Completely New to Turkeys

[MrsNorthie]

We have been raising chickens for a year now, and they are on an excellent lightly fermented whole grain feeding regime where they are getting 20% protein and are supplemented, with things like sardines and scramble as treats a couple of times per week. When they were chicks, we did feed a chick starter, the first tribe, just got regular chick starter, and they did well, we did have a few get pasty butt, but easily fixed. The second group, we fed more of a thicker mash and they really loved it and absolutely no issues. We made the decision to diversify and we have 15 heritage turkey poults coming! I am wondering:

1. Has anyone fed a mash with poults? I found, locally, I can get a 30% Turkey starter.
2. This first group are intended to be the primary breeding stock, so I have no intention of harvesting them for food, and want to feed for longevity and vitality, not rapid growth. Has anyone created a custom feed recipe for Turkeys?
3. How fast do they feather out? The chicks were tiny and I kept them in a brooder in my office, so I was with them all day, every day until they were fully feathered. I think I can use the same brooder setup for the poults, for a time, but I have a feeling that they are going to get crowded fast. In June, it is typically in the mid-80's F during the day and 70's F at night, so they may go in the turkey coop/run early, with a radiant heat source.
4. Are there any recommend supplements that should be given to boost their immune health? With the chickens, we regularly make oregano and basil available and sprinkle red pepper flakes in their food, and *touchwood they have been extremely healthy. Again, my purpose with this first batch is to build a healthy happy breeding group, that will be pampered for their entire lives.

The turkey tribe will be housed separately (coop and run) as they have different roosting needs. Are there any other feeding tips/differences you have for turkeys?

 

[R2elk]

We have been raising chickens for a year now, and they are on an excellent lightly fermented whole grain feeding regime where they are getting 20% protein and are supplemented, with things like sardines and scramble as treats a couple of times per week. When they were chicks, we did feed a chick starter, the first tribe, just got regular chick starter, and they did well, we did have a few get pasty butt, but easily fixed. The second group, we fed more of a thicker mash and they really loved it and absolutely no issues. We made the decision to diversify and we have 15 heritage turkey poults coming! I am wondering:

1. Has anyone fed a mash with poults? I found, locally, I can get a 30% Turkey starter.
2. This first group are intended to be the primary breeding stock, so I have no intention of harvesting them for food, and want to feed for longevity and vitality, not rapid growth. Has anyone created a custom feed recipe for Turkeys?
3. How fast do they feather out? The chicks were tiny and I kept them in a brooder in my office, so I was with them all day, every day until they were fully feathered. I think I can use the same brooder setup for the poults, for a time, but I have a feeling that they are going to get crowded fast. In June, it is typically in the mid-80's F during the day and 70's F at night, so they may go in the turkey coop/run early, with a radiant heat source.
4. Are there any recommend supplements that should be given to boost their immune health? With the chickens, we regularly make oregano and basil available and sprinkle red pepper flakes in their food, and *touchwood they have been extremely healthy. Again, my purpose with this first batch is to build a healthy happy breeding group, that will be pampered for their entire lives.

The turkey tribe will be housed separately (coop and run) as they have different roosting needs. Are there any other feeding tips/differences you have for turkeys?

A proper high protein turkey or game bird starter has everything the poults will need to get a good start.

Bedding is important with poults and I do not recommend starting them on wood chips. They can eat the wood chips and if they are not provided with appropriately sized grit they can't digest them and can get their digestive tract plugged off and die.

I start my poults at 90°F measured at the bedding and reduce the temperature by 5°F each week until they are at the ambient temperature. The hotter you keep them, the longer it will take them to feather out.

My brooder is 4'x4' with a GQF brooder heater on one side. The water and feeder are located in the unheated part of the brooder. My poults are only in the brooder for their first two weeks. By that time they are flying out of the brooder and get moved to their grow out pen.

Turkey poults are extremely easy to imprint. I do not recommend brooding them where you are constantly in attention. They will become imprinted. Imprinting removes their ability to understand that you are not a turkey. As they get bigger they may decide that they belong higher in the pecking order and start treating you like they would treat another turkey they are challenging.

