Getting free 4mo turkeys on Thursday [UPDATE with pics]

[jossanne]

I'm getting my first turkeys this Thursday. 4 are BB bronze, and 1 is supposed to be a blue palm. The guy thinks he got them in March, and he told me they're 3 hens and a tom in the BBB, and the blue palm is a hen. But he told my mom that he can't tell the difference between the hens and the toms. I have yet to lay eyes on these birds, as they're nearly 100 miles from me.

Mom says that the guy who has them doesn't feed them very well, as he's very "frugal." She thinks he's been giving them the same thing he's been giving his two pet goats. He told her that the birds are bony still, and nowhere near ready to butcher. He told me that he thinks they'll be butcher size in November.

So if the BBB are 4 months old, and still bony, what do I need to feed them? I've got a bag of turkey and game bird ration that I'm currently feeding my cornish X chicks, and I plan on putting the turkeys on that right away. But I read something on here about finishing feed, to fatten them up at the end. What is that: less protein than the turkey ration, or what? At what point do I need to give them finishing feed?

I'm not planning to butcher the blue palm. He thinks she's a hen, and I'm hoping he's right. I plan to find her a tom and keep a flock of them, hopefully. Do I just put her on lay pellets like my hens, or does she need turkey ration as well?

Any other advice for bringing home mostly-grown turkeys? TIA!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

are you going to free range them??

our BBB's were little pigs in turkey coats.. they loved the bag feed but also liked to free range. we finished ours on veggies, apples, and corn - but you may want to get yours into shape with a turkey grower first if they are a bit thin. i think we dressed our BBB's at 6 months - but since we free ranged so much they grew out a big slower. wonder if this is what your mom was talking about?

as for your hen i think you should be able to use a bagged turkey feed - our feedstore has a couple choices - and as you said, you can use the game bird ration.

other folks - can you chime in??

 

[pdpatch]

All adult and young turkeys should be on wild game bird feed. But since they are bony you may have to adjust there ration. Poults or chicks get a starter ration.

I would also add a water soulable viteman to there water for a while.
It will help them convert the feed.

If they are bony you might consider a bag of two of wild game starter with water soulable viteman at first. They will need help to start putting muclse mass on.

Also you should not free range them until you have "homed" them. That is they get to know where there home is. it can take 2 to 4 month for this to happen.

In the mean time you can bring grass and weeds to them.

A finish feed for turkeys has more protein in it. Such as corn, rolled oats, mollassas, wheat glutuen, or alfalpha. Chance are you will never find a bagged finish feed for turkeys.

we mix 3 parts regular feed, 1 part steamed rolled oats, 2 parts fancy scratch, and 1 part sweet feed, along with supervised free ranging.

we usually only have about 10 to 15 turkeys or so at any one time.

generally the last 4 to 8 weeks before butcher they can go on finish ration if you want. But most people don't. If you do free range then or have a ration of grass it does take longer but my opion is that they taste better.

Tom

 

[jossanne]

I was planning to free range them after I got them acclimated to their new home in a simple pen. We live in the desert, and thus there isn't grass for them to eat, but there are plenty of weeds on the edges of the property

. Whatever I plant, if it isn't fenced in, gets eaten by the chickens. Do turkeys eat bugs or just plants/seeds?

The turkey and game bird ration that I am currently feeding the Cornish X is 28% protein. It is locally milled at the feed store in town. I haven't been to town yet to ask if this is starter or just regular turkey feed. It just says "Turkey & Game Bird Ration" on the tag. Is this enough protein, or do I need to find something different? I can pick up sweet feed, etc., to mix in it if I need to. Obviously, I'd rather find a complete feed, but will do what I need to do to get these guys finished off.

I think the guy was talking about butchering in November because they've been growing so slowly and they're still bony. I'm anxious to get my hands on these birds to see for myself.

Thanks everyone!

 

[ivan3]

28% protein is fine.

