What else can I feed turkeys in addition to commercial feed?

[RingedTeal]

Yea with all the butter they put on movie popcorn it would most likely kill your turkeys.

 

[VI KING RANCH]

Quote:
Got to make sure that they don't eat the Pitts cause they are poisonous to any and all living creatures.

 

[Arielle]

Got to make sure that they don't eat the Pitts cause they are poisonous to any and all living creatures.

THis is true of the pitted fruit trees-as I remember from my mother who took a class at the College of the Atlantic, the poison is cyanide. Will double check with her.[edited:That's her recollection, too] Apple seeds also. I do wonder how many must be consumed before the deadly effect takes effect! Some foods have very low concentrations, like black pepper.

Yea with all the butter they put on movie popcorn it would most likely kill your turkeys.

This is a good reminder for us humans too! I read many posts where people are very careful with the foods they give their birds; we just need to raise our human food standard a bit too . We go to the Drive In where we can bring our own snacks and are not forced to eat the sugar, salt, food coloring, etc filled snacks. P.S. We put real butter on our popcorn; not sure the movie theaters use the real mccoy.


Went up to the garden today; the wild turkeys had a field day dust bathing in my herb plots!!! Needed a little replanting. Until the next time they visit . . . .

Thanks for everyones help. You all have helpful ideas!​

 

[ShadyHoller]

Here are three interesting links on feeding grains. These articles are chicken-specific, but there's some valuable info here for mixing up turkey rations.

This first link goes to a reprint of a 1945 extension circular: http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/poultry/bba01s12.html

this second link provides good general rules for when you are feeding two distinct types of food: http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/poultry/bba01s12.html

this link has a good overview of dietary needs of poultry: http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Summer2003/Chickens/tabid/1481/Default.aspx

For garden scraps, our turkeys especially love kale and whole sunflower heads full of seeds in late summer. Also turnip greens.

Finally, a lot of old-timers give their turkeys and their meat chickens a handful of dog food from time to time. It sounds a little weird, but it's high in protein, and the birds love it, especially in the winter.

EDITED: to add that there's a link in the first page (the one from 1945) that has modern updates that reflect better understanding of a few points in the original article. So if you look at that first page, make sure you see the update as well.

 

[Arielle]

ShadyHoller:

Finally, a lot of old-timers give their turkeys and their meat chickens a handful of dog food from time to time. It sounds a little weird, but it's high in protein, and the birds love it, especially in the winter.

My chickens clean up the spilled cat chow on the porch. Which means, I forgot to pick up the dish after the cats ate and the chickens spill it, flick it, scratch in it, and make a real mess. I pick up the bowl with the remaining chow, leaving the spilled chow for the birds! They made the mess, they can clean it up! LOL

Thanks for the links!​

 

[fiberdrunk]

Mine like swiss chard, spinach, watermelon, etc. They also love Japanese beetles... I think the beetles have met their match this year! Maybe we'll actually put a dent in their population this year. A couple weeks ago I went out to check on the turkeys and they saw me eating an ice cream cone and tried to make a bee-line for it! I had no idea they'd be interested in such a thing, but I had to shoo them away, lol.