How to Diet my Heritage Bronze Tom

[FredsGobblers]

They would do fine on a 16-18% all flock feed with oyster shell available free choice. Just check his feet for any injury. He looks fine from what I can see in pics. I have roosts at 3 ft and at 1 ft. Some toms like the lower roost. My toms do not fly but rather more a flapping hopping. This may be due to not having to fly into trees to roost and not having the developed wing muscles of a wild turkey.

 

[Tannerwild13]

They would do fine on a 16-18% all flock feed with oyster shell available free choice. Just check his feet for any injury. He looks fine from what I can see in pics. I have roosts at 3 ft and at 1 ft. Some toms like the lower roost. My toms do not fly but rather more a flapping hopping. This may be due to not having to fly into trees to roost and not having the developed wing muscles of a wild turkey.

I’ll look around the grain store next time in town the virus has things kinda closed right now.. a 16-18% protein? And my roost is like 2-3 ft for sure

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He is a heritage bronze, if I’m correct they aren’t supposed to get so fat they cant stand or fly. The broad breasted do that, heritage should remain a healthy weight.

None of my heritage toms fly after about 6-8 months. That's normal. I feed mine an 18% all flock ration.

 

[R2elk]

What feed do you recommend? Like I mentioned before I use a starter grower crumble that is 22% protein

That is not an appropriate feed for a turkey of any age. Adult turkeys can do fine on a quality chicken feed that is at least 16% protein. They will do better on an all flock feed.

My adult turkeys get the same feed as my chickens do which is a 20% protein all flock pellets. Pellets vs crumbles is a personal choice. I choose pellets because there is less feed waste for me when using pellets.

 

[Tannerwild13]

That is not an appropriate feed for a turkey of any age. Adult turkeys can do fine on a quality chicken feed that is at least 16% protein. They will do better on an all flock feed.

My adult turkeys get the same feed as my chickens do which is a 20% protein all flock pellets. Pellets vs crumbles is a personal choice. I choose pellets because there is less feed waste for me when using pellets.

The starter grower crumble I use is a multi flock brand, has a turkey on the front too, if I switch to a chicken feed, I should be looking for something like 16-20% judging by my replies here

 

[R2elk]

The starter grower crumble I use is a multi flock brand, has a turkey on the front too, if I switch to a chicken feed, I should be looking for something like 16-20% judging by my replies here

Just because an unethical company sells a feed they claim is for turkeys does not make it an acceptable feed. Poults need a high protein feed that has higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. I feed my poults a 28% turkey or game bird starter.

Adult turkeys do not need such high protein levels and can do well with the lower lysine, methionine and niacin levels found in chicken feed. These levels are higher in an all flock or flock raiser feed than they are in chicken feed which is why the preference is to use the all flock or flock raiser feeds instead of chicken feed.

 

[Tannerwild13]

Just because an unethical company sells a feed they claim is for turkeys does not make it an acceptable feed. Poults need a high protein feed that has higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. I feed my poults a 28% turkey or game bird starter.

Adult turkeys do not need such high protein levels and can do well with the lower lysine, methionine and niacin levels found in chicken feed. These levels are higher in an all flock or flock raiser feed than they are in chicken feed which is why the preference is to use the all flock or flock raiser feeds instead of chicken feed.

Thank you for all your knowledge! I’ll look for a chicken feed for my next bag

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you for all your knowledge! I’ll look for a chicken feed for my next bag

One thing I will mention is that your turkey WILL eat the same number of calories to meet his daily energy (not nutrient) need. So when we switch from higher protein we MIGHT get higher carbs instead... Different phases of life do have different requirements.

I basically use Purina Flock Raiser... which is 20% protein... and has worked very well for several years... (not for young poults) but yes for turkeys, chickens and duck... Do you have any other birds... or just these 2?

Interestingly.. I often see LOWER protein GAME bird... chows... @R2elk can you please share your thoughts on these products and would you still go with a chicken feed if you have NO chickens?

Like this "maintenance" one..
https://www.purinamills.com/game-bird-feed/products/detail/purina-game-bird-maintenance-chow
Or the "flight conditioner"...
https://www.purinamills.com/game-bird-feed/products/detail/purina-game-bird-flight-conditioner
Would something like this address the OP's concern (IF confirmed)... Although I stated protein and carbs have the same energy content... maybe something higher in fiber has a different impact??

