Q: This is my 3rd year to have meat birds, layers, and turkeys. In the past I've bought chick starter for all my babies. This year when I went in to pick up my baby turkeys I was told to be sure & use turkey starter. I asked why not chick starter. I was told that turkeys need the extra ingredients for the developement of their legs. Any one know if that is true???
A: yes it's the mineral and vitenam mix in the turkey / wild game starter without the correct balance the turkeys may not convert the calcium to bones mass of it will convert incorrectly.
Our Vet was an inspector some years back for the the state Turkey Coop. He is the person who told us when we had 3 of our turkeys come down with crooked leg problems at 4 weeks. If you add anything to the feed such as Oyster shells, or grass add vitemans to there water, at least for the first 9 to 10 weeks.
Some places have a Turkey starter/grower or a wild game bird feed this is usually 24 to 26 % protein which the turkeys need when young to grow. The exception is when the chick is raised by a Hen.
Of course there is exception to every rule for turkeys.
Cracked corn will not put weight on poultry, But corn feed chickens meat may have a different task to it, sweeter tasting, you need an alfpha or something wheat based feed for that or even sorgum will work. In the old days processed alfpha was the main base for bagged feed now days it's usually wheat glutton.
Also the difference between turkey/wild game, and a chicken feed now days is the extra vitemens and minerals that have been added. You can feed chickens turkey/wild game feed but it's not recommened doing it the other way around. Our feed bags don' list what they actually use
Tom
A: yes it's the mineral and vitenam mix in the turkey / wild game starter without the correct balance the turkeys may not convert the calcium to bones mass of it will convert incorrectly.
Our Vet was an inspector some years back for the the state Turkey Coop. He is the person who told us when we had 3 of our turkeys come down with crooked leg problems at 4 weeks. If you add anything to the feed such as Oyster shells, or grass add vitemans to there water, at least for the first 9 to 10 weeks.
Some places have a Turkey starter/grower or a wild game bird feed this is usually 24 to 26 % protein which the turkeys need when young to grow. The exception is when the chick is raised by a Hen.
Of course there is exception to every rule for turkeys.
Cracked corn will not put weight on poultry, But corn feed chickens meat may have a different task to it, sweeter tasting, you need an alfpha or something wheat based feed for that or even sorgum will work. In the old days processed alfpha was the main base for bagged feed now days it's usually wheat glutton.
Also the difference between turkey/wild game, and a chicken feed now days is the extra vitemens and minerals that have been added. You can feed chickens turkey/wild game feed but it's not recommened doing it the other way around. Our feed bags don' list what they actually use
Tom
Last edited:
