Growing too fast!

[Oregon Blues]

If you have to show at 12 weeks, keep them on the 30% game bird/ pheasant starter for the entire 12 weeks. There is only so much you can do, but that will get you the best growth possible. It also makes some nice feathers.

I don't think you can even purchase poultry food with hormones in it. I've never heard of anyone giving hormones to poultry.

If the feed doesn't contain a niacin supplement, dissolve a 100 mg pill of regular niacin into their drinking water. Game bird should contain the niacin, but check the label.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Also, if you mix a tablespoon of plain yogurt into their water, that assists with digestion so the turkeys can get the maximum benefit out of the food you are feeding them.

It might or might not help feather appearance to sprinkle a tiny bit of flax seed on their feed. Flax contains a lot of oil. It will shine up a hair coat and might help to shine up feathers. It's worth a try.

 

[KrisH]

You Presume right! I get the birds next week I will let y'all know the progress thank you so much for your help

Ask anything you want.

can you tell us what is your "setup" like? how many? Where aye you keeping them? Day Olds?

I'm sure we could probably save you some frustration and tell you the mistakes we have made, and what others have helped us with.

and generally butt our noses in.

RobertH

 

[TamTurkey]

I have two 8'x6'x6½'H Coops for them surrounded by a 24' x 18' fence for them to get a bit of free ranging in now and then but not a lot of grass in that area as I want their diet to be primarily the commercial feed. I will be using Purina Turkey starter medicating them by water with a broad spectrum antibiotic and they will be having Oasis to help promote feeding and retain water. They will be on pine shavings. Of course for now they will have pie pans and waterers on the ground. (i read on here that marbles in the water attract them.) They have 2 brooding lamps to keep them warm. Am I missing anything? I get them in on Halloween as chicks I will post pictures as soon as I get them. We are getting 10 they will all be together in one coop for a while but as they grow and I cull them out half will go in the other Coop. These are for a Market show. But I will feed all of them out to use for our own consumption. I know many here have their turkey's as pets and I am sure after we have many years of raising these animals one day when the kids are no longer showing for FFA I too will have them as pets. But for now I hope I don't offend anyone here, I care for all of Gods creatures and I take care of our show animals better than most take care of their dogs but they are still MEAT to me.

 

[TamTurkey]

Okay t-minus 1 week until I get my Turkey Poults!! YAY! Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[TamTurkey]

Ok less than a month to go to fatten these kids up. They have been on 28% protein since day one. I just started mixing in 25% finisher 75% starter. Acv in water and yogurt once a week. They have great structure and are very healthy. I need to put them bulk on them for show I was thinking of adding cracked corn.

 

[Celie]

A daily treat of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds will put a really nice shine into their feathers.

 

[TamTurkey]

They don't like them they pick past them. thinking about sprouting them. I don't know

 

[kuntrygirl]

A daily treat of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds will put a really nice shine into their feathers.

They love that stuff.

 

[Celie]

Mine picked it out too for a couple of days, but once they tasted them, they can't get enough of them. They love them and will eat them first, go figure? they love it!!!