Raising Turkeys for FFA

[Kyleigh Soman]

I'm raising 5 turkeys for my chapter of FFA for the first time, I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how to raise bigger birds and how to fatten them up. The people who show birds at the shows I attend have been doing it for many years so they know a lot more than i do, but I want to have a chance to win still. Thank you in advance!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Glad you're here Kyleigh!

The only turkey expert(s) I know is @rjohns39 ans @duluthralphie . Hopefully someone will come along and help!

 

[duluthralphie]

I'm raising 5 turkeys for my chapter of FFA for the first time, I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how to raise bigger birds and how to fatten them up. The people who show birds at the shows I attend have been doing it for many years so they know a lot more than i do, but I want to have a chance to win still. Thank you in advance!

Welcome to BYC....First off.

Showing birds is just not a matter of fattening them up. You need to have good stock that you can breed into a SOP bird.. SOP being the standard of perfection.

I gave up showing turkeys, I had and still have some pure lines (varieties) of turkeys. Even the best stock I had, whch I purchased from a local breeder just had too many faults to make a champion show bird out of. I bought some from Porters, and while great varieties they too were not of show bird quality.

I being older have decided I would be dead before I worked my lines up enough. I like my turkeys as pets and dinner so I am happy with what I have. I am breeding for pretty colors now and not towards SOP.

I have several lines of chicken breeds that I will continue to show.

If you tell us what breed you are looking towards we might be able to help you some.

Join us on "century of turkey talk" and some one will know something from your area.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/

Go to the last post and start asking away.

I was in FFA over 50 years ago, I have no idea what they want in their projects. Let us know that too. Are you using BB or heritage breeds?

 

[rjohns39]

Hi @Kyleigh Soman and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us I don't know much about show birds—but @duluthralphie does. What kind of birds do you have? What feed to you have them on right now (we need to know the %protein) Can you give us a picture of your brooder setup? Where are you located (aka what's your weather like)?

Passing to you Ralph

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