- Popcorn, no butter or salt
- Potatoes, cooked only – no green peels
- Pumpkin, raw or cooked, seeds and flesh
- Summer Squash
- Sweet Potatoes / Yams – cooked, no green peels
What is the best food in Turkey?
When it comes to Christmas dinner, the dominating force is usually the turkey. But if we were all truly honest, isn't it the side dishes we're actually looking forward to most? Pigs in blankets, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, roasted parsnips, stuffing... these tasty jewels beside the golden bird are arguably the best bit.
What are natural food sources for turkeys?
- Season: Turkeys, like all animals, select food sources that are most abundant and easiest to reach. ...
- Geography: A bird's location greatly influences the foods it can find. ...
- Age: Young wild turkeys can forage for themselves very quickly, and the hen will lead her brood to the best available food sources. ...
What do you feed a wild turkey?
What Do Wild Turkeys Eat
- Acorns
- Beechnuts
- Hawthorns
- Crabapples
- Cherry
- Blackberry
- Dogwood
- Sumac
- Wild grape
- Chestnut tree
What is the average feed conversion ratio for turkeys?
With an average butcher weight of 8.82 lbs. per bird, this calculates to an approximate feed conversion ratio of 7.9 lbs., carcass weight as choice feeding on the growth, feed conversion ratio (FCR), blood biochemical attributes, and immune competence traits of growing turkeys under intensive system.
What is the best food to feed wild turkeys?
Acorns, hickory nuts, beechnuts, or walnuts, either cracked open or swallowed whole. Seeds and grain, including spilled birdseed or corn and wheat in agricultural fields. Berries, wild grapes, crabapples, and other small fruits. Small reptiles including lizards and snakes.
What to put out to feed wild turkeys?
Feeding Wild Turkeys the Natural WayPlant Native Oaks: Acorns are a key food source for wild turkeys. ... Plant Other Nut and Berry-Producing Plants: In addition to oak acorns, other staples of the wild turkey diet include beech nuts, pecans, hickory nuts, crabapples, and hackberries.More items...•
Is Cracked corn good for wild turkeys?
William Gorman, who lives in a wooded area near Albany, New York, rakes up acorns and saves them to feed wild turkeys. The birds are such regular visitors that he has experimented with their food preferences, also offering cracked corn, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and more.
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...
How do you attract turkeys for hunting?
Turkeys are omnivorous and will sample a wide variety of foods. To attract turkeys to your yard, you can provide them with a large ground feeding station containing cracked corn or mixed birdseed. Turkeys will also happily clean up any spills under hanging feeders you may have up for other birds.
Does Tractor Supply have turkey feed?
Purina 30% Protein Starter Game Bird and Turkey Feed, 40 lb. at Tractor Supply Co.
Is cracked corn or whole corn better for turkeys?
Cracked Corn-Corn is chocked full of protein and fiber that makes a great wild turkey food. Cracked corn is simply corn that has been dried and broken into pieces. This process makes it easier for wild turkeys to digest. There is also little waste associated with cracked corn.
Will wild turkeys eat whole kernel corn?
KILLL THEM ALL!!! Whole corn is an excellent choice if you want to feed them. Cracked corn works good too but tends to get covered up quickly if it is snowing or blowing.
Can turkeys eat oatmeal?
All in all the re- sults of the first 4 trials show heavy oats (36 pounds per bushel) to be a satisfactory grain for turkeys.
Can wild turkeys eat dry cat food?
Some cat food can have ingredients that aren't particularly good for birds — things they can't digest, their body can't fully process or is just too much for them. But it can depend on the food, the bird and how much it eats. Filling up on cat food also could stop them from eating the foods that are good for them.
Do turkeys need grit?
Turkeys need grit! Turkeys will eat their carcass weight in grit by the time you process them. Starting Day 2 in the brooder, your turkey poults need access to grit. Grit comes in multiple sizes so make sure you're feeding the appropriate size for your birds.
Can turkeys eat raw pumpkin?
While pumpkin has great nutritional benefits, it's best to feed it as an occasional treat and not rely on it as a wormer. How to feed: It's safe to feed raw pumpkins to your backyard flock - including chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese. Your birds may peck a whole pumpkin open, but it's best to break it up in pieces.
What can you feed wild turkeys in the winter?
Preferred foods of wild turkeysBeech (Beechnuts are an alternate food source when acorn supplies are low.)Hickory (As with beechnuts, hickory nuts are an alternate winter food source.)Dogwood.Wild cherry.Grapes.Berries.
What can you feed turkeys?
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 do you make a turkey feeder?
3:2210:38How to make a Turkey or Chicken Feeder - SUPER EASY! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then a three inch piece of PVC. Now we're going to do is glue the Y directly on top and I'llMoreAnd then a three inch piece of PVC. Now we're going to do is glue the Y directly on top and I'll show you it looks like we're down on the mountain kill it full of pee.
How do wild turkeys survive winter?
Turkeys can generally manage the bitter cold. They have a harder time in deep powdery snow, which makes foraging for food and escaping predators a challenge. According to Alfieri, they can scratch through a maximum six inches of fluffy snow, and about a foot of packed snow.
