Turkeys 101 - New To Turkeys (What Do I Need To Know?)

[TurnipTruck]

If I plan to keep my turkeys in an enclosed pen, how much space do I need per bird?

 

[TRChickenRanch]

HI,
Can you please tell me how old the turkeys should be before they are off their starter food? And what do they eat after that?

Thanks

 

[TurnipTruck]

I'm no expert, but I feed the Gamebird starter (28% protein) until they were about 10 weeks. Then I mixed what I had left of that with chick starter and used plan on using that until it is gone. I plan on switching to layer ration with my fermented feed (which I have already introduced) as soon as the mix I have now is gone.

My birds seem to be doing well at 4 months old now, but I am a first timer myself.

 

[DutcherFarms]

Can I feed 12 week old turkeys who have just been introduced to my chicken flock layer ration? The turkeys are being rasied for meat. I have read a bunch about chicks and poults but not too much about adults.
Thanks

 

[TurnipTruck]

Again with the caveat that I am no Turkey expert, as a general rule if you are using the higher protein layer mash you should be fine. Keep in mind that many brands are in the 16% range. You would want something more in 20% range for turkeys, especially if you want to grow them out for butcher. Lower protein will slow the growth rate and potentially lead to smaller birds when they reach full maturity.

 

[TRChickenRanch]

If the turkeys are being raised for meat do you want to be giving them layer ration?

 

[TurnipTruck]

If the turkeys are being raised for meat do you want to be giving them layer ration?

You want toamasina the protien content to get them to butcher weight at butcher time... Higher protien for shorter grow outs. Of course there are feeds specifically formulated for meat birds.

 

[TeaChick]

Thank you for all the information in this thread!!!!

 

[RowJimmy1868]

I have a question about mixing brooders of birds? I was planning on getting some geese and turkeys at the same time but I read in the OP that mixing with water fowl is a bad idea. Does this include geese as well?

One more question, we have a 500 acre farm I will to raise them on but I plan on "letting them go" on decent size field with plenty of thickets in between two large cow pastures for them to live once they are grown enough. They will access to water but is this a bad idea? Do they need to be supervised everyday? I wanted to see if they could survive and reproduce on their own so we could have turkeys 365 days and use them for meat.

I don't want to give the sense that I'm neglecting them just seeing if they will be alright on pasture without having to bring them in everyday. Should I build a roost and cover for them up high to avoid predators?


Thanks!

 

[circlecsranch]

Thanks for the info!! I'm very new to birds in general. So far been doing good with chickens, I have 6 baby turkeys coming with 125 head of new chicks next month. We plan on penning our turkeys since they will be processed out this winter. We plan on keeping the turkeys in the house for at least the first month, then to an outside hutch, and finally into a run with grass until butcher time. Is a month inside good? Or should we keep them in longer. We plan on putting them with chicks that are about the same size (about a month or so old chicks) for the monkey see monkey do of learning to eat and drink. Any help would be very appreciated.
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