- Day old turkey poults need a 28% feed. The key to raising healthy poults is to give them the correct feed! ...
- Turkey poults need different feed than chickens. Sometimes it can be hard to source a higher protein feed for your poults, and it’s easy to think well what about using ...
- Protein % needed will change as turkey grows. You’ll notice in the table at the beginning of the article, the percent protein in the feed changes as the poults grow.
- Adult turkeys need a 12% feed. Once your turkeys get to adult size, they are fine with a 12% feed as a maintenance ration. ...
What should I Feed my turkey poults?
The protein in your turkey poult’s feed can be lowered to 20 percent after their 12 weeks of age. But lower than this rate will result your turkeys won’t grow as big as they could. Along with providing well balanced and nutritious feeds, ensure availability of sufficient amount of fresh and clean water for your poults.
What is the best starter feed for turkeys?
But turkeys need such feeds which is high in protein, more than chickens. Usually poultry starter or gamebird starter feed has around 28 percent protein. And these starter feed works for turkey poults for the first 12 weeks (medicated or non-medicated is your choice). Most of the small scale farmers like to use non-medicated feeds.
How much do turkeys need to eat?
The instructions that apply to all feeds indicate the daily allowance for turkeys of different ages. So, for example, monthly turkeys need, on average, 150 grams of food per day. But adults should eat 350 grams of feed. Turkeys need 50-100 g less food.
Why should I Feed my turkeys?
Please keep in mind that feeding and watering turkeys play a very important role in the growth and health. You might thinking about feeding your turkey poults.
What do turkey poults eat?
Poults should be fed 28% protein turkey starter until 8 weeks of age. 24-26% protein turkey grower crumbles should be fed after the first 8 weeks until they are approximately 6 months of age. At that time, they can be switched to 16% – 18% lay pellets, crumbles, or mash.
Can baby turkeys eat chick starter food?
FEEDING POULTS: Personally, I feed turkey poults a mixture of ½ medicated chick starter (20% protein) and ½ unmedicated game bird starter (28% protein) until they are 6 weeks old and then 20% medicated chick starter until they are 18 weeks old.
How long should turkeys be fed starter feed?
A turkey starter crumb with a protein content of between 22 – 24% is ideal and most starter type feeds can be fed from hatching until the birds reach 5 – 8 weeks depending upon the manufacturers recommendations.
Can you feed turkey poults chick starter?
If you are unable to find "turkey feeds", start and grow your poults on a 20-22% Chick Starter (medicated) for the first 12 weeks. From that time on to the time of slaughter, provide them with an 18% Chick Grower ration.
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...
Which feed is best for turkey?
Turkeys are fed nutritionally balanced diets of mixed grains and oilseeds, which typically include corn, soya, wheat, barley and canola, for healthy growth and development.
What do baby turkey poults eat?
Feed for Turkey Poults For their first 12 weeks, poults should be given a 28% protein feed. After 12 weeks, they can be fed a 20% protein feed and you can begin to add grains such as corn and oats to their feed as oats are a great bone strengthening supplement for poults.
What do you feed newborn turkeys?
The poults will need a 28% protein starter for the first 6-8 weeks. We recommend looking for specialized turkey or wild game bird feed. After that, you can change them over to a feed with an 18% protein.
When can baby turkeys go outside?
Make sure they are fully feathered and at least eight weeks old before moving poults to their new outdoor housing. You can give them access to outdoors but still provide the lamp at night for a week or two, and then finally move them to their new, grown-up turkey roosts and pen.
Are turkey poults hard to raise?
Turkeys are not that hard to raise, but they differ a bit from chickens in terms of what they need, and raising them from poults (baby turkeys) is more time- and energy-intensive than raising chickens from baby chicks.
How warm do baby turkeys need to be?
95 degrees95 degrees is the ideal brooder temperature for the first week of the poults' lives. After the first week, you can decrease the brooder temperature by 5 degrees each week until they are fully feathered (6-7 weeks).
Do baby turkeys sleep a lot?
Chicks and ducklings can be somewhat active. Turkey poults are the opposite. They will sleep for the majority of the day, but when they're awake, they're lively. It's normal to see them going from sleeping for hours on end to having brief periods of play and activity.
Can I feed my chickens turkey feed?
Chickens, however, are omnivores and food opportunists, and will eat practically any of the leftovers you offer to them. Leftover turkey is definitely something they'd happily devour.
Can baby turkeys eat duck starter?
Make certain the feed you offer is safe for both ducklings and turkey poults. While turkeys can eat medicated chick starter, sources state that some medicated feed brands are not safe for ducklings to consume. Double check with your local feed store before purchasing medicated chick crumble.
Can turkeys eat mealworms?
Because of mealworms' low nutritional content, most rehabbers moisten and coat the mealworms with a nutritional powder formulated to meet the needs of young birds. But please be assured that providing mealworms to birds does them no harm.
Can turkeys have brewers yeast?
Feed for Turkey Poults Turkey poults require higher levels of protein than chicks. It is recommended that they are fed unmedicated chick starter with a supplement of brewer's yeast (2 cups per 10lbs of feed). For their first 12 weeks, poults should be given a 28% protein feed.
