It’s best to feed your poults with a 30% protein starter until your poults are eight weeks old. When your poults are 8 weeks old, switch them to a high-quality flock raiser with 20% protein and high-calorie content. If you are raising your Midget Whites for meat, you can keep your turkeys on their flock raiser until butchering time.
How to care for a Midget White Turkey?
Caring for Midget White Turkeys 1 Feeding and Nutrition. Young turkeys grow quickly and require more protein than most poultry types. ... 2 Housing and Fencing. Although most turkeys require a substantial amount of space, Midget Whites are not as demanding in their spatial requirements. 3 Health Issues and Care. ... 4 Breeding. ...
How many Midget White Turkeys are there?
We do not have any information about how many Midget White Turkeys exist now, but it is likely to be barely over 200 in number, and that is if they managed to breed the small flock successfully. Basically, this is a breed of turkey that you are unlikely to ever see ‘in the flesh’. As the name suggests; this is a very small breed of bird.
What should I Feed my Midget White poults?
It’s best to feed your poults with a 30% protein starter until your poults are eight weeks old. When your poults are 8 weeks old, switch them to a high-quality flock raiser with 20% protein and high-calorie content. If you are raising your Midget Whites for meat, you can keep your turkeys on their flock raiser until butchering time.
What should I Feed my Young Turkeys?
Young turkeys grow quickly and require more protein than most poultry types. It’s best to feed your poults with a 30% protein starter until your poults are eight weeks old. When your poults are 8 weeks old, switch them to a high-quality flock raiser with 20% protein and high-calorie content.
Are Midget White turkeys friendly?
Midget Whites are a rare heritage breed classified as “Critical” by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. In recent years, Midget Whites have developed a reputation as a friendly, small-flock turkey with excellent food qualities, perfect for raising in backyards and on urban homesteads.
Are white turkeys friendly?
It is important to note that the Midget White turkey does not have any genetic relationship to the Beltsville White and that the two breeds are distinct and should be managed separately. These diminutive turkeys are unusually friendly and will approach people and pets without much concern.
What do you feed a Broad Breasted White Turkey?
Sometimes day old poults have a hard time remembering how to eat and drink, so it's important to dip their beaks in several times in the first few days they're home and provide them low piles of high protein feed like game bird or turkey starter. You want to feed turkey poults a feed that is around 30% protein.
How long do white breasted turkeys live?
Quick Facts about Broad Breasted White TurkeyBreed NameBroad Breasted White TurkeyColorWhiteLifespan2-5 yearsClimate ToleranceHot and cold climatesCare LevelMinimal6 more rows•Jan 20, 2022
Do turkeys bond with humans?
They create long-lasting social bonds with each other and with humans. Turkeys love to be stroked, petted and cuddled. They will remember your face and if they like you, they will come up to you to greet you. Turkeys also love music and will cluck along with the songs.
How do you raise a white turkey?
5:3611:23How To Raise Turkeys - What You Need To Know!! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow if you want turkeys to be doing well. They need feet that has more protein than chickens. SoMoreNow if you want turkeys to be doing well. They need feet that has more protein than chickens. So ideally you want to feed them with with a different feed.
What should you not feed turkeys?
Here is some food that you should not feed to turkeys:Low-Quality chicken feed.Dairy foods.Onions.Raw meat.Chocolate.Processed foods.Fruit pits and seeds.Tomato and eggplant leaves.More items...
What do I feed my pet turkey?
Adult turkeys will get as much as 50% of their intake from pasture or range grass. Range grass is grass that is four to six inches long. Turkeys like to eat the growing tips of the grass. They will also enjoy any kitchen or garden scraps: lettuce, tomatoes, sweet corn, summer squash, and so on.
How much corn does a turkey eat?
FEED turkeys cracked or whole kernel corn, sunflower seeds, oats, wheat, or non-medicated commercial poultry or turkey rations. FEED turkeys daily by broadcasting food at a rate of 2 large handfuls (or 1/2 cup) per turkey per day.
Do white turkeys make good pets?
