Turkenstein25's Turkey Talk for 2015

[Book Em Danno25]

Aw I bet your pretty awesome

Yeah i am

 

[poult]

Yeah i am

And modest jk jk

 

[Book Em Danno25]

....

 

[poult]

I'm just teasing! XD

 

[Ironsights]

What do you feed your turkey poults?

I paid 8 dollars for 5lbs of gamebird starter, but, cannot find larger quantities, and wonder if there are better alternatives.  I don't want to spend a fortune feeding the turkeys if there is a cheaper but still good alternative.  I want them to be in the best condition they can be, so, I'm not trying to cut corners to save money, but, want to make sure I haven't overlooked a more affordable alternative.

Are there homemade versions?

I know you've already got some good suggestions but you can try a local feed store. They're "usually" cheaper than TSC or Atwoods.

 

[mulambo28]

I've been wanting turkeys for the last year and finally talked my husband into getting a few. In February we bought 4 broad breasted bronze from a feed store and 3 survived to grow big. Right now they're big enough to slaughter, and watching them hobble about convinced me that what I really wanted was a heritage breed. So I ordered some Narragansett turkeys from Ideal Poultry (best shipping price I could find) so I can hatch some eggs every year. My heritage birds are only about a week old, but I'm curious if there are any differences other than growth rate/health between them and the broad breasted breeds. The BBB's are very curious, friendly, and smart enough to go in the coop when I tell them to at night. They obviously don't fly at all and I'm worried that the heritage birds will fly too much and a neighbor will see dinner is his back yard or they'll roost on the coop or in a tree where I can't get to them and be eaten by raccoons. My birds have a fenced half acre to forage which is enough to convince the chickens not to fly over the fence. They're even too lazy to fly over the 3ft garden fence which is the shortest fence.

 

[chickadoodles]

Welcome to BYC and the turkey thread!

You will love the Narri's they have great temperments. They will fly and they will need to be taught to go into the coop at night till they get the hang of it then they will follow the flock.

As for the flying I suggest you look up how to trim their wings to keep them in your fence. There is some great info on BYC for turkey and chickens.

Here is a very helpful link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/787208/turkeys-101-new-to-turkeys-what-do-i-need-to-know

 

[poult]

I've been wanting turkeys for the last year and finally talked my husband into getting a few. In February we bought 4 broad breasted bronze from a feed store and 3 survived to grow big. Right now they're big enough to slaughter, and watching them hobble about convinced me that what I really wanted was a heritage breed. So I ordered some Narragansett turkeys from Ideal Poultry (best shipping price I could find) so I can hatch some eggs every year. My heritage birds are only about a week old, but I'm curious if there are any differences other than growth rate/health between them and the broad breasted breeds. The BBB's are very curious, friendly, and smart enough to go in the coop when I tell them to at night. They obviously don't fly at all and I'm worried that the heritage birds will fly too much and a neighbor will see dinner is his back yard or they'll roost on the coop or in a tree where I can't get to them and be eaten by raccoons. My birds have a fenced half acre to forage which is enough to convince the chickens not to fly over the fence. They're even too lazy to fly over the 3ft garden fence which is the shortest fence.

If you clip their wings flying won't be a problem my birds always just learn from the adult birds and the adult birds learned because I kept loading them up each night.I want to do the same as you actually I also had some broad breasted varieties but I don't anymore and want to get some Narrangansett's to keep as pets and to breed.I keep ducks,chickens and geese all get along quite well and the faster learners have helped teach the not so fast learners to load up at night and they help teach them how to forage as well because the youngin's always try and just eat what I feed so they get shown around the yard and catch on.

 

[cppeace]

I'm planning on getting some jersey buff turkeys. Anyone have experience with them? I want to hatch them out. I want a rare breed and like the buffs better than the midget whites.

 

[Book Em Danno25]

I'm planning on getting some jersey buff turkeys. Anyone have experience with them? I want to hatch them out. I want a rare breed and like the buffs better than the midget whites.

Not me. I only have had Bourbon reds.