Feeding turkeys according to their age
From the day of birth, turkeys should not suffer from a deficiency of nutrients in the body. Food must be fresh. A portion is prepared for one feeding, which the chicks eat in half an hour. +
Feeding Broiler Turkey
Broiler chicks feed on a separate scheme that contributes to faster weight gain. The less the broiler weighs, the less demanding it is for food. +
Vitamin and mineral supplements in the diet of turkey poults
Mineral supplements are an essential component of nutrition necessary to replenish mineral elements in the avian organism. Most growing turkeys need calcium. This mineral is the basis for building bone tissue and feathers.
What can not feed turkey poultry?
Do not give turkeys under 10 days of age foods rich in fiber. Coarse plant fibers seriously disrupt the digestive system, which increases the likelihood of death of young animals. It is important to monitor the quality and freshness of products, especially eggs and dairy products. +
Nutrition Requirements
When looking at nutrition requirements across the board for turkeys, one thing you may encounter is many different theories on how much protein birds should receive at each stage of growth.
Foods Turkeys Can Eat
When it comes to feeding turkeys or any other backyard fowl, you have a lot more options for food sources than you might think. Of course, the obvious option for most chickens and turkeys is to use a pre-formulated feed. Other options include an all-natural / home-made diet and “grazing” your turkey’s on pasture.
Foods Turkeys Should Not Eat
When it comes to turkeys, there are definitely some foods they should not eat. Generally speaking, don’t feed your turkeys anything you wouldn’t reasonably consume. Things like moldy bread and rotted food should be thrown in the trash and not given to your birds. Let’s explore foods turkeys should not eat in a little more detail.
How to Fatten Up A Turkey
While all of my turkeys were pets, not headed for the table, I know that for some turkey farmers, some birds will become food. In that case, here are some ideas to help fatten up your turkey.
Commercial Turkey Feed
For the small flock owner, purchasing bags of commercial turkey feed is often the easiest and most cost-effective way to ensure your turkeys are getting the best nutrition. These bags are readily found at local feed stores and are often labeled as gamebird feed.
Custom Mixed Turkey Feed
Mixing your own feed ration can be the best option if you want to focus on a more cost-effective sole ingredient to provide the right nutrients or if you have a larger flock and prepackaged bags of feed are not enough. Additionally, mixing your own ration can be a great way to ensure your flock is receiving only organic or antibiotic-free grains.
Feeding Turkeys for Optimal Growth
If you are raising meat turkeys and need a quick boost of healthy weight gain, there are a variety of feeds you can offer to help get your birds to harvest size in a short amount of time. Turkeys, in general, have a much higher protein requirement than other poultry, especially when they are young and growing.
What Is Fermented Feed?
Fermenting is a way to take advantage of lactic acid fermentation in your commercial or custom mixed turkey rations. It is a simple and highly effective way to make digestion easier on your flock, leading to larger-sized birds with less feed required.
Raising Turkeys on Pasture
With proper pasture management and periodic flock rotation, raising your turkeys on the insects and vegetation, they forage on their own is an excellent way to raise both heritage and meat breeds. Your flock of turkeys will help to keep bugs, flies, ticks, and other insect pests under control.
Feeding and Attracting Wild Turkeys
Having wild turkeys visit your farm is an excellent way to ensure you have plenty of options during turkey hunting season. Attracting wild turkeys can be as simple as clearing out some dense brush and leaving large trees available for roosting or as elaborate as planting a diverse selection of plants to attract them.
Safe Table Scraps for Turkeys
While you should place most table scraps and leftovers from your home into a compost bin, you might be considering feeding it to your turkeys. Providing a little extra food in addition to their normal ration can help save on feed costs while ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Turkey Brooder
A turkey brooder can be set up just like a chicken brooder, you’ll need a draft-free space with heat lamps or a plate brooder, a waterer, and food. Keep in mind that the poults will grow faster and larger than chicks and you’ll need more room for them.
Heating Turkey Poults
Turkey poults need supplemental heating for the first 6 weeks, I use a heat lamp with a guard over the bulb. I have my light bulbs on chains screwed into wooden beams in the ceiling.
Feeding Turkey Poults
Turkey poults need more protein than chickens, I feed mine Gamebird Starter with 30% protein instead of chick starter that has 20% protein.
Water for Turkey Poults
Turkey poults should always have access to fresh water. The standard two piece gravity waterers are great for being used in the brooder.
Have a few chicks in with the poults
Since the poults seem to learn by watching, give them some buddies who have this all figured out from the get go, baby chicks.
Have multiple feeders and waterers for poults
You’ll want to have multiple feeders and waterers spread out evenly and alternately around the brooder. Set up the pen so that the poults almost bump into feed and water, no matter which direction they walk around in.
First few days, have feed on newspaper for poults
For the first few days after you get your poults, have the feed sprinkled out on a piece of newspaper on the brooder floor.
Have brooder at correct temperature for the poults
As far as the brooder itself goes, having the correct temperature is key, you’re shooting for 90-95 degrees. Brooder temperature is crucial because poults that are too hot don’t eat and neither do poults that are too cold.
