what to feed turkeys finisher

• Feed High Protein Feed. When finishing out turkeys for the table, you can continue to feed them a higher protein feed, much as you would a younger bird.
• Feeding Extra Grains. Consider adding corn and oats to your turkey’s diet in larger quantities. ...
• Keep Feed Located in One Spot. While I don’t like the idea of confining turkeys to help them gain weight, you can somewhat curb their desire to roam and “exercise” ...
• Precautions. It is important to note that, even though your turkeys are destined for the table, they should be allowed to grow and develop properly.

Full Answer

What is the best food for turkeys?

For adult turkeys, you can use a 16 – 20% protein feed. Most feed companies are, once again, going to brand this as a game bird feed. Gamebird and Turkey are pretty much interchangeable when it comes to commercially available feeds. This food will be the staple of your turkey’s diet for the rest of it’s life.

What should I Feed my 5 week old Turkey?

If at 5 weeks old you still have half a bag of high protein turkey starter, just feed it till it is gone and switch when you buy a new bag. At about 13 weeks or so, your turkeys can start eating a regular turkey or game bird feed. At this stage, you can start feeding a lower percentage protein.

How do I get my turkey poults to eat?

Turkey poults sometimes need a little help getting started so extra care must be taken to ensure that they know how to get both feed and water. If the feed is in egg trays or shallow paper plates, the poults should start to eat. Poults that are not eating often learn how if their beaks are dipped first in water, then in the feed.

How much protein should I Feed my turkeys?

So, if your bird doesn’t need the extra protein, you can save some money by feeding a lower protein feed. For adult turkeys, you can use a 16 – 20% protein feed. Most feed companies are, once again, going to brand this as a game bird feed.

What to feed a turkey to fatten it up?

What is the best feed for turkey fat?

Why are turkeys considered commercial birds?

What happens to turkey chicks as they get older?

How to get turkeys to be more friendly?

What is the best grain to feed a turkey?

When can turkeys start eating game bird feed?

See more

What to feed turkeys to finish them?

Turkeys require “finishing” before slaughtering, especially if they have had a lot of greens in their ration. Corn is the most common finishing grain, but turkeys won't eat corn before cool weather sets in in the fall, so finishing before then can be difficult.

Is finisher feed good for turkey?

The turkey finisher feed is highly balanced in nutrition and normally given to turkey finishers after fifteen (15) weeks of age. The offered feed serves as a maintenance feed for your turkeys as they get ready to be slaughtered for consumption.

What do you feed a turkey before butchering?

It is generally recommended that you use turkey starter diets for the first four weeks. A turkey grower diet typically has 26% protein. Note that chicken starter and grower diets are too low in protein, and turkeys fed these diets will have reduced growth performance.

How much feed does it take to finish a turkey?

Actually, the answer depends on the kind of turkey you raise and how big you want them to get! A broad breasted turkey will eat 64 pounds of feed by 16 weeks and 101 pounds of feed by 20 weeks. A heritage breed turkey will eat 73 pounds of feed by 28 weeks.

What is Turkey finisher?

The turkey finisher diets are designed to support growth through the finishing period, where lean growth is predominantly for breast meat and where the correct balance of carbohydrate and fat is required to provide acceptable carcass finish.

How long do turkeys eat starter feed?

6-8 weeksChange waterers daily or when they get dirty. Turkeys need higher protein than Chickens. The poults will need a 28% protein starter for the first 6-8 weeks.

What is the best turkey feed?

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.

What do I do with my turkey after butchering?

3:405:28Butchering Turkeys (and what I WON'T do again!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo I took the turkeys up to the house we've rinsed him off one last time and then I wrapped them inMoreSo I took the turkeys up to the house we've rinsed him off one last time and then I wrapped them in plastic wrap and freezer paper which is not an ideal solution. But I didn't have a heat shrink bag.

How long do you raise meat turkeys?

Modern production methods have shortened the time it takes for turkeys to reach maturity. A hen usually takes 14 weeks and weighs 15.5 pounds when processed, but a tom takes roughly 18 weeks to reach a market weight of 38 pounds.

When should turkeys be butchered?

Butchering, Processing, And Cooking Turkey With that being said, at 16-22 weeks they should be weighing at around 12-14 pounds. A heritage breed turkey will mature at 25-30 weeks. So when you have determined they have reached the appropriate weight, you will pull your turkeys out and butcher them.

