Cutting protein and limiting rations to slow growth rates?

[Noellereagan]

So I have eight turkey poults. They are pets. They are broad breasted bronze. I know they aren’t intended for pets -and are meat birds; and keeping one (or 8) as a pet is setting yourself up for an early loss to heart attack or legs/ knees giving out because of the rapid and dramatic growth rates I know they’re meant to eat but mine aren’t going to be -and that’s the end of that. They’re imprinted and I’m attached. It’s just NOT an option. Please don’t tell me to butcher them. So, know I’m already aware of all of that. I’m not asking about that.

What I WOULD like some help or advice with -

My turkey poults are now six weeks. And BIG boys and girls. I have them on a gamebird starter with 28% protein. In their daily water they get electrolytes, probiotic, B complex. They’re growing so fast. If I cut them back to a 16% now -at six weeks- and cutting their rations to a.m. and p.m. feeding, will they be malnourished? I had them on an 18% to start and ended up with one with perosis. So I switched to this regimens. And if they’ll be okay this way, how much do they get each feeding? And will it slow growth rates? And will that increase my odds of longer life spans and less health problems as pets?

Or any other suggestions to aid to a better shot at longevity?

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[R2elk]

So I have eight turkey poults. They are pets. They are broad breasted bronze. I know they aren’t intended for pets -and are meat birds; and keeping one (or 8) as a pet is setting yourself up for an early loss to heart attack or legs/ knees giving out because of the rapid and dramatic growth rates I know they’re meant to eat but mine aren’t going to be -and that’s the end of that. They’re imprinted and I’m attached. It’s just NOT an option. Please don’t tell me to butcher them. So, know I’m already aware of all of that. I’m not asking about that.

What I WOULD like some help or advice with -

My turkey poults are now six weeks. And BIG boys and girls. I have them on a gamebird starter with 28% protein. In their daily water they get electrolytes, probiotic, B complex. They’re growing so fast. If I cut them back to a 16% now -at six weeks- and cutting their rations to a.m. and p.m. feeding, will they be malnourished? I had them on an 18% to start and ended up with one with perosis. So I switched to this regimens. And if they’ll be okay this way, how much do they get each feeding? And will it slow growth rates? And will that increase my odds of longer life spans and less health problems as pets?

Or any other suggestions to aid to a better shot at longevity?

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At 6 weeks old they are still too young to be dropped to chicken feed and the insufficient amounts of lysine, methionine and niacin that chicken feed contains. Keep them on the vitamin B complex and give them lots of free range time. I would not go lower than a 20% protein all flock feed.

The free ranging and exercise will do more for their health than anything else.

I raised broad breasted turkeys in the past and started them on the 28% protein turkey/gamebird starter. I would next put them on 24% protein turkey turkey/gamebird grower.

I never limited their ability to have access to food and water but they did get to spend the whole day free ranging. My turkeys did get big but nowhere near as big as the ones other people raised. I processed the toms in the fall but did keep a few hens for a number of years without any issues.

 

[Noellereagan]

At 6 weeks old they are still too young to be dropped to chicken feed and the insufficient amounts of lysine, methionine and niacin that chicken feed contains. Keep them on the vitamin B complex and give them lots of free range time. I would not go lower than a 20% protein all flock feed.

The free ranging and exercise will do more for their health than anything else.

I raised broad breasted turkeys in the past and started them on the 28% protein turkey/gamebird starter. I would next put them on 24% protein turkey turkey/gamebird grower.

I never limited their ability to have access to food and water but they did get to spend the whole day free ranging. My turkeys did get big but nowhere near as big as the ones other people raised. I processed the toms in the fall but did keep a few hens for a number of years without any issues.

Thank you! I’m so relieved to hear you say that because it’s hot and miserable and I was told I cannot pre-arrange them in till eight weeks? Is that not true?

 

[R2elk]

Thank you! I’m so relieved to hear you say that because it’s hot and miserable and I was told I cannot free range them until eight weeks? Is that not true?

I currently have poults out running all over the place that aren't even 6 weeks old yet and they have been doing so accompanied by their adopted mother since they were two weeks old.

I would not just turn any age poults loose without supervision until you are satisfied that they are doing okay and aren't going to accidentally off themselves. Unsupervised youngsters can get into all kinds of trouble including life threatening situations. It can be something as simple as the recent thread about the poults drowning in the horse water tank.

Good luck.

 

[Beer can]

Broad breasted turkeys are not like Cornish X meat chickens, you do not have to limit feed, they get around and grow just fine like any other turkey. They do not have any problems like the cx meat chickens, no leg problems and don't drag themselves around and loose chest feathers , just grow faster and bigger than heritage turkeys. They free range just fine. The only problem with their size is it is very difficult to breed them.
I'm not actually into raising any poultry for pets, but I embarrassingly once could not process one BBW hen turkey, she was a sweetheart like a big fat puppy, and lived a couple yrs and laid a ton of big eggs. Cost me a ton of $$ in feed, but ohh well...

