Turkeys and cracked corn

[Draeje]

I've got 3 turkeys, raising for meat, that are about 8-10 weeks old, when can they eat cracked corn?

 

[Jessica Thompson]

Yeah!

 

[Jessica Thompson]

They love it

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They're probably ready now. If you're raising for meat, you want to give them good protein for a while longer though. The corn won't add muscle.

 

[rjohns39]

What type of turkeys are they?

 

[Draeje]

I'm 99% positive they're broad breasted whites, I got them from rural king but don't remember if it said broad breasted or not. Could I mix starter grower and cracked corn for the higher protein? We've got ducks, chickens, pigs, a horse and these turkeys so we keep plenty of cracked corn here on the homestead lol

 

[rjohns39]

I'm 99% positive they're broad breasted whites, I got them from rural king but don't remember if it said broad breasted or not. Could I mix starter grower and cracked corn for the higher protein? We've got ducks, chickens, pigs, a horse and these turkeys so we keep plenty of cracked corn here on the homestead lol

Can you post a pic of your starter/grower label? I've not raised BBWs yet, but my friend does. For the BBs he'll feed starter for first 3 weeks, then grower through week 10 and then put them on finisher for the last four weeks. Is your starter/grower a turkey starter/grower (are they two separate feeds or a single feeds)? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm 99% positive they're broad breasted whites, I got them from rural king but don't remember if it said broad breasted or not. Could I mix starter grower and cracked corn for the higher protein? We've got ducks, chickens, pigs, a horse and these turkeys so we keep plenty of cracked corn here on the homestead lol

If you mix an 18% starter with corn 50:50, you'll end up with about 14% protein. I'd say that is way too low.

http://extension.colostate.edu/topi...lating-rations-with-the-pearson-square-1-618/

http://homesteadapps.com/app/free/feedcalc/pearsonsquare.php

 

[Draeje]

Rjohns, Our local stores don't carry turkey or any other poultry specific feed, so we give normal chick feed.
ChickenCanoe, would 24% starter mixed 50:50 corn be acceptable?

 

[rjohns39]

You can add 35 pounds of corn to your 50 pounds of starter and that will get you close to a finisher. The downside is that will seriously dilute the vitamins and minerals in the feed, which is likely about 5% by volume. I generally don't like to go below 3% by volume. So maybe the better compromise might be 25lbs corn to 50lbs of feed at least for the next two weeks. Then increase to the 35:50 ratio, which is about 17% protein.