Since you desire to have this as a breeding flock the other problem that can occur is for them to see you as a desired mate rather than mating among themselves.

You will have to selectively choose which you want to keep for breeding. It doesn't work well to all of them unless only one is a tom. I try to keep at least four to five hens for one tom. It makes life easier for the hens. It is best not to keep multiple toms in with a group of hens during breeding season.

Toms should not be allowed to have access to the hens nests. They will take the hen sitting on a nest as an invitation to breed, At the least it will end up with broken eggs. At the worst, an injured or dead hen.

Turkeys need a lot more personal space than chickens do.

 

[MrsNorthie]

A proper high protein turkey or game bird starter has everything the poults will need to get a good start.

Bedding is important with poults and I do not recommend starting them on wood chips. They can eat the wood chips and if they are not provided with appropriately sized grit they can't digest them and can get their digestive tract plugged off and die.

I start my poults at 90°F measured at the bedding and reduce the temperature by 5°F each week until they are at the ambient temperature. The hotter you keep them, the longer it will take them to feather out.

My brooder is 4'x4' with a GQF brooder heater on one side. The water and feeder are located in the unheated part of the brooder. My poults are only in the brooder for their first two weeks. By that time they are flying out of the brooder and get moved to their grow out pen.

Turkey poults are extremely easy to imprint. I do not recommend brooding them where you are constantly in attention. They will become imprinted. Imprinting removes their ability to understand that you are not a turkey. As they get bigger they may decide that they belong higher in the pecking order and start treating you like they would treat another turkey they are challenging.

Since you desire to have this as a breeding flock the other problem that can occur is for them to see you as a desired mate rather than mating among themselves.

You will have to selectively choose which you want to keep for breeding. It doesn't work well to all of them unless only one is a tom. I try to keep at least four to five hens for one tom. It makes life easier for the hens. It is best not to keep multiple toms in with a group of hens during breeding season.

Toms should not be allowed to have access to the hens nests. They will take the hen sitting on a nest as an invitation to breed, At the least it will end up with broken eggs. At the worst, an injured or dead hen.

Turkeys need a lot more personal space than chickens do.

That is great information, thank you. I would have totally used the pine shavings that I have used with the chickens, and that would have ended in heart break.

With our luck, 10 of the 15 will be toms, so it is likely better for me, to not get too attached to them until we know who gets to breed and who will be dinner. I am practical, but it is also really easy for me to get emotionally attached to animals.

Once they are nearly full grown, I imagine we could put a smaller door/opening on the coop with the nesting boxes, combined with active interference, to keep the Tom out.

Thank you, again, I really appreciate the great advice.

 

[R2elk]

Be forewarned, turkey poults are professionals at tugging on your heart strings.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Be forewarned, turkey poults are professionals at tugging on your heart strings.

I have never met an animal that I didn't love, quite an awkward position for a carnivore..lol I never knew just how much love you could feel for a chicken, and yet here I am, obsessed with each and every single one of them. I am sure it will be the same with the breeding tribe of Turkeys.

I honestly feel better knowing that, for however long their lives are, they will live the best life possible and be harvested humanely when that time comes. It is better than supporting the big commercial production industry.

 

[Huntmaster]

I have never met an animal that I didn't love, quite an awkward position for a carnivore..lol I never knew just how much love you could feel for a chicken, and yet here I am, obsessed with each and every single one of them.

As @R2elk forewarned turkeys are in my opinion and experience much more personable/sociable than chickens making them very easy to get attached to. But as he stated best not to let them imprint on you as poults it only causes unneeded problems. They are easily won over later on without the problems of imprinting. I really enjoy raising mine. GOOD LUCK with your turkeys I'm sure you will enjoy them.

 

[MrsNorthie]

As @R2elk forewarned turkeys are in my opinion and experience much more personable/sociable than chickens making them very easy to get attached to. But as he stated best not to let them imprint on you as poults it only causes unneeded problems. They are easily won over later on without the problems of imprinting. I really enjoy raising mine. GOOD LUCK with your turkeys I'm sure you will enjoy them.

