Help with getting my Turkeys ready to show

[Lotsapaints]

Okay they are going to finish molting in time to enter them in the closest poultry show......they are spoiled and well fed they have been on Mazuri feed and I've added avian charge to the water and now I am going to work on the cage training. The show is in 3 weeks and I've found a "victim" to help me wash them as my hubby said he only washed dead turkeys.....this will be my first time and I'm taking 3 turkeys so any tips would be appreciated. Last year there was only 2 turkeys there none with any wow factor right now mine are very buff with all the new feathers they are pretty stunning and other than weighing them again they are very much up to the SOP but the most points is for conditioning and I'm not familiar with all the finer points yet.

 

[Oregon Blues]

The only thing I know about showing turkeys is that you don't transport them in wire cages or they break their tail feathers.

 

[Jen C]

Well it sounds like you have it all pretty well covered! Good feed, soft bedding (so feathers don't break), pens where they won't be rubbing feathers against wire (again causes breakage), and a little luck! You just want to keep them as happy and healthy as possible with lots of space and hopefully they will be done molting before the show. It sounds like you are doing a very good job and they will probably be in great shape for the show! Also, you want to wash them at least 3-4 days before the show so that the oil lost off the feathers during their bath has enough time to come back. That way they will be nice and shiny for the show. Good luck and have fun!

 

[CYGChickies]

An online source suggested that you make sure there are enough turkeys to lean against one another. If not they'll balance with their wings and can injure them. Good luck!

CYG

 

[Lotsapaints]

Thanks all I'm pretty lucky as the show is only about 5 miles away going to use plastic dog kennels for them to transport I just hope they are good for cage training that is wire so I hope they don't go crazy as I'm having the neighbors come over to pretend to be judges but I'll be taking them out to handle....they are so tame but not fond of being handled and they don't seem to like strangers either.....oh well I gotta start someplace. I have 2 younger ones who are very nice in the cage so when they grow up I'll be taking them.