Is it normal for Turkens to be this large at 4 weeks?

[Hamburg]

I have been looking at the new pioneer broilers. Three hatcheries are selling them now. I do believe that is what you have.

 

[Paradisewife]

Thanks - I've gotten a lot of feedback, and done a ton of research. Even if they are Pioneers, those have been crossed, and bred to have stronger bones & legs, and develop more slowly, and be strong enough to continue to mature and lay and breed. An actual pioneer person (or homesteader) wouldn't want a fowl that can't live long enough to reproduce - where are you going to get more chicks?
Regardless, the way mine are developing, I don't think they are anything but standard Naked Necks. Thank you all - your input has been important to me.

 

[MommaChicken84]

@Paradisewife @Draya @Candiland @newchickychick @Toasty525 @BlindLemonChicken
Update on my suspicious chicks if anyone is interested! My boys are now a little over two months and are 3x the size of my other 10 week old “normal” chicks. They have passed the 8 week mark of which they are supposed to be slaughtered, and they’re doing wonderfully! They run, jump, and play just like the other chicks and can roost normally. They are heavy and their feet are HUGE but that doesn’t stop them from living their chicken lives! They are incredibly sweet and they have brought so much joy into my life Their names are Sunshine and Sweetpea. I’ve been making sure they have been getting their veggies in and they love peas!

I am VERY interested! I somehow missed ALL of this back when it was happening so OF COURSE me seeing turken pullets at tractor supply I was like YES! Then we got them in the car and the more I looked the more worried I got, then I googled and saw the THOUSANDS of rage posts about them... Did you limit their food? If so when did you start? Anything you think would be beneficial or helpful I would appreciate so much!

 

[SuspiciousChick]

I am VERY interested! I somehow missed ALL of this back when it was happening so OF COURSE me seeing turken pullets at tractor supply I was like YES! Then we got them in the car and the more I looked the more worried I got, then I googled and saw the THOUSANDS of rage posts about them... Did you limit their food? If so when did you start? Anything you think would be beneficial or helpful I would appreciate so much!

What do your chicks look like? And how old are they?
Don’t be worried though!
I do limit their food. I started unintentionally when they were chicks before I even knew they were meatbirds because I didn’t have a feeder in their brooder with them, so I brought them plates of food to feed them myself everyday. I think you should limit food as early as possible. If you are sure they are the suspicious chicks (Pioneer Broilers) bring them a plate of their chick feed 3x a day, but that depends on how many chicks you have to feed. What I’ve found helpful is not using a feeder and not leaving food available 24/7. I had to fill a feeder up while I was away on vacation for a week (someone was very kind to feed them peas and check on the every 2 days) and my 4.6 pounder went to 8 pounds…in a WEEK! That shows you need to be careful with their food intake. What I do is walk down to their coop/run everyday, several times a day, to bring a bowl of food.
Feed them LOADS of veggies! Mine LOVE frozen peas, they go crazy for them! Make sure to introduce veggies to them before they have a dose of their daily chick feed. My boys certainly like their feed more than broccoli.
I have not tried any supplements or vitamins, so I can’t say if they help or not from personal experience.
What I’ve been doing has been working so far! I’m assuming mine are older than yours, so I can definitely update you if anything changes or if I find something you need to look out for!

 

[Skyeknight]

I do agree you should limit food as early as possible. Also make sure feed and water are on opposite site of the brooder. I have never raised broiler chicks from birth, but I got a few 6 week old Ross 308 a month ago. I feed them twice a day and give them 1/3 cup per bird per feeding round. Make sure you weigh them once a week as they are growing. 100 grams gained in a week would be desirable in my opinion, but limit accordingly if they grow more than 200 grams per week. Make sure they all eat at the same time.

Now for the important part EXERCISE. I cannot stress enough that as soon as they can go outside and eat grass you should let them. That way they can keep their chronic hunger in check if they have that and develop strong legs. I do't know how soon they would learn to free range, but it is handy for them to have another breed of chick(en) teach them.

My Ross 308 are kept with a few slightly older Hubbard JA757 (similar to a freedom ranger) and all of them are active, forage all day, play with each other and jump at least 50 centimeters high from standing still. They are currently around 3 KG.

 

[Skyeknight]

Also should probably add that Sasso and Hubbard have male breeders that are necked necks. Hubbard for example has provided the genetics of their birds to develop the freedom ranger. So I assume the growth should be similar to the ranger type meat birds.

 

[SuspiciousChick]

I do agree you should limit food as early as possible. Also make sure feed and water are on opposite site of the brooder. I have never raised broiler chicks from birth, but I got a few 6 week old Ross 308 a month ago. I feed them twice a day and give them 1/3 cup per bird per feeding round. Make sure you weigh them once a week as they are growing. 100 grams gained in a week would be desirable in my opinion, but limit accordingly if they grow more than 200 grams per week. Make sure they all eat at the same time.

Now for the important part EXERCISE. I cannot stress enough that as soon as they can go outside and eat grass you should let them. That way they can keep their chronic hunger in check if they have that and develop strong legs. I do't know how soon they would learn to free range, but it is handy for them to have another breed of chick(en) teach them.

My Ross 308 are kept with a few slightly older Hubbard JA757 (similar to a freedom ranger) and all of them are active, forage all day, play with each other and jump at least 50 centimeters high from standing still. They are currently around 3 KG.

These birds are said to have excellent foraging instincts! And honestly, I believe that. I think the best thing to do is to take them outside (and sit with them/supervise the whole time) when they’re still itty bitty fluffballs and set them in the grass. Frequent “field trips” will give them lots of mental stimulation and exercise. I started taking mine for short, then gradually longer, trips when they were a week and a half old.