Thank you! I am looking forward to them. If turkeys are MORE personable and sociable than chickens, we are in trouble, LOL. Our chickens are extremely sociable, even the boys.

 

[MamaPoult]

We have been raising chickens for a year now, and they are on an excellent lightly fermented whole grain feeding regime where they are getting 20% protein and are supplemented, with things like sardines and scramble as treats a couple of times per week. When they were chicks, we did feed a chick starter, the first tribe, just got regular chick starter, and they did well, we did have a few get pasty butt, but easily fixed. The second group, we fed more of a thicker mash and they really loved it and absolutely no issues. We made the decision to diversify and we have 15 heritage turkey poults coming! I am wondering:

1. Has anyone fed a mash with poults? I found, locally, I can get a 30% Turkey starter.
2. This first group are intended to be the primary breeding stock, so I have no intention of harvesting them for food, and want to feed for longevity and vitality, not rapid growth. Has anyone created a custom feed recipe for Turkeys?
3. How fast do they feather out? The chicks were tiny and I kept them in a brooder in my office, so I was with them all day, every day until they were fully feathered. I think I can use the same brooder setup for the poults, for a time, but I have a feeling that they are going to get crowded fast. In June, it is typically in the mid-80's F during the day and 70's F at night, so they may go in the turkey coop/run early, with a radiant heat source.
4. Are there any recommend supplements that should be given to boost their immune health? With the chickens, we regularly make oregano and basil available and sprinkle red pepper flakes in their food, and *touchwood they have been extremely healthy. Again, my purpose with this first batch is to build a healthy happy breeding group, that will be pampered for their entire lives.

The turkey tribe will be housed separately (coop and run) as they have different roosting needs. Are there any other feeding tips/differences you have for turkeys?

Honestly I feed mine normal chicken food and just supplement with high protein snacks like meat or lentils

 

[R2elk]

Honestly I feed mine normal chicken food and just supplement with high protein snacks like meat or lentils

Adult turkeys can live on chicken feed. It is not appropriate to give poults chick starter as it does not contain the levels of protein, lysine, methionine or niacin they need for proper growth and development.

Layer feed is not healthy for male turkeys as the high calcium levels can damage their kidneys.

My chickens get the same feed as my turkeys. Their feed is 20% protein all flock pellets with free choice oyster shell.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Honestly I feed mine normal chicken food and just supplement with high protein snacks like meat or lentils

Layer feed is not healthy for male turkeys as the high calcium levels can damage their kidneys.

I had read that layer feed was bad for the cockerels/roosters and I want my boys happy and healthy too, considering they will give their lives in defense of the tribe, I think they deserve the best. This is why I feed my chickens a whole grain mix, with split peas and lentils, lightly fermented, and I supplement with sardines, tuna or other fish that I can get on sale. This feed works great for them, they are all healthy and happy, well developed. I like this because it is locally sourced and not dependent on the national supply chain, making it easy to get, if supply chains get disrupted, I can still keep my chickens happy and healthy. The girls lay great eggs, we have not had any issues with lash eggs or other reproductive health issues. When some of the chickens started moulting, I gave them some chick starter/grower to help them re-feather.

They also have access to fresh basil, oregano, oyster shell calcium and crushed eggshell, that they seem to know when the need it. (It was funny watching the older cockerels leading the younger pullets over to the calcium source and start tidbitting them, "And, you will need this.", after the tour of the coop and nesting boxes.)

Turkey nutritional needs are a little different, so I found a game bird starter with 30% protein, locally, that I will feed the poults, and I plan to switch them to an all flock commercial feed, at least until I figure out the full nutritional needs of Turkeys and how to get them a balance of exactly what they need.

I did a lot of reading before switching my chicken feed, and will do the same for the Turkey tribe. If I can't find an ideal replacement, I will keep them on the commercial feed. I would hate to make a mistake and cause harm and distress to them. I have lot to learn but, luckily, I have 5 - ish months to get ready for our new arrivals!