PROTEIN and MOLTING question.

[Noellereagan]

I have seven BBB turkeys. They're all molting. There's five toms and two hens. They're 18 weeks. They're pets. Yesterday, they started fighting. Bad (the Toms). The tom who I believed to be dominant got his butt kicked. I separated him. But it's continuing through the fence. I had to hang up sheets so they couldn't see one another. I tried to reintroduce him several times. To no avail. I am new to turkeys after twenty years. They are molting. Could it have something to do with this? Should they be bumped back up to a higher protein during the molt? It's starting to get cold here. They have ample room, they have four feeders and four waterers. Always full and fresh. I take them on a walk twice daily and let them graze. They get fresh produce twice daily. Right Nöw they're on a 16% finisher. One concern is I don't want them to get real big which is a problem with BBs. But they're pets.

Should I mix higher protein in with the 16% during the rest of the molt? Could it have something to do with the sudden fighting? What can be done to integrate the tom I seperated, if anything? It was so bad I'm sure he would've been killed if I didn't intervene. There was blood on all of them (their own blood). The remaining four are still getting riled up and bickering a bit but nothing terrible. It's over quick after a few chest bumps and a peck or two.

 

[Flockandfowl46]

As long as you have a single hen and that many time it's not going to stop,especially if they are confined during the day and as far as feeding are they ever going to be table birds or are they strictly pets?

 

[Noellereagan]

As long as you have a single hen and that many time it's not going to stop,especially if they are confined during the day and as far as feeding are they ever going to be table birds or are they strictly pets?

Strictly pets. What if I seperated the hens? Problem being they'd be side by side and be able to see each other still.

 

[R2elk]

I have seven BBB turkeys. They're all molting. There's five toms and two hens. They're 18 weeks. They're pets. Yesterday, they started fighting. Bad (the Toms). The tom who I believed to be dominant got his butt kicked. I separated him. But it's continuing through the fence. I had to hang up sheets so they couldn't see one another. I tried to reintroduce him several times. To no avail. I am new to turkeys after twenty years. They are molting. Could it have something to do with this? Should they be bumped back up to a higher protein during the molt? It's starting to get cold here. They have ample room, they have four feeders and four waterers. Always full and fresh. I take them on a walk twice daily and let them graze. They get fresh produce twice daily. Right Nöw they're on a 16% finisher. One concern is I don't want them to get real big which is a problem with BBs. But they're pets.
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Should I mix higher protein in with the 16% during the rest of the molt? Could it have something to do with the sudden fighting? What can be done to integrate the tom I separated, if anything? It was so bad I'm sure he would've been killed if I didn't intervene. There was blood on all of them (their own blood). The remaining four are still getting riled up and bickering a bit but nothing terrible. It's over quick after a few chest bumps and a peck or two.

First, the toms are going to have their dominance struggles. Other than permanently separating them, there is nothing you can do. Any interference will just cause the fights to last longer. It is not uncommon for all of them to gang up on a deposed leader. Putting a see through fence between two toms that are the best buddies can start a war between them. If you feel the need to put the defeated tom back with the others, just do it and walk away so that you cannot see what is going on. It isn't going to be pretty. A possibility that may work is to add one tom to the pen the defeated tom is currently in. Again after the introduction, leave so that you don't have to see what happens.

I know these are your pets but unless you plan on confining them all separately, it is only going to get worse. Look at what is happening now and understand that it isn't even close to breeding season yet. The best thing you can do for your turkeys and for yourself is to find new homes for most of the toms.

Some people do provide higher protein feed during the molt whether it is for their chickens or turkeys. I don't. Increasing the methionine concentration in their feed is very helpful for feather growth. A good source of methionine is BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds). BOSS should be used as a treat since it also is a high fat feed.

Good luck.

 

[Flockandfowl46]

@R2elk is 100% right and that's exactly what I would do but as far as feeding if they are pets you don't want to pump them full of higher protein being as they are meat birds you want to kind of put them on a lower protein diet per say you should make your adjustments slowly and monitor their health along the way...another good feed for them would be an all flock feed so there isn't too much fat and protein but enough to maintain its too bad you can't get them out foraging for fiber and exercising

 

[Noellereagan]

@R2elk is 100% right and that's exactly what I would do but as far as feeding if they are pets you don't want to pump them full of higher protein being as they are meat birds you want to kind of put them on a lower protein diet per say you should make your adjustments slowly and monitor their health along the way...another good feed for them would be an all flock feed so there isn't too much fat and protein but enough to maintain its too bad you can't get them out foraging for fiber and exercising

I do have them foraging. Not all day but twice a day for a few hours. I'm sorry. I should have said that. We only have ten acres but it's doing the trick.

 

[Noellereagan]

Thanks for the help.