How do you process a wild turkey at home?

0:132:15How to Butcher a Turkey 101 with MeatEater's Mark Kenyon - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAway. Starts to peel away really nice so you can almost just use your hands. To pull as you go. LikeMoreAway. Starts to peel away really nice so you can almost just use your hands. To pull as you go. Like to open the turkey up wide.

How do you butcher a whole turkey?

1:027:52Breaking Down a Whole Turkey - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd they're big. So they're a little bit harder to handle. So you got to kind of manhandle them butMoreAnd they're big. So they're a little bit harder to handle. So you got to kind of manhandle them but here I'm just going to remove the wings by flexing it forward and running my knife into the joint.

How do you process a turkey in the field?

1:024:34Field Dressing Your Turkey Harvest - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRight up that breast bone. Just where I can get my fingers inside the skin once I make that incisionMoreRight up that breast bone. Just where I can get my fingers inside the skin once I make that incision. I'm just gonna get my fingers. Inside there and start pulling all the way real. Easy.

What to feed a turkey?

Here are some common snacks often offered to turkeys: 1 Watermelon#N#This is an excellent summertime treat to offer your turkeys as it can help keep them hydrated even on the hottest days. All parts of the watermelon are safe to feed your turkeys, including the flesh, seeds, and rind. 2 Apples#N#Most turkeys love apples and will enjoy pecking at them cubed or sliced. Seeds should be removed if possible, but small amounts of seed ingested on occasion are not dangerous to your birds. Applesauce is a great snack option for young birds as well! 3 Peas#N#This is probably going to be the table scrap your turkeys enjoy the most! Peas are a healthy snack to offer your birds and can be offered dried, cooked, or frozen. You can even mix peas into your regular feed ration for extra protein! 4 Spinach#N#If you really want to offer spinach to your turkeys as an occasional treat or snack, doing so in small amounts is fine. Spinach can block the absorption of calcium, leading to bone density issues over the long term if fed in abundance.

What is the best food for turkeys?

Many custom rations for turkeys include a variety of grains and seeds, including: Corn. While corn is not the most nutritious food on its own, it can be a great option for providing fat and overall energy. This can be especially useful in the winter, so corn is common in most winter rations.

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.

How much protein do turkeys need?

As turkeys grow, their protein requirements change. Young turkeys require around 28% protein from the start to ensure they grow quickly and safely.

What do turkeys eat?

Their exact diet depends on the season and available food and their age and stage in life. Turkeys eat insects, snails, slugs, lizards, snakes, and grasshoppers. They enjoy nuts, acorns, seeds (including many wild weed seeds), corn, grain, and peas. They eat berries, flowers, bulbs, foliage, and fruit.

How to attract turkeys to your farm?

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. Native nut-bearing and fruit-bearing bushes, shrubs, and small trees help attract turkeys, quail, and deer to the area as they will feed, rest and nest in areas where food is abundant.

Why mix your own feed ration?

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.

What is the best feed for a turkey?

The best feed for turkeys is a 28% unmedicated turkey starter for day old poults, which will be gradually transitioned to a 12% unmedicated maintenance ration for adult turkeys.

What is 12% turkey feed?

Once your turkeys get to adult size, they are fine with a 12% feed as a maintenance ration. 12% non medicated poultry feed should be really easy to find at most any feed store. Notice that 12% is a maintenance ration, not a breeding/laying ration.

What is the best feed for a day old poult?

For your day old poults, use 28% feed or a gamebird starter which will be a 30% feed. Poults need a much higher protein feed than most other young birds and the appropriate day old poult feeds are noticeably more expensive than what would be fine for chickens.

Why do you want to keep track of the poults age?

The reason that you’ll want to keep track of the poults age and reduce the protein percentage of the feed is that higher protein feeds are expensive and lower protein feeds are less so.

What is starter feed for poults?

As the name “starter” suggests, it is the first feed your new poults need. It will be a bit higher in protein than the grower and come in smaller pieces, called a crumble, so it’s easier for the poults to eat.

Does turkey feed change as it grows?

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. This is normal for any feed ration.

Can you use turkey starter instead of broiler feed?

Sometimes it can be hard to source a higher protein feed for your poults, and it’s easy to think well what about using a broiler feed, instead? Short answer: Don’t do it. The only acceptable substitute for turkey starter is gamebird starter.