Since turkeys are so docile and loving, they make excellent pets for children. They like to play and are more resilient than smaller, delicate birds, like chickens. Once your turkey has bonded with their family, they will enjoy spending time around you.
How do you tell the difference between a male and female white turkey?
Male turkeys have brightly colored heads with no feathers, while females have a few feathers and are dully colored and better camouflaged in the wild. All turkeys have a fleshy appendage called a snood or dew bill which hangs from the beak. A male's snood is much larger and plumper in appearance than a female's.
Do white breasted turkeys lay eggs?
Since most turkeys are raised as meat birds, many people wonder, “Do turkeys lay eggs?” The short answer is yes.
How rare is an all white turkey?
Rarer, though, are albinos, a condition marked by white skin and feathers along with light pink or red eyes. Seeing an albino turkey would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience: It's estimated that only 1 in 100,000 Wild Turkeys is albino. Their eye-catching plumage also puts them at greater risk of an early demise.
What is the difference between a white and black turkey?
Mostly, it's a matter of taste and texture. Dark meat tends to be richer, more flavorful and moister; white meat is less fatty, blander and drier. Lots of people also choose white meat because they think it's healthier – it has less fat and fewer calories than dark. But the difference isn't that big.
What type of turkeys are white?
White Holland. The White Holland turkey is showy in appearance, with snow white feathers and a red to bluish head.
Why are tame turkeys white?
The great majority of domestic turkeys are bred to have white feathers because their pin feathers are less visible when the carcass is dressed, although brown or bronze-feathered varieties are also raised.
What is a midget white turkey?
The Midget White turkey is a result of cross of Broad Breasted White and Royal Palm turkey. And it is relatively a new heritage breed. Currently the breed is classified as ‘Critical’ by The Livestock Conservancy.
How much space does a midget turkey need?
The Midget White turkeys are classed as a small sized breed. So on average, a mature Midget White turkey will require around or up to 10 square feet of housing space.
Why was the Midget White Turkey developed?
The Midget White turkey breed was actually developed for meeting an anticipated demand for a small version of the Broad Breasted turkey. But the Midget White turkey breed never become widely popular, as the market didn’t develop as predicted.
Why is it important to buy a good quality turkey?
Purchasing very good quality birds is important. Because good quality and active birds always ensure good production and maximum profits.
Is it easy to farm a white turkey?
Starting Midget White turkey farming is relatively easy, because it is a smaller sized breed. Like many other domestic turkey breeds, they are extremely strong and hardy birds. So starting commercial Midget White turkey farming will be very easy and simple.
Do midget turkeys need care?
Although taking additional caring will help the birds to grow better and produce more. So, always try to take good care of your birds.
Do midget white turkeys need a clean house?
Like many other domestic turkey breeds, the Midget White turkeys also require a clean environment and comfortable housing system. So , ensure all the required facilities are available inside the house.
How many more turkeys can a midget white turkey produce?
This means that (in theory) a Midget White Turkey can potentially produce around 40 more turkeys. We suppose that the turkeys that are left are closely related, and thus the fertility rate is a little bit lower.
How many Midget White Turkeys are there?
A small flock, but a flock nonetheless. We do not have any information about how many Midget White Turkeys exist now, but it is likely to be barely over 200 in number, and that is if they managed to breed the small flock successfully. Basically, this is a breed of turkey that you are unlikely to ever see ‘in the flesh’.
Where Do Midget White Turkey Come From?
The Midget White Turkey is one of the newer breeds of heritage turkeys. It was developed at some point in the 1960s in Massachusetts by Dr. Robert Smyth.
What is the smallest turkey?
Turkeys. The Midget White turkey is the smallest turkey breed around. In fact, it is so small, that people often mistake the Midget White turkey for a chicken! Of all the turkey breeds, not all are desirable for home meat production. Let’s take an in-depth look at this breed, and how this turkey will look in your backyard or on your table, shall we?
Is a turkey smaller than a chicken?
Obviously, the bird is smaller, but for most people this is going to be fine. You just have to remember that the Midget White Turkey is closer to chicken in size.
Is a midget white turkey good for small families?
