Finishing feed for Turkeys

[Celie]

I have been reading all can on BYC and am taking good advice from several different members on fattening up my turkeys for harvesting. I have gotten them to eat BOSS and have been using FF, along with the extra corn, I have always used to finish up and fatten my roosters with. I was wondering it I should continue the BOSS ans FF right up to processing the turkeys or if they would taste better if put on all corn. When I used to eat pork, we would always finish them up on all corn after worming. I asked the feed store what other farmers were buying, but they were no help. They do not even carry a flock raiser or any sort of broiler feed. They just wanted to sell me a game bird feed. Can someone tell me what you find improves the taste of the meat to finish them with? I raised BBW prior to now, but this is the first year we will be processing our Holland White heritage turkeys for Thanksgiving. Thanks,

 

[Celie]

Anyone?

 

[Arielle]

Celie, I'm a bit new at this too. I do know a bit about feeding but ususally have more questions than answers myself. I've raised horses and sheep a number of years.

Corn is a good fattener. YOu can't go wrong with this. When I finished my BBW a year ago, I did keep them on game bird as the growth slows down and they just need to grow a bit and fatten. HOnestly they are not fattened like a pig or cattle, not nearly that much fat.

I expect with my heritage types to need even less protein so a game bird feed will work fine with corn treats to round out the fattening. I see my BR passing up on the pellets and diving for the corn. Seems to me a great way to get extra feed into them as it is very yummy and will fatten them up quickly.

Hope I made sense.

 

[Celie]

Thanks, so much! I have been reading so much that I was getting myself confused and wondering if the Boss might put an oily taste into the meat that I would have to purge out before slaughtering. Years ago, when I ate pork and catfish, the catfish farms would raise pigs to get rid if all the waste left over fro filleted catfish. If they slaughtered the pigs after feeding them fish, the pigs would have a fishy taste, so they would finish the pigs off with corn and the corn would make the pigs taste like pork. If they added pecans and acorns to their feed or corn, the pork would have a better, sweeter taste. With this in mind, I was wondering if the fermentation or the sunflower oil would make the turkey meat taste off, if they were left on that feed right up to slaughter?

 

[UrbanviewFarm]

Thanks, so much! I have been reading so much that I was getting myself confused and wondering if the Boss might put an oily taste into the meat that I would have to purge out before slaughtering. Years ago, when I ate pork and catfish, the catfish farms would raise pigs to get rid if all the waste left over fro filleted catfish. If they slaughtered the pigs after feeding them fish, the pigs would have a fishy taste, so they would finish the pigs off with corn and the corn would make the pigs taste like pork. If they added pecans and acorns to their feed or corn, the pork would have a better, sweeter taste. With this in mind, I was wondering if the fermentation or the sunflower oil would make the turkey meat taste off, if they were left on that feed right up to slaughter?

How much of a percentage of their total feed consists of the BOSS? I wouldn't worry unless it's a REALLY high content...

What I do, is stated above. 30% Purina gamebird feed and scratch (cob, mixed grains, or your corn)
I feed them the gamebird feed straight through until the middle of September. Then I start mixing in scratch little by little and by this time I'm feeding half scratch and half crumbles. I intend to finish them this way. Last year I fed gamebird feed right up to slaughter and the results were fantastic.

 

[Celie]

About 5% with 60% corn and 35% FF(fermented grain).

 

[UrbanviewFarm]

sounds to me like they have a pretty balanced diet then, I wouldn't worry at all about the taste. Happy eating!

 

[Turkeytruff]

About 5% with 60% corn and 35% FF(fermented grain).

Hi there
I have looked in every forum to see if anyone out there has advice on this. I have a combined population of 14 chickens, 2 24 week old BB 'heritage' turkeys (not sure why but they do fly and are very active), and 2 18 week old Narragansett turkeys. I have been feeding them all about 90% FF and 10% dry feed (I do try to keep the chicken pellets in one place and the turkeys in another but they do tend to all feed from both)

.
My question is are the turkeys getting enough protein? One of the BBs is eating any feathers he can find and has been plucking them from the other turkeys. I have read that this can happen when they need more protein - any ideas, advice would be great, thank you!

 

[Arielle]

You can increase their protein levels by adding other feed and see if this makes a difference. ANd if you haven't already, peak under those feathers and see if the birds need a dusting; maybe you already check that out.

alfalpha pellets or cubes
some kinds of cat chow
bugs


My BR fly.

 

[frank53061]

What about a Pellet and scratch mix.