advice on raising turkeys

[NewChickenMom]

i have 3 broad breasted brozne that are 3-4 months old. i've never had turkeys before and want to raise these guys/gals for thanksgiving. i'm feeding them 20% chick starter, but plan on getting 24% today at the store. any other advice on raising them? i have them in a 12' x 10' x 5' pen on wood shavings. i also have two royal palms that i got with them, but i'm not raising them to eat.

 

[al6517]

congrats on the turkeys, we have a few ourselfs, where to start.
1. You should be feeding some type of gamebird feed that is at least 28% protein, this should avoid leg problems in the future as these birds can get really large= 25-45lbs.
2. your set-up seems fine, but turkeys can get pretty nasty, so try and keep it simple to clean.
3. provide some sort of a dirt or dust bath for them it helps to keep off the mites and parasites that love to camp out on poultry. just a simple large shallow pan filled with dirt.
4. provide some grit for them it helps them process there feed better.
5. don't name them it seems silly.
6. look around in this forum, it is a great sourse of info, better than any one book.

I hope this helps
AL

 

[pdpatch]

If you had started them on wild game starter then at 2 1/2 month or 10 weeks period. They should be starting to switch from starter and on a grower mix now, 20 to 25 %. But they could still handle the starter. With the BB's you don't want them to grow to fast, as that adds to the risk of leg problems.

You would want them on a wild game bird feed, there is Extra minerals and vitemans in this feed mix to help Turkeys grow. Game bird stater has grit already in it, but it's small grit. So at 8 ro 9 weeks or so it's a good idea to add larger grit. Even if they got a slow start on the chick starter, by thanksgiving the male could go 25 to 30 lbs dressed. If your feed store only has wild game starter and they are ready for grower, you can cut the starter with oats or chicken scratch, try the oats first.

If they show any signs of leg problems, such as a wobbly walking , any sort of a limp, crocked legs, you need to add soulable vitamins to there water. Usually any generaric type will work. (one of our vets, was an inspector at a poultry processing plant some time ago, and suggested that to us). With the exception of grass don't add any thing to there feed like oyster shells or table scraps until they are close to there mature age at 30 weeks.

After 10 weeks it so much easier to have them outside vs inside, as it takes a lot less cleaning.

Tom

 

[freshegg]

I thought the BB where almost ready for eating after 5 months, How big are they now? I have 6 white heritage that are about 6-7 weeks.

 

[MissPrissy]

I am raising standard bronze and broad breasted bronze. My turkeys are on a mix of gambird feed as starter and then I switched to turkey ration. Around here I can't get anything but 22% protein feeds. The turkey grower is 22% made by Blue Seal. I have never had problems to date with my turkeys. I put guinea keets in with them to teach them to eat and drink. Right now the BB's are still small enough they can fly to go to roost.