However:

jossanne wrote: I'm getting my first turkeys this Thursday. 4 are BB bronze, and 1 is supposed to be a blue palm. The guy thinks he got them in March, and he told me they're 3 hens and a tom in the BBB, and the blue palm is a hen. But he told my mom that he can't tell the difference between the hens and the toms. I have yet to lay eyes on these birds, as they're nearly 100 miles from me.

Mom says that the guy who has them doesn't feed them very well, as he's very "frugal." She thinks he's been giving them the same thing he's been giving his two pet goats. He told her that the birds are bony still, and nowhere near ready to butcher. He told me that he thinks they'll be butcher size in November.

Just be cautious: If they are `bony' and the owner is `frugal' I'd wonder what else he's been scrimping on.
More importantly if they were started `slow' (inadequate feed) they'll probably finish slow and, potentially, be more prone to problems in the future (heritage hen).

Check them very carefully or, try to find someone else to get your turks from. Be careful, you might be getting troubles for `free'.

Good luck!

ed:clarity​

 

[jossanne]

I'll look over them carefully, but I'm sure I'll bring them home no matter what. He started out with 10, and a dozen chickens, and his dog has killed everything but these 5 turkeys and a rooster. One of the BBB's has had a broken wing from the dog that has now healed up. The turkeys are all kept in a small coop now, so the dog can't get to them. I can't leave them there in those conditions, especially with inadequate feed.

So I'll bring them home and give them a happy life while they try to grow big and strong. I'm a sucker.

Looks like I'll head to the feed store for a LOT of 28% feed on my way to get them. Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

goodluck with them

 

[jossanne]

Quote:
Just be cautious: If they are `bony' and the owner is `frugal' I'd wonder what else he's been scrimping on.
More importantly if they were started `slow' (inadequate feed) they'll probably finish slow and, potentially, be more prone to problems in the future (heritage hen).

Check them very carefully or, try to find someone else to get your turks from. Be careful, you might be getting troubles for `free'.

Good luck!

ed:clarity

The current owner is an acquaintance of my parents' and he told my mom that the feed store said start them on the high protein feed so their legs wouldn't go bad. Mom says she knows he did that. Hopefully they got enough of a good start before he started scrimping on feed....

Guess we'll see tomorrow just how they are. I'll post pics after we get them home.

 

[jossanne]

I brought the turkeys home today, and took pictures to share on here to help identify everyone. I plugged the camera into the computer, started to upload, and the electricity flashed off and messed it all up. Now my camera is showing no turkey pictures, and my computer is showing no turkey pictures. So... I'll have to try again tomorrow, because it's too dark tonight.

ANYWAY...

I'm not sure the BBB's are BBB's. I'm thinking they may be heritage bronze, in my complete and total lack of turkey experience. Today is the first day I've actually touched a turkey. How do I tell the difference? At least one is a tom, and its wing has definitely been broken, as it droops. He is pretty large compared to the other 3 bronze - about the same size as the royal palm.

The royal palm seems to be a regular royal palm, as the spots on its wings are black, not blue. It is also a tom. How funny that the guy couldn't tell it was a male. As soon as we stepped out of my van to take a look, the RP and one of the bronze were displaying at us.

They appear healthy, with exception of the healing broken wing, and a big scabbed spot on one of the smaller bronze where the dog also got "her." When I held one of the smaller bronze, I would guess it weighed 20 pounds, but I didn't have a scale outside to weigh it, and I didn't want to freak it out more by taking it into my bedroom so I could hold it while I stood on the scale.

So... what signs do I look for to sex a turkey, besides displaying? Can anyone help? And how do I distinguish between a BB and a heritage bronze?

Thanks!

 

[jossanne]

OK, went out in the dark, and got better pictures than I thought I would. Can you tell what I've got by these? I'll get more in the morning, with better light.

Standard 6-gallon bucket behind them:

The yellow bucket is a kitty litter bucket: