First show off photos

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

I believe they are Bronze Breasted, that would be the BB you noted?

They are eating game feed, 24 - 7 right now. We let them out to mow, weed and de-bug the lawn before and after work and on weekends when we can keep an eye out for the neighbor's cats.

As I said, they are pets, so, if they grow at such a fast rate, should I cut back on their food so they won't get too big too fast?

I want them to be able to carry themselves around our yard for as long as possible, and not have health issues related to their weight.

BB stands for broad breasted (meat type of turkey)

If you want to keep them as pets you'll need to cut back on their feed rates to a 12 on 12 off, basically only feed during the daytime and take away at night from here out.

You'll need to lower their protien levels in their feed as well to something like a 16-18% so they don't grow as fast and to help not have any health problems.

Even with doing all this it is hard to keep them big ones around much longer then a year or so. I have seen them alive up to 2 years old but they were still huge birds compared to heritage turkeys.​

 

[paulinaydern]

Thank you very much for that information. Is there a specific reason for them to be fed during the daylight hours? The reason I ask is for when it comes time for them to roam the yard during the daytime hours and be put away at night. Would it be ok to feed them at night so they would be encouraged to go back into their house when asked?

But then again, would having food available during the daylight hours make them want to stay put in the yard rather than go bother the neighbors?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[b.hromada]

They're adorable!! Some day I'm gonna get me a turkey!

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Thank you very much for that information. Is there a specific reason for them to be fed during the daylight hours? The reason I ask is for when it comes time for them to roam the yard during the daytime hours and be put away at night. Would it be ok to feed them at night so they would be encouraged to go back into their house when asked?

But then again, would having food available during the daylight hours make them want to stay put in the yard rather than go bother the neighbors?

Sorry for all the questions!

You want to feed during the daylight hours because that is when the birds will eat most of their food. If you have them out free ranging then you could bring them in at night with feed, I would only give them as much as they can eat in 15-30 min time frame if you are to do it that way or leave as free choice for the night ??​

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
BB stands for broad breasted (meat type of turkey)

If you want to keep them as pets you'll need to cut back on their feed rates to a 12 on 12 off, basically only feed during the daytime and take away at night from here out.

You'll need to lower their protien levels in their feed as well to something like a 16-18% so they don't grow as fast and to help not have any health problems.

Even with doing all this it is hard to keep them big ones around much longer then a year or so. I have seen them alive up to 2 years old but they were still huge birds compared to heritage turkeys.

You will be very disapointed trying to keep a broad breasted turkey as a pet no mater how you regulate the feed. The nature of the breed is to grow large and fast. The method harp describes is for raising meat type chickens - cornish X so they don't eat themselves to death.

Unless you are keeping your turkeys under light 24 hours a day they won't eat at night, they can't see in the dark.

Steve in NC

 

[paulinaydern]

We've just moved them outside to a modified rabbit hutch. The heat lamp is on during the night time, and most of the day when they're inside the hutch as we live in fog most of the time here on the central coast of California.

They were inside the house in a galvanized 70 gal. stock tank, but flying out to hang out was starting to be problematic on the carpeting.

Our intention is to keep these guys around as long as possible, so with that being said, we should cut their food ration down to daytime hours only and nothing at night.

Is this correct?

I was up at 2:30am this morning and took a peek out the window and saw one of them chowing down. Midnight snacker, that one!

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

for best results yea 12on 12off, this has worked for alot people that I know that has had the BB turkeys and they lived 1-2 years at this method.

 

[SportTees]

That is so cute!!