Would like some advice on Utility Turkeys

[Alicia G]

I am in the Market turkey project this year and I just got my turkeys. I got 10 two week old utility white turkeys and I want to know all there is to raising these birds.
I looked them over and I noticed that the top of there beak has been trimmed and there toe nails have been removed (something that took me off guard to say the least)
There in my basement under a heat lamp and are being fed medicated turkey starter with electrolytes in there water.
All advice is appreciated
Thanks

 

[queenturkeygirl]

Wait till they're the size of a soft ball (or baseball) before you let them out and when you let them out you must watch them like a hawk otherwise a hawk or any other predator will kill them. You'll need a barn because when they get big they'll need at least a 4X4 space per bird (sometimes you can still two turkeys together). As they grow older they'll become loyal like a dog, they'll "pick" who they like (for example: I had a turkey and I spent all my time with her but she decided she liked my mother more even though my mother barely saw her, so she turned out to be my mother's pet not mine), so when they pick who they like they'll fight over you if more than one picks you. During the winter you'll need a heating lamp and hay for insulation. During the summer you'll fans, proper ventilation and if you see them panting you may have to hose them down with water. They need fresh clean water and food everyday otherwise they'll catch diseases and kill your whole flock. You'll need a fence so predators will not get them. (Optional) you can use a broom to train them to stay in the yard. When they get older you'll have to clip their flight feathers because they like to fly.
NEVER NEVER stick two males together because they'll fight no matter what the reason (even if it's pure jealousy and nothing else)

I'll have more advice later.
I hope I helped.
Sincerely,
Jackie

 

[Alicia G]

They are all female, or at least thats what they said. Because I can only show the hens, the 4-H office only provides hens. So is it normal for people to remove the nails on meat turkeys? It just seems so weird that they have no toes!