 

[R2elk]

Interestingly.. I often see LOWER protein GAME bird... chows... @R2elk can you please share your thoughts on these products and would you still go with a chicken feed if you have NO chickens?

There is a study around somewhere that claims that adult turkeys only need a 12% protein feed for maintenance. I believe that the study was done on broad breasted turkeys and in my opinion does not apply to heritage turkeys.

There is a study that was done on quail showing that the adults will do fine on 20% protein as long as their other needs (lysine, methionine etc.) are being met.

There was a time period when I did not have chickens and was feeding my adult turkeys a 16% protein layer feed with free choice oyster shell. I did not have any issues with my turkeys during that time.

I am aware of the number of people that claim that the calcium level in layer feed is harmful to male poultry. I have not seen that as an issue where I live. However, where I live does not have much of anything in the soil (sand dune) and the natural level of available calcium is very low. I can see that someone living where limestone is abundant may have different concerns.

Either of the feeds you have linked to would not be harmful to adult turkeys. I would not feed either one of them to poults or growing juvenile turkeys.

A major problem that I see is we tell people that their poults need a high protein, high quality feed and too many of those people don't get the message that the adults do not have the same nutrition requirements that the poults need.

 

[Tannerwild13]

There is a study around somewhere that claims that adult turkeys only need a 12% protein feed for maintenance. I believe that the study was done on broad breasted turkeys and in my opinion does not apply to heritage turkeys.

There is a study that was done on quail showing that the adults will do fine on 20% protein as long as their other needs (lysine, methionine etc.) are being met.

There was a time period when I did not have chickens and was feeding my adult turkeys a 16% protein layer feed with free choice oyster shell. I did not have any issues with my turkeys during that time.

I am aware of the number of people that claim that the calcium level in layer feed is harmful to male poultry. I have not seen that as an issue where I live. However, where I live does not have much of anything in the soil (sand dune) and the natural level of available calcium is very low. I can see that someone living where limestone is abundant may have different concerns.

Either of the feeds you have linked to would not be harmful to adult turkeys. I would not feed either one of them to poults or growing juvenile turkeys.

A major problem that I see is we tell people that their poults need a high protein, high quality feed and too many of those people don't get the message that the adults do not have the same nutrition requirements that the poults need.

So final thought from you for my 1 year old turkeys, what is the feed I should be looking for what content and percentages? I have blue seal feeds available to me

One thing I will mention is that your turkey WILL eat the same number of calories to meet his daily energy (not nutrient) need. So when we switch from higher protein we MIGHT get higher carbs instead... Different phases of life do have different requirements.

I basically use Purina Flock Raiser... which is 20% protein... and has worked very well for several years... (not for young poults) but yes for turkeys, chickens and duck... Do you have any other birds... or just these 2?

Interestingly.. I often see LOWER protein GAME bird... chows... @R2elk can you please share your thoughts on these products and would you still go with a chicken feed if you have NO chickens?

Like this "maintenance" one..
https://www.purinamills.com/game-bird-feed/products/detail/purina-game-bird-maintenance-chow
Or the "flight conditioner"...
https://www.purinamills.com/game-bird-feed/products/detail/purina-game-bird-flight-conditioner
Would something like this address the OP's concern (IF confirmed)... Although I stated protein and carbs have the same energy content... maybe something higher in fiber has a different impact??

There is a study around somewhere that claims that adult turkeys only need a 12% protein feed for maintenance. I believe that the study was done on broad breasted turkeys and in my opinion does not apply to heritage turkeys.

There is a study that was done on quail showing that the adults will do fine on 20% protein as long as their other needs (lysine, methionine etc.) are being met.

There was a time period when I did not have chickens and was feeding my adult turkeys a 16% protein layer feed with free choice oyster shell. I did not have any issues with my turkeys during that time.

I am aware of the number of people that claim that the calcium level in layer feed is harmful to male poultry. I have not seen that as an issue where I live. However, where I live does not have much of anything in the soil (sand dune) and the natural level of available calcium is very low. I can see that someone living where limestone is abundant may have different concerns.

Either of the feeds you have linked to would not be harmful to adult turkeys. I would not feed either one of them to poults or growing juvenile turkeys.

A major problem that I see is we tell people that their poults need a high protein, high quality feed and too many of those people don't get the message that the adults do not have the same nutrition requirements that the poults need.

So final thought from you for my 1 year old turkeys, what is the feed I should be looking for what content and percentages? I have blue seal feeds available to me what of those do you think?