Heritage Turkeys growing too slow!

[n8mont4]

I bought heritage turkeys in april so they would have 6.5 months to grow before Thanksgiving. They are 4 months old and are still pretty small. I would guess their weight is about 6-8 pounds. Will they start to pick up and grow faster now that their skeletal structure is built? I dont see how they can get to 20 pounds in three months.

 

[Kevin565]

What are you feeding them?

What breeds?

 

[n8mont4]

What are you feeding them?

What breeds?

They are spanish black/royal palm mix. I am feeding them grower feed. they go through 50 pounds a month. i have 6 turkeys. They have big bodies but they weigh almost nothing.

 

[Scottingitup]

Heritage turkeys really need 8-9 months to grow out. Feeding 28% or higher protein feed the first 3 months is very important as it really helps to jump start their growth.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Most heritage breeds are slow growers. I keep mine as pets and that is important if you keep them for years. Since you are going to shake and bake yours try upping their protein % and laying on the treats and scratch grain

 

[FarmngardenMom]

Feed conversion on turkeys is no better than 2.5 to 3# of feed per # of gain. Fifty # of feed divided by 6 turkeys equals only about 8 # of feed per month. At a conversion rate of 3#, that would be less than 3# of gain per month. We go through more like fifty # per week. They also have access to some pasture besides.

 

[Narragansett]

The problem is that these are Royal Palm crosses. Palms were developed strictly as an ornamental breed. You don't want to spend a lot of feed on an animal that is not designed to be eaten. As such they were never intended to be meat producers, unlike all of the other breeds. Palms naturally have a smaller body stucture, and will never achieve the same muscle development as other breeds, no matter how much additional feed or protein they get. There is only one breeder who is working on keeping up or improving the production characteristics of Blacks, so unless the Black parent came from him, it's unlikely that it is from a good producing strain as well. Being diluted with the Palm only makes the offspring even worse. It's always best to research your breeds before you get them, to be sure that they will meet your requirements.

 

[mstricer]

Here are my White Heritage Turkeys, yes they are hatchery. I got them in April, have only gone through 100 lbs of turkey grower. They live like wild tame birds. I taught them where all the berries and such were in the woods and they know where the chicken feed is but don't gooble it down. They have always free ranged once big enough and they sleep in the trees, oh they chase cars out to the street, not good.

 

[Celie]

They are spanish black/royal palm mix. I am feeding them grower feed. they go through 50 pounds a month. i have 6 turkeys. They have big bodies but they weigh almost nothing.

I have 6 White Holland toms that I am fattening up for thanksgiving and I feed them 25+ pounds a Day ! My largest is about 50 to 55# now and will have to be harvested before long. The others can wait a while yet, as they are only 45#'s or so. Why are you feeding them so little? Are you feeding them turkey grower or wild game feeder? You need to feed them a high protein feed if you want to grow muscle(meat)! Next time, you might want to try Broad Breasted Bronze or Broad Breasted White? They are hybrids grown for a very large amount of meat, on less feed, very fast !

 

[Celie]

Here are my White Heritage Turkeys, yes they are hatchery. I got them in April, have only gone through 100 lbs of turkey grower. They live like wild tame birds. I taught them where all the berries and such were in the woods and they know where the chicken feed is but don't gooble it down. They have always free ranged once big enough and they sleep in the trees, oh they chase cars out to the street, not good.

Nice looking Turkeys!