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!
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!
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