 

[Noellereagan]

Broad breasted turkeys are not like Cornish X meat chickens, you do not have to limit feed, they get around and grow just fine like any other turkey. They do not have any problems like the cx meat chickens, no leg problems and don't drag themselves around and loose chest feathers , just grow faster and bigger than heritage turkeys. They free range just fine. The only problem with their size is it is very difficult to breed them.
I'm not actually into raising any poultry for pets, but I embarrassingly once could not process one BBW hen turkey, she was a sweetheart like a big fat puppy, and lived a couple yrs and laid a ton of big eggs. Cost me a ton of $$ in feed, but ohh well...

Do you have any idea how your words Are music to my ears?? And please don’t be embarrassed- you kept one ... I have eight. Oh yeah, and seven chickens.
Speaking of, thoughts on the two together? I’ve heard of one cash of blackhead around here but suspect bad conditions had something to do with that as far as a significant contributing factor. Is that possible? I keep a VERY clean coop(s). I clean them a few times daily when I feed the birds, removing all the manure each time. They share a run now- the turkeys get the chicken run (covered mostly) sometimes when the chickens are free ranging daily. They’re side by side in the coops. They don’t seem to mind one another. Of course, that could all go south when I put them together. I’ll likely combine them at night or on range. And as for the fighting with the pecking order, do I let them work it out provided there’s not too much blood? Like you would two roosters? Or does it not work that way between turkeys and chickens?
Last (of my endless questions for now) - when do you suggested I move them to a 24% feed? At how many weeks? I need to buy food today and I’d hate to buy another 50 lb bag of 28% if they don’t need it at 6 weeks. Or will it not hurt to finish off one more 50 lb bag at that level?

 

[Noellereagan]

I currently have poults out running all over the place that aren't even 6 weeks old yet and they have been doing so accompanied by their adopted mother since they were two weeks old.

I would not just turn any age poults loose without supervision until you are satisfied that they are doing okay and aren't going to accidentally off themselves. Unsupervised youngsters can get into all kinds of trouble including life threatening situations. It can be something as simple as the recent thread about the poults drowning in the horse water tank.

Good luck.

Thank you! I'm prepping the ground and shade in a run as I type after I read this.

 

[R2elk]

Last (of my endless questions for now) - when do you suggested I move them to a 24% feed? At how many weeks? I need to buy food today and I’d hate to buy another 50 lb bag of 28% if they don’t need it at 6 weeks. Or will it not hurt to finish off one more 50 lb bag at that level?

Now will be fine to switch to grower. It will not hurt to leave them on another bag of starter but grower will be fine at this time.

And as for the fighting with the pecking order, do I let them work it out provided there’s not too much blood?

Unless it gets too out of hand (turkeys can easily kill chickens) the more you interfere with pecking order disputes, the longer it will take for them to get settled.

Each individual turkey can have its own traits so there is no way to predict exactly how they will get along. I have more turkey hen/chicken rooster issues than anything else but the roosters quickly learn than running away is preferable to getting their heads pecked in.

I did have one wonderful tom that immediately settled any and all disputes. He would not tolerate any fighting among any of the chickens or turkeys. If there was going to be a fight, he was going to be involved or there was not going to be a fight at all. All of the poultry respected him. Unfortunately he has been the only tom I have had that was this good at eliminating any and all fights.

I believe that you will have fewer issues if the introductions are made when free ranging so that all have lots of room to get away from any aggression.

Good luck.

 

[Noellereagan]

Now will be fine to switch to grower. It will not hurt to leave them on another bag of starter but grower will be fine at this time.

Unless it gets too out of hand (turkeys can easily kill chickens) the more you interfere with pecking order disputes, the longer it will take for them to get settled.

Each individual turkey can have its own traits so there is no way to predict exactly how they will get along. I have more turkey hen/chicken rooster issues than anything else but the roosters quickly learn than running away is preferable to getting their heads pecked in.

I did have one wonderful tom that immediately settled any and all disputes. He would not tolerate any fighting among any of the chickens or turkeys. If there was going to be a fight, he was going to be involved or there was not going to be a fight at all. All of the poultry respected him. Unfortunately he has been the only tom I have had that was this good at eliminating any and all fights.

I believe that you will have fewer issues if the introductions are made when free ranging so that all have lots of room to get away from any aggression.

Good luck.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[Nckyturkma]

So I have eight turkey poults. They are pets. They are broad breasted bronze. I know they aren’t intended for pets -and are meat birds; and keeping one (or 8) as a pet is setting yourself up for an early loss to heart attack or legs/ knees giving out because of the rapid and dramatic growth rates I know they’re meant to eat but mine aren’t going to be -and that’s the end of that. They’re imprinted and I’m attached. It’s just NOT an option. Please don’t tell me to butcher them. So, know I’m already aware of all of that. I’m not asking about that.

What I WOULD like some help or advice with -

My turkey poults are now six weeks. And BIG boys and girls. I have them on a gamebird starter with 28% protein. In their daily water they get electrolytes, probiotic, B complex. They’re growing so fast. If I cut them back to a 16% now -at six weeks- and cutting their rations to a.m. and p.m. feeding, will they be malnourished? I had them on an 18% to start and ended up with one with perosis. So I switched to this regimens. And if they’ll be okay this way, how much do they get each feeding? And will it slow growth rates? And will that increase my odds of longer life spans and less health problems as pets?

Or any other suggestions to aid to a better shot at longevity?

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Hi! I am in the same situation as you. How did yours turn out??! Would love to know!