Chick Starter and Soybean Meal as Turkey Starter

[TheRealCliffordWilliams]

FWIW, 8 weeks in and they're still growing strong! Around 4-5 weeks age I switched everyone (turkeys & chickens) to an 18% protein all-purpose poultry feed from X-Cel, and gradually introduced soaked whole grains - they're now on a mix of soaked & fermented corn, oats, barley, BOSS, soybean meal, kelp, and other goodies like lentils, nutritional yeast, and cinnamon.
And they are happy and healthy and getting HUGE

 

[Feathyr]

Thank you for making this thread! I'm in a similar boat; none of the local (or otherwise) feed stores are currently stocking gamebird starter, just chick.

Would mixing 25 lbs. soybean meal (unsure of protein percentage) to 50 lb. chick starter be alright? Math isn't my strong point, so I have... no idea what the actual protein level would be. The poults are pastured, so I'm hoping that as long as the protein content in high enough, they can derive the other nutrients from grass and / or insects.

 

[TheRealCliffordWilliams]

Thank you for making this thread! I'm in a similar boat; none of the local (or otherwise) feed stores are currently stocking gamebird starter, just chick.

Would mixing 25 lbs. soybean meal (unsure of protein percentage) to 50 lb. chick starter be alright? Math isn't my strong point, so I have... no idea what the actual protein level would be. The poults are pastured, so I'm hoping that as long as the protein content in high enough, they can derive the other nutrients from grass and / or insects.

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Hello,
Glad this is helpful!
That ratio (25 lb soybean to 50 lb chick start) is what I used with great results. To calculate this I used the "Pearson's Square" which is a really useful technique for determining what ratios you should use of two different things to achieve a desired percentage. It is a very easy technique, the only math involved is subtraction, here is a link:
https://extension.colostate.edu/top...lating-rations-with-the-pearson-square-1-618/
It seems that nutritional yeast is commonly recommended to provide the B vitamins the growing turkeys need. I was not able to source any until the poults were about 5 weeks old.
I also cut some young grass and mixed that with their feed and some water (before they were old enough to go out on pasture) to provide extra supplements. And an occasional earthworm.
Just to be clear, this is what worked for me one time so I don't know how scalable this is. That being said, intuitively it seems that providing the birds with a mix of high quality grains and legumes should go well! The turkeys are now about 75 days old and still doing phenomenally.