I would like to have at least one fat turkey for thanksgiving

[ricky bamboo]

I have been raising 4 big breasted white turkeys since they were day olds about 8 weeks ago. They are healthy and happy and now free range with my chickens and roost in the chicken coop also. They are growing at a good rate and are about the same size as my reds but I need to seperate the turkeys from the chickens at feeding time or else the hens won't let them at it.
I feed the chickens scratch, all our table scraps and garden waste and they love it all. The turkeys, on the other hand, won't eat anything but their crumbles and the bugs and grass they find. Are they still too young for scratch? Are turkeys more fussy about their food?
I'd like to get at least one bird fattened up for Canadian Thanksgiving!
Any reply would be helpful as this is my first time with turkeys.
Thanks

 

[Marlinchaser]

just keep feeding them they will eventually realize they are bigger than the chickens, and they wont starve to death. I just had my first one processed 2 weeks ago at slightly over 3 months dressed out at 20.6 pounds, his brother goes this week and has gained 6 more pounds, so should dress out around 24 pounds,, at 4 months. Mine also freerange, and I catch them in the coop eating the chicken food. Mine also eat scratch if you give it to them, they seem slower than chickens at picking up off the ground, so I hand feed them thier scratch.

sorry didnt sea Canadian part of the Thanksgiving, when is it, I was assuming you had till end of November, but maybe not.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Oh I forgot

 

[Break an Egg]

Turkeys get huge before you know it. I have a big one in my backyard right now that has eaten mostly chick starter and free ranged. She eats all the grass from this one part of the yard only. It's pretty funny.

 

[al6517]

I would recommend getting your chickens on some real feed, scratch and table scrapes do not have the protein they need to do well, turkeys also need a high protein feed 18% or higher game bird feed. with these two changes you will notice a huge difference in the birds.

 

[ricky bamboo]

They all eat grower crumbles and i supplement with the scratch and table scraps...I guess i just need to be patient for these turkeys to get huge.
I'm just glad I dont have to worry about keeping them at 90 degrees anymore!
Thanks for the comments and suggestions!

 

[Marlinchaser]

So when is Thanksgiving, Canadian style????

 

[al6517]

Good to know your feeding grower, I too throw them some scratch every now and then, but they don't seem to like my garden leftovers as much as the chickadees do. My Turkeys started kinda slow but in the last month or so have really started to put it on, i think i will process the smallest one in Oct as practice for thanksgiving, i think if iam not carefull the big one may not fit in the oven. This may be stupid but i want that sucker to be huge, it will look so cool in the center of the table and have to look over it to see the person on the other side LOL LOL. I think he may dress out at 39-42lbs.

AL

 

[ricky bamboo]

I too think that the idea of a huge, homegrown, golden roasted turkey on the dinner table is a beautiful sight. I found it interesting to hear you will butcher the smallest one in October...maybe that isn't such a bad idea.
Anyway you look at it, I'm positive that the Christmas table will have a biggie all trimmed out!

 

[DaKid]

Well for me between 8 to 11 weeks my Turkeys grew –and grew big ,

Well I’m been raising 5 different kind of Turkeys all of which at 13 weeks old , 5 Wide Turkeys –5 Giant Whites Turkeys- 5 Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys- 5 Royal Palm Turkeys and 5 Bourbon Red Turkeys . My Giants Whites and Broad Breasted Bronze stand 30” – 32” plus in height and weight 25 -28 lbs lbs. Each Breed are in there own run 8’ X 11’ and are highly feeded turkey grower pellets and crack corn .
. With 12 more weeks or so for Happy Bird Day I hoping to top these baby TOM’S off at 40 plus lbs.


good luck............ plenty of feed and water and good sun light –means a big birds


Al.