pet turkey

[tjmiddlemass]

We have a pet turkey hes a 7 month old norfolk bronze who was so heavy he couldnt walk so we have had to cut his food down he is running about now, the problem is we arent sure what we should be feeding him or how much, we have searched online but everything that is advised we can't get here, the vets not sure of the only turkeys round here are ones getting fattened for meat. Also how often should he be wormed, we have had him since he was 7 days old

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

He’s a very pretty boy. Where are you located? I’ll tag someone who will know what type of food to feed your turkey. @lazy gardener

 

[lazy gardener]

I have no experience with turkeys. Perhaps post this ? in the "other breeds" forum. I'm sure there is one for turkeys.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I have no experience with turkeys. Perhaps post this ? in the "other breeds" forum. I'm sure there is one for turkeys.

Sorry lazy gardner I thought you had experience with turkeys

 

[lazy gardener]

Well... my turkey experience is limited to encouraging the wild turkeys to visit... AND... Defrosting, and cooking, and enjoying them covered with gravy, sitting between the squash and mashed potatoes.

 

[chickadoodles]

I raised turkey but I never had a problem with them over eating. I had auto feeders for mine and they ate as they wanted.
I fed mine a mixture of turkey feed or chicken grower with other grains mixed in.
Like oats, barley, wheat with sunflower seeds. I only gave about a half cup of mixed grains daily. Turkey require a higher protein than chickens do. Which is why I fed the mixed grains in addition to the feed. They need 27% protein. I got my turkey feed from the farmers Co-op.
Why yours is over eating is likely due to a lower protein feed.
I wormed my birds every fall with goat wormer pellets. But I had to with hold their feed to get them to eat the pellets.

 

[R2elk]

The OP has posted numerous times before concerning this and was given good advice which the OP chose to ignore or claimed that the proper feeds were not available where the OP lives.

It is highly unlikely that the turkey in question is a Norfolk Bronze since they are supposedly a heritage turkey and the problems the OP is referring to are the type of problems that a broad breasted turkey that is over fed and does not get sufficient exercise will get.

Adult turkeys do not need a high protein diet and can do well on a 16% protein diet. What can contribute to the overweight issues are diets high in fats such as corn and sunflower seeds. A quality chicken feed around 16% protein without the extra calcium that layer feed has will work fine for an adult turkey. Providing it with access to greens (grass) should also help along with supplemental vitamins such as nutri-drench should help.

Having the vet do a fecal float to check for worms can determine whether or not the turkey needs wormed.

 

[tjmiddlemass]

please note I have asked advice before, I have done what I was advised and he is a Norfolk bronze please check photos from heritage site yes he is yes he was over eating, even I gathered that from his weight, he has a very big property with trees and grass I live in centeral scotland and no my vet hadn't a clue about turkeys and no we can't even get medicated game bird maintenance food not even online, to get the medicated food you have to have a some farming licence number, which obviously with one turkey iam not going to have, no I don't have knowledge of what or how much food is best to keep him healthy, I would never have taken a turkey without knowing about them but we saved him, we didn't know what else today. I thought this was a site where people with knowledge helped those with little

 

[R2elk]

please note I have asked advice before, I have done what I was advised and he is a Norfolk bronze please check photos from heritage site yes he is yes he was over eating, even I gathered that from his weight, he has a very big property with trees and grass I live in central Scotland and no my vet hadn't a clue about turkeys and no we can't even get medicated game bird maintenance food not even online, to get the medicated food you have to have a some farming license number, which obviously with one turkey i am not going to have, no I don't have knowledge of what or how much food is best to keep him healthy, I would never have taken a turkey without knowing about them but we saved him, we didn't know what else today. I thought this was a site where people with knowledge helped those with little

You have a Bronze turkey. Whether or not it is a Norfolk Bronze or a Broad Breasted Bronze cannot be determined by the photo you have attached. The overweight issue is not typically seen with heritage turkeys but definitely fits what can and does happen with Broad Breasted turkeys.

You have an adult turkey. There is no reason to be looking for medicated turkey feed. Even here it is difficult to find medicated starter turkey/gamebird feed. I do not feed medicated feed to my turkeys ever. Because your turkey is an adult it does not have to have a feed that is labelled turkey feed. Any quality poultry feed that is 16% protein and is not a layer feed will be good for him.

My recommendation is that you find that turkey a home with someone that has more turkeys. Turkeys are very sociable flock birds and should be with others of their own kind. It is not good for the turkey to keep him by himself.

I raise heritage turkeys. They have feed available to them at all times and I have never had a heritage turkey over eat.

The vet doesn't have to know about turkeys to know how to do a fecal float to determine whether or not the turkey has worms. It is a process they know because of doing it for other pets such as cats and dogs.

 

[tjmiddlemass]

it was the vet who told us to keep him on medicated food and only place anywhere in this part off scotland that has turkey slaughter them all mid December merry christmas