What is the best feed for turkeys?

Besides commercial feeds that contain high levels of protein, turkeys can be supplied with alfalfa hay as their main feed. In contrast, inadequate or excess protein may be detrimental to the health of turkeys.

How to feed a turkey?

1. Grazing on pasture. Intake from pasture or range grass (grass from 4 – 6 inches long) accounts for 50% of their diets. Wild turkeys often forage near wooded areas. Therefore, you should provide them with ground feeding areas or platform feeders which is large, low enough to accommodate these large birds.

What do turkeys eat?

In the wild, turkeys forage regularly and will eat many various kinds of natural food such as insects, fruits, berries, nuts, seeds, plants, and small vertebrate animals. Turkeys often mainly rely on acorns during the winter season because other alternative food sources may be rare.

Why do meat birds eat rations?

For meat birds, rations are typically formulated to achieve good health and maximum productivity but not too fast to cause any health-related issue.

Why do you change feed at different growth stages?

At different growth stages, the feed needs to be changed to meet nutritional requirements.

Can turkeys forage in pasture?

Some farmers allow turkeys to forage freely through pastures and fields or sprinkle vegetable scraps, or toss a handful of mealworms in order to encourage them to forage. A simple tip you need to keep in mind is that your turkey can access fresh, clean, and available water at all times.

Do turkeys need more protein than chickens?

Turkeys can be a fun addition to a backyard flock if you are looking for company, nutritious meat, and eggs. Generally, a turkey needs more protein than a normal chicken. Check out my article below to know about turkey feed and effective methods to raise a fat and healthy flock. 1.

What is turkey starter?

Homestead Turkey Starter and Turkey Grower are medicated to give the birds protection against blackhead (Histomoniasis), an acute protozoan disease that can have devastating effects in a turkey flock.

Why do turkeys pull feathers?

These habits are usually brought on by stresses such as crowding over heating, lack of feeder space, mixing of different age groups or other management factors. These habits can be controlled by having the birds debeaked at the hatchery.

What is the homestead turkey program?

Derived from Shur-Gain's commercial turkey programs, the Homestead turkey programhas been designed to provide small flock owners with high quality, economical rations and a simplified feeding schedule.

How long does it take for a turkey to grow?

Turkeys can me grown to various market weights. Turkey broilers usually weight over 5 kg and take 11 weeks to achieve this weight. Heavy tom turkeys can be gron to weights of 14 kg in 18 weeks while heavy hens reach a market weight of about 7.3 kg in under 13.5 weeks. The Homestead turkey program can be used to grow all the various market weights of turkeys.

Ingredients

Grain products, plant protein products, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, salt, DL-methionine, Vitamin A acetate, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride, folic acid, niacin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, ferrous sulfate, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, sodium selenite, mineral oil.

Mixing and feeding directions

Feed 20% Turkey Finisher as the sole ration to finishing turkeys. Always provide an ample source of clean water. This feed is designated to feed finishing poultry and game birds.

What to feed a turkey to fatten it up?

This can come in the form of a starter or grower feed. For fattening up a turkey, using a 30% protein gamebird feed will likely give the best results.

What is the best feed for turkey fat?

For fattening up a turkey, using a 30% protein gamebird feed will likely give the best results.

Why are turkeys considered commercial birds?

Because turkeys (and chickens) are commercial birds, turkey growers and universities have put millions of dollars into research to ensure that they grow strong and healthy. For meat birds, rations are typically formulated so they grow to their maximum potential but not so fast as to cause issues with their health.

What happens to turkey chicks as they get older?

As your turkey chick (poult) gets a little older, the protein requirements decrease.

How to get turkeys to be more friendly?

Feeding your turkey treats by hand is a great way to get your birds to become more friendly and used to you. They will learn that not only do you not hurt them, coming close to you usually means they get some kind of yummy treat!

What is the best grain to feed a turkey?

Oats have about 11 – 14% protein and are a great grain to feed as well. Giving your turkey a variety of grains to access will help encourage them to eat.

When can turkeys start eating game bird feed?

At about 13 weeks or so, your turkeys can start eating a regular turkey or game bird feed. At this stage, you can start feeding a lower percentage protein. As far as commercial poultry feeds go, typically the lower the total percentage protein in the feed, the less expensive it is.