Feeding baby turkey poults

[Hardemans]

All I can get is a show broiler starter @ 24% but it is pellets vs crumbles. So I typically take that and make a mush with water. They devour it and are healthy and have no issues. Eventually I switch them to the pellets at 2 - 3 weeks old.

I just picked up 17 Narragansett poults and have them on that ration now. All are as vigorous as when I can find the starter crumbles.

Hope this helps.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I raise mine on a non medicated chick starter, 18% protein.

 

[QueenMisha]

I raise mine on a non medicated chick starter, 18% protein.

Wow, that seems really low! Broad Breasted or heritage? I mean if it works it works, but the last time I had poults on anything that low I ended up with toms with badly deformed legs.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wow, that seems really low! Broad Breasted or heritage? I mean if it works it works, but the last time I had poults on anything that low I ended up with toms with badly deformed legs.

They are heritage, I've raised them on it for the last 4 years. I had leg troubles on the higher protein. I let a chicken hatch some eggs one year, she raised them on the starter. I didn't see any troubles from it. So I have choose to feed it. My theory is that it slows down growth and they grow more even. We have tons of wild turkeys raising their poults on range and bugs without any formulated rations. I get mine out on some grass by the second week. They are always rowdy and healthy.

 

[QueenMisha]

They are heritage, I've raised them on it for the last 4 years. I had leg troubles on the higher protein. I let a chicken hatch some eggs one year, she raised them on the starter. I didn't see any troubles from it. So I have choose to feed it. My theory is that it slows down growth and they grow more even. We have tons of wild turkeys raising their poults on range and bugs without any formulated rations. I get mine out on some grass by the second week. They are always rowdy and healthy.

Ah, that might be the difference. My poults are generally Broad Breasted, so their growth rate is why the high protein is required - as opposed to, like you say, higher protein CAUSING a faster growth rate in heritage breeds. Very interesting.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ah, that might be the difference. My poults are generally Broad Breasted, so their growth rate is why the high protein is required - as opposed to, like you say, higher protein CAUSING a faster growth rate in heritage breeds. Very interesting.

I'm certainly not recommending anyone do it because I do, it's just something I find works best for me. I think brand of feed can also play into it. I do read posts of people afraid they can't find the higher protein feed. I'm just saying I don't think recommendations are always the only way, and sometimes you just have to feed what you can find. Plus I like to ask questions about why I'm suppose to do certain things, like a higher protein diet for poults. Which is only recommended for 3-4 weeks anyways, than stepped down in protein, why? It's never really explained and is mostly for production birds. People have been raising turkeys for a long time. I doubt they worried about actual protein content and more about how the birds are doing. I'm still an old farmer at heart and in my ways.

 

[roddycn1216]

I am new to caring for turkeys and will be getting some Narragansetts and some Blue Slates soon. I have really been researching what to feed them prior to getting them and i believe i am going to go with this starter i found on efowl.com. From everything i have read turkeys have to have a large amount of protein and i dont wanna do medicated because i would eventualky like to slaughter and eat these. Here is the link for the feed im gonna get... http://www.efowl.com/Organic_Turkey_Starter_Feed_p/4007.htm. Has anyone ever fed this? Its organic, non-gmo, non-medicated and has 26% protein. I recently got chickens and have been feeding diatomaceous earth (food grade) and ACV (organic, non-pastuerized) and plan to feed these to my turkeys as well. Just wondering if anyone has had any good or bad experiences with this feed? Any downfalls to this feed that you, more experienced, people see to this feed that i dont see? Thank you in advance!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I am new to caring for turkeys and will be getting some Narragansetts and some Blue Slates soon. I have really been researching what to feed them prior to getting them and i believe i am going to go with this starter i found on efowl.com. From everything i have read turkeys have to have a large amount of protein and i dont wanna do medicated because i would eventualky like to slaughter and eat these. Here is the link for the feed im gonna get... http://www.efowl.com/Organic_Turkey_Starter_Feed_p/4007.htm. Has anyone ever fed this? Its organic, non-gmo, non-medicated and has 26% protein. I recently got chickens and have been feeding diatomaceous earth (food grade) and ACV (organic, non-pastuerized) and plan to feed these to my turkeys as well. Just wondering if anyone has had any good or bad experiences with this feed? Any downfalls to this feed that you, more experienced, people see to this feed that i dont see? Thank you in advance!

At that price, I will never feed mine that lol. I love my animals but I also have bills to pay. I would feed organic, but not (can't) at $100 more per bag.

I'm wondering why get heritage breeds if you intend to slaughter and eat them (not judgmental, just curious).

 

[roddycn1216]

From everything i have read in heritage breeds, they are very slow growing but the meat is DELICIOUS after the turkey is fully matured. I may be completely wrong but that seems to be what everyone says. Am i completely misunderstanding?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I believe they are less fatty with less white meat and more dark, they are more natural of a carcass. We keep heritage and will butcher here and there. The best benefit of heritage is their ability to reproduce, and to live longer. No need to buy poults every year.