Give me the dirt on turkeys

[chickenannie]

Quote:
I put one "flake" thickness of hay down on their floor, and it lasted for 4 weeks at a time. (Their poop is so tiny.) I did clean out their mom's poop, and that helped keep it clean that long. Their pen was 4 x 15 feet. A flake is one of those "sections" in a haybale.

I let them out of their coop to free-range when they seemed like they wanted to explore further -- probably about 5 or 6 weeks old.

I think the issue with dirt is that they can pick up diseases quite easily from it, and since they are a little bit slow to learn to eat, they tend to pick at the dirt alot instead and they're not getting nutrition. Oh, and I always give them bits of chopped greens when they're little, even if it's just a handful of grass cut into 1/4" bits with a scissors. They sure like to go for dark-colored things like green bits. And make sure to put out a dish of grit for them -- I put a cup of course sand mixed with tiny, tiny pebbles from the creek near my house.

 

[freemotion]

That sounds doable, thanks for the details!

 

[yoker]

Cool lets see if I can read this all

 

[Wolf]

I've got Turkeys for eye-candy. I used to have Midget Whites, but now have slid over to Gold Palms. The babes are touchy until they're a month old - then they're pretty durable. The closer you raise them TO YOU, the friendlier they'll be... my first pair lived in my house, under my feet - till they were 5 months old - and were friendly as puppies. My first gobbler used to play with a kids'-play-ball in the pasture - kickboxing it like he was playing soccer. He'd come Dance for me while I sat in my chair, and would then come close for me to stroke his head... and smile while I did!
Don't let anyone tell you they're dumb - they're smart! They're also amusing as 'ell! I got a yearling-boy that's decided he wants to take on my Labrador, even though the dog works around all the birds with me as an Assistant and has done her daily exercise in the pasture the bugger's whole life! The dog now thinks the jake's flopping at her is fun and plays along.
Strongly broody hens have me laffin' with their "Raptor from Jurassic Park" impersonation while setting a clutch of eggs - but I have a bamboo-pole I use to prod and control their movements, and even though they sound awful - I've never been hurt by one.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
This made me laugh! I know exactly what you're talking about.

 

[AmazonDragon]

LOL that is funny!

 

[AmazonDragon]

I have heard a lot of you mention Bourbon Red Turkey, does anyone have an opinion on the Narragansett Turkey?

 

[kenman]

Quote:
I bought a tom and two hens a couple of months ago. They are young and this will be their first breeding season. I have enjoyed watching the tom and one of the hens so far. The other hen is not the brightest light bulb in the box. She kept jumping up in the cage I brought them home in until her head was bleeding. She staggered around like a drunk for two or three weeks before finally getting her balance back. I thought I was going to lose her. My main concern with them will be what will their poults look like when processed. I wonder if their skin will have little black spots.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Our Brs's get pretty good size in 8 months. Toms = 25-28 lbs Hens = 17-20 lbs. That is on free range with 28% their whole life and corn last 30 days as a finisher mixed in their daily food.

We breed for the standards of the birds. We also breed for the weight gained in 8 months. A lot of breeders don't breed for this character and that is why a lot of people that buy from big hatcheries don't get good weight results in the 8 month grow out season.

Feed conversion - That is a good question. We have found that on a free range system with free choice feed given they will eat a lot LOL. A tom about 80 - 90 lbs 0 to 8 months Hens 60-70 lbs 0 to 8 months. Sometimes a little less but for the most part on an average. The better the pasture the more weight they gain in that time but still same amount of feed. You can cut their feed intake and make them forage for more of their feed. We do this with our up coming breeding stock so they grow slower. As they will take about 10 - 12 months to reach the same size as the market birds. And that is giving them about a 1/2 lb a day per bird. No matter how much you feed them they always act hungry. When their feed runs out even for an hour and you fill it they all run over as fast as possible like they have not had food for months.

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
I checked out your website and noticed you didn't list that you fed them 28% feed their whole life on there? They grow as quick as they do because of the feed not the free range. Do you feed your breeders 28% as well? Just curious as we have been raising heritage turkeys for many many years and have never heard of your methods.

Steve in NC