Turkey Talk for 2014

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
Are you feeding the Broad Breasted Turkey starter, which is 22%, or the Game Bird Starter, which is 30%?

It's probably true that the companies make a higher profit on the lower protein foods. But that's not the only issue. Some breeds of chickens have significant joint problems when fed too high a protein diet. They should grow slowly, but the high protein food makes them grow too fast, and their joints don't have time to develop adequately. In some breeds, the lameness rate is as much as 40% by 5 months of age. So the lower protein food for chickens is better for long term health. The difference between 18% and 24% isn't a big deal for most breeds (although some long term breeders of certain breeds say they notice a problem starting at 20% protein, so they start with 18% until 12 weeks old, then drop it down to 14-15% for the breeder cockerels -- the ones they want to be able to walk well for 7-10 years). But the difference between 18% and 30% is huge for most chicken breeds, and I would never feed such a high protein level to any dual purpose chicken that I wanted to keep as a breeder. Even if they make it to adulthood without lameness, there's an increased risk of arthritis as they age.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I don't feed medicated anymore - to anyone. I feed everyone the same 16% pullet grower. I had Red Bourbons, Self Blues and Black Spanish - I even fed my BBBs 16% last year. They were hatched in June and in 5 months they were 20-25lbs each after processing. I didn't want to feed them high protein percentages because I didn't want their legs to give out under their weight. My 2 females ended up with deformed legs anyways (genetic, not a weight issue), but the 3 boys did fine. For a month I did feed Flock Raiser (24%) to help get them up to weight in September. See, I am cheap. I don't like paying $20 a bag of feed when I get my 16% form the mill for $8-13 depending on the time of the year. So, between being cheap and being mindful of my turkey's legs... I stayed with 16%.

 

[Arielle]

I can't get the 28-30% so hav fed te 22% to my BBW. At 4 months they wer giants00 males dressed at 35 and girls at 25. ALl healthy and walking out to pasture until the last few weeks, when they just plopped down next to the feed dish for the day!! I carried them to the car on delivery day to the butcher.

 

[R2elk]

Are you feeding the Broad Breasted Turkey starter, which is 22%, or the Game Bird Starter, which is 30%?

It's probably true that the companies make a higher profit on the lower protein foods. But that's not the only issue. Some breeds of chickens have significant joint problems when fed too high a protein diet. They should grow slowly, but the high protein food makes them grow too fast, and their joints don't have time to develop adequately. In some breeds, the lameness rate is as much as 40% by 5 months of age. So the lower protein food for chickens is better for long term health. The difference between 18% and 24% isn't a big deal for most breeds (although some long term breeders of certain breeds say they notice a problem starting at 20% protein, so they start with 18% until 12 weeks old, then drop it down to 14-15% for the breeder cockerels -- the ones they want to be able to walk well for 7-10 years). But the difference between 18% and 30% is huge for most chicken breeds, and I would never feed such a high protein level to any dual purpose chicken that I wanted to keep as a breeder. Even if they make it to adulthood without lameness, there's an increased risk of arthritis as they age.

The turkey starter that is available to me is 28% protein. I no longer raise the BB turkeys or the Cornish X chickens. My heritage turkeys and the various varieties of chickens I have been raising have done well for me on this starter. Once the chicks and poults are feathered and out of the brooder they no longer get the high protein feed. I do not have any leg issues with any of the chickens or turkeys.

 

[gevshiba]

Is it normal for the first chick, born a day before the second, to peck the snot out of the new chick? He likes to peck me too.

 

[chicken pickin]

Is it normal for the first chick, born a day before the second, to peck the snot out of the new chick? He likes to peck me too.

While being very annoying for you and the newer chicks or poults, yes that is completely normal for the first day or 2. That being said some chicks take it too far and need to be separated temporarily but that isn't too common.

 

[gevshiba]

While being very annoying for you and the newer chicks or poults, yes that is completely normal for the first day or 2. That being said some chicks take it too far and need to be separated temporarily but that isn't too common.

Thanks. I'm keeping an eye on them. #2 looks to be fighting back a bit now and I think they are settling down. They're driving my dogs crazy. Poults are due to hatch tomorrow and I'm really stressing. I'll be so disappointed if none hatch.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote: That's why the 28% works well for you -- you only feed it while the chicks are in the brooder. Their joints can take the higher protein at that age, in most chicken breeds up to 8 weeks old. But after that many breeds need to slow their growth, so the lower protein is needed to avoid future problems. Since most people don't like to, or forget to, change foods often as the birds age, the easiest recommendation for chickens is to start with 16-22 percent protein and continue until they need to go to layer ration. It's easy, and it works well because it gets done. For many dual purpose breeds it probably is ideal to start at 22-28% protein for the first 3-6 weeks, then decrease to 16-20% for the hens and 14-18% for the cockerels until 18-20 weeks, then put the hens on layer ration and the cockerels on either finishing ration or maintain on 14-18% for the breeders, +/- other changes along the way, depending on your breed and the use of the bird and your ability/willingness to adjust their management. But most people either don't want to have to keep up with all that, or forget, so despite being ideal it doesn't work for many people because it doesn't get done.

Free ranging tends to help balance out their diets also, although that is not an option for everyone. The birds can concentrate on eating grass or on eating bugs (or mice), as they wish, to increase or decrease their protein levels. The extra exercise helps their skeleton and joints develop properly.

It's amazing how important the details can be when you try to push the envelope. I've mostly raised English breed chickens -- Dorkings and Speckled Sussex -- and have found that these breeds, in my hands, do best when given some fish in their diet. It makes sense to me -- these breeds were developed in England and fish scraps were a common ingredient to give to the chickens on the English farms. They thrive with the extra animal protein. Then I tried it on some Barnevelders. Big disaster! The pullets did fine, but the cockerels grew too tall too quick, and every one was lame by the time they were 6 months old. It makes sense -- Barnevelders were developed using many breeds, including the Croad Langshan, which has very tall and stately roosters that do best with slow and consistent growth between 3-10 months. Had I looked at the breed's history and development before deciding on their management I never would have added fish to their diet after 8 weeks, but I didn't stop and think about this being a different breed. I just did what I had always done for my other chicks, without stopping to realize that I had customized my management for a specific breed.

One thing that's great about chickens and turkeys is that they can thrive on so many different management styles. Most of the time we only run into trouble when we try to push the limits, like I do with my Dorkings, and accidently apply it to a group that can't handle it. But that's how we learn, and hopefully improve.

 

[K Epp]

How do you feed the cockerels differently? Do you keep them in different housing?

 

[SilkieSensation]

How do you feed the cockerels differently? Do you keep them in different housing?

Some people do. I don't have cage space to so mine all eat the same.