that make these feeds recommend keeping the poults on the feed for their first 6 weeks. After that they recommend switching to a turkey/gamebird grower which still contains the higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin but is only 24% protein.

I have often brooded chicks and poults together. When I do so, I feed the proper feed for the poults since they have higher protein and nutrient requirements than do the chicks. I have never seen any issue with the chicks growing any bigger or faster than they do when I raise them on a good quality chick starter. I have never seen any issue with the chickens after they have grown up either.

As @Molpet pointed out, do not confuse information that you have seen about broad breasted turkeys as being applicable to heritage turkeys. I have raised both. BB turkeys were developed to be ready for market in 4 to 6 months. They were not developed to breed naturally nor were they developed to live long lives.

Heritage turkeys will not be ready for market in 4 to 6 months. It takes more like a year to 18 months to prepare them for market although some process them starting at 8 months for a small bird. Heritage turkeys will breed naturally and can live long lives.

I had a Bourbon Red tom that was 11 years old when a predator took him on a Thanksgiving day. I currently have a Blue Slate hen that is 10 years old and her daughter that is 9 years old.

Once the turkeys are adults they can do well on a quality chicken feed.

 

[ReseisCL16]

Thank you so much! This is so helpful; I'll be sure to buy the correct feed for them. It makes me feel better that they will grow up healthy on the high protein.

 

[peacockfarmer]

I make my own starter from Turkey starter the highest protein you can find like 28% and Purina dry cat food 33% protein. I grind both in a blender to a powder and mix them 50/50. I also chop lettuce as thin as grass for babies the first 3 weeks. They may eat the lettuce first and it gets their system running and gives them water.

 

[fairie]

Our poults are free ranging. When ever I throw food out for them their mom takes them the other way (before the chicks she used to eat out of my hand). I have a cake pan full of Turkey Poult Starter next to their nest and can only hope they are eating it.

 

[peacockfarmer]

Our poults are free ranging. When ever I throw food out for them their mom takes them the other way (before the chicks she used to eat out of my hand). I have a cake pan full of Turkey Poult Starter next to their nest and can only hope they are eating it.

My hens are bored out of their mind with Chick Starter, but they love dry cat food! So I put dry Purina cat chow in a blender and grind it to a powder and mix it with the regular starter. The 50/50 mixture is a more interesting orange to brown color and the hens love this mix so they peck it and show the chicks how to peck. I grind the starter too for chicks under 2 weeks old and they eat more and grow faster on this fine powder spread in a very short pan.