Being the smallest turkey breed makes the Midget White an ideal for small families. (Photo by TheKarenD)
Is a midget white turkey a good bird?
After all, it is a very small turkey. While it is not going to be that productive, it certainly is a unique bird to look at. As a result, if you are suffering from a lack of space, but want a turkey to look at, then the Midget White Turkey may be perfect for you.
How to start a flock of Midget White Turkeys?
Starting Your Own Flock. To start your own flock of Midget White turkeys, you can order eggs, started birds or breeder adults. Our eggs are sold by the dozen and hatch after roughly 1 month. You can order started birds, which are 2 months old, and can be out on their own without caretaking by you or the hen.
How long does it take for a turkey to mature?
They reach full maturity after another 5 months. Breeder adults will reproduce and raise their young independently. It takes a total of 7 months for a turkey to reach full maturity after hatching. Midget Whites have an average lifespan of 5 to 7 years. View fullsize.
Who owns the Midget White?
Mike Omeg, Owner of Mike's Midget Whites. Mike Omeg actively manages his own flock of happy, hormone-free, free-range Midget White turkeys. He takes the best individual birds - the perfect Midget Whites - and breeds them using very selective criteria for body type, temperament, hardiness and meat quality. Mike improves the genealogical line of his ...
How to bleed a turkey?
Insert the blade into the slit in the turkey’s upper beak, push the blade toward the palm of the hand holding the head, (think of a line from the blade through the eye and into the brain) and give a sharp twist. (Obviously, you’re wearing gloves, although we’ve never seen a blade go through the skull.) There should be one sharp cry and then the bird is dead. Immediately cut the veins on either side of the neck and bleed out the bird. There will then be the flapping and shaking, which is why the cone is so important. Even then, you want to stand back, because a flopping head can spray blood all over the Farmer. The bird should be eviscerated, plucked and chilled as soon as it’s bled out.
How many eggs do turkeys lay?
The standard lore is that turkeys will lay 110 – 115 eggs in 28/30 weeks, 7 – 8 months. They are ‘eating size’ at 32 weeks and ready to lay. We found that the turkeys were small for eating that early, and this is the main reason that MWTs are not commercially raised – they don’t grow fast enough. But for the small farm, time is not that critical.
How long do turkeys lay eggs?
Gestation is 28 days, and the first bird hatched Turkeys will lay eggs for several months, at least 6, but not all year. The eggs are good to eat, a bit more viscous than hen’s eggs, and some people say a bit stronger. They are excellent for baking and quickly incorporate air when beaten. We had very tender meringues and high-rising quick breads with the extra eggs.
When did the baby turkeys come out?
The poults (baby turkeys) were ordered from Murray McMurray Hatchery and came as 3-day old birds on 4/21/2010. As poultry go, they are expensive, and only straight run were available from any breeder.
Do turkeys fight to the death?
Turkey males will fight to the death, so once the birds were able to be out in the ambient temperatures. we chose one male and segregated the second. In my flock, the chosen bird (called ‘Studley’) seemed like the best choice – he was big and healthy – that was almost making the fatal mistake among small turkey breeders of choosing the big birds and ruining the breed. But ‘Thanksgiving’ (to remind everyone on the Farm of his destiny) wound up being the flock male because the females liked him better, he seemed to breed more easily, was more attentive and protective, and all around more like the classic MWT bird. After observing both with a chance at the flock, Studley ‘flew into the freezer’. He was very tasty, and wasn’t greatly missed.
Is it a good move to add another meat fowl to chickens?
With 25 years of experience raising chickens for both meat and eggs, adding another meat fowl seemed like a good move. Although we had raised both broilers and laying hens of many breeds, we hadn’t found a good all-purpose bird among the chickens, although many lay claim to the title. They either laid poorly (eating all the while) or were very short on meat when killing time came.
Can you let a hen brood in the winter?
Extra eggs? Yes. SW Farm learned not to try to let a hen brood in the winter. This past year temperatures were regularly in the ‘teens and the eggs died in the cold in spite of everything I could do – two heat lamps, etc. It’s sad to see a hen lose her whole clutch, or to open an overdue egg and find a fully formed poult frozen to death.
