Feeding & Mess

[gracie7773]

My turkeys are about 6 weeks old, and they make a HORRID mess with their food! I was out of town for 2 weeks and hubby took care of them for me - however he didn't rake up the mess as often as I did and now there's "a" (probably an entire village) rat in their pen. There's a hole etc… Any advice about feeding them?

Thanks

 

[HEChicken]

Is there any reason they have to stay in a pen? I've never penned turkeys so I can't speak to the mess. I keep them in a brooder until they are 3-4 weeks old and after that they free-range with the chickens. I have 4 turkey poults right now that turned 4 weeks old on Tuesday and they've been out free-ranging for about a week now. They make no mess with food and eat a ton of grass and any bugs they can find (yes, they already are great hunters). I keep a "creeper" for them (see link with pics here: http://selfsufficiencyandotherassortedhijinks.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/creeper-feeding-chicks/). When they want a snack throughout the day, they can go in and help themselves. They really just go in for a few minutes, eat, and leave - they don't stick around long enough to make a mess. Currently they are staying on the front 3 acres available to them (though its surprising how far such small birds will range!) but eventually will have access to an additional 7 acres as well, when they are bigger.

 

[countrygirl345]

First, clean it all out, plug the hole, and get rid of the rat. Then continue to clean it out as often as you used to. Maybe a different feeding system will help with the mess. What do you use now?

 

[gracie7773]

Yesterday was the first time I let them out free in the pasture. I'm nervous though that they'll jump the fence or something

I'm over protective maybe… I let them out again today and of course they found the one breech in the fence line into the back yard!! Thankfully I herded them back into their pasture easy enough.

I did clean out their pen yesterday, and monitored closely the mess-of-the-day. I've been cementing in the holes as they turn up (don't worry - I block off the area until the cement dries!) I figure eventually I'll have an entirely cemented floor. The problem is a couple of the toms really enjoy scratching through their feed. Maybe a suspended feeder?

 

[gracie7773]

My gents =) (This was yesterday afternoon)

 

[HEChicken]

They're really pretty - what breed?

Yes, a hanging feeder might work well for you. I use the type feeders with the holes for them to eat through and they kind of just stand there and eat - I haven't had any of them try to scratch out of those.

 

[gracie7773]

They're BBB, broad breasted bronze. Thanks, I'll try that =)