What is the best food plot for turkeys?
Not only does it provide a great source of food, but it also attracts a lot of insects for young poults and adult turkeys. Its low growth makes it an excellent location for gobblers to lay their eggs. If you’re looking for something a little different, you can also try some of our other turkey recipes.
How do you bait a turkey for hunting?
Most turkey hunters and managers head to their local feed store to stock up on turkey meat and then head out to the field to shoot the birds. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your bird’s life.
How do you attract wild turkey to your land?
There is food in this world. Turkeys like to sample a wide variety of foods. A large ground feeding station containing cracked corn or mixed birdseed can be used to attract turkeys to your yard. Turkeys are happy to clean up spills under hanging feeders. Turkeys can also be provided with fresh fruit and vegetables from your garden.
How do you know if there are turkeys on your land?
There are signs to look for, such as scratching in wooded flats, tracks and strut marks on logging roads, and scat and wing feathers near roosting spots. Go into the woods a few mornings and listen to the birds gobbling. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a nest. If not, it’s time to move on.
What time of day is best to hunt turkey?
Turkeys are most active during calm, clear days in the morning and early afternoon hours. Turkey activity decreases when there is rain, sleet, or snow. If you see a turkey in your yard, do not feed it. Instead, call your local animal control agency to report the incident.
How do I find a wild turkey nest?
The majority of turkey nest are in the woods, but within 100 feet of an opening such as a woods road, clearing, or field. The hen looks for a concealed spot with an overhead cover that she can easily see. Depressions can be found beneath trees or in thickets.
Is deer corn bad for turkeys?
Stewart said to not put aflatoxin corn out for the deer, because it can kill smaller animals that get into it. Smaller animals and birds can be killed by it. This year’s poults are particularly susceptible to toxins as they build up in their bodies.
What to feed a turkey to gain weight?
Consider adding corn and oats to your turkey’s diet in larger quantities. Corn is especially good for weight gain but typically results in birds putting on fat and not muscle. Even so, it is good to offer different types of food to encourage the bird to eat more.
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.
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.
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.
Do turkeys need different feeds?
Turkeys need different feeds depending upon their age, whether they are young poults or adults, and the time of year, mainly are they on a maintenance ration or are they in breeding season. What is the best feed for turkeys, based on their age, and when do turkeys need switched to a different feed?
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.
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.
Do market birds need high energy?
Grow market birds require high energy level feeds. However, when feeding potential breeding stock, in order to avoid body fat in birds, the feed should contain a large amount of fiber. When it comes to breeding turkeys, diets with high protein will negatively affect the hatchability of eggs.
What to feed turkeys in spring?
One of the first things the majority of turkey hunters and managers do is head to their local feed store, stock up on chopped corn, wheat, or grain sorghum, and spread it out in areas turkeys frequent. The intent is to not only draw turkeys from adjoining properties onto yours, but to also hold the turkeys currently calling your property home, all with the hopes of imprinting them and convincing them to stay long after the food source is cut off. A fat turkey is a happy turkey, and this strategy seems to work in most occurrences.
How to manage a wild turkey?
People forget that turkeys need to be managed just as whitetails need to be managed. In many ways, turkeys require more tender loving care than whitetails. For instance, wild turkeys are not as tolerant of thick understory as is the whitetail deer, so you need to control the underbrush as well as provide them wide travel corridors to use. To get a feel for what life is like as a turkey, get on your knees and see if traveling through a timber stand would be possible. If not, then you may want to either consider prescribed burning or an herbicide treatment to reduce some of the understory.
How to get a feel for turkey life?
To get a feel for what life is like as a turkey, get on your knees and see if traveling through a timber stand would be possible. If not, then you may want to either consider prescribed burning or an herbicide treatment to reduce some of the understory.
Can you feed wild turkeys off season?
That is a temporary fix, and has not been proven to hold turkeys long-term. Do not get me wrong, off-season supplemental feeding is sometimes necessary, but should be a small part of the overall management plan. Make sure you provide a “total solution” for your turkeys by giving them all the food, water, and cover they could possibly need
Can you feed a turkey gobbler?
Certain states allow year-round and unconditional feeding, and a turkey hunter can harvest a gobbler over artificial feed if he so chooses (which to me personally sounds like no sport at all). However, the majority of the states do not allow feeding during the spring turkey season or have stipulations in place that make it almost impractical. The issue in question here is not whether feeding should be allowed or not, it is if you should feed your turkeys before the season starts. Let’s dive into this issue.
Is a fat turkey good for chufa?
A fat turkey is a happy turkey, and this strategy seems to work in most occurrences. Just as a whitetail manager uses summer supplemental feeding to take the pressure off his corn or soybean crop (and benefit the herd's health), feeding your turkeys can help save some of your chufa patches or other crops for the season.
What is the best food for turkeys in the fall?
Noted wild turkey researcher Mike Chamberlain says, “Oaks, across the species range, are the most important fall / winter food for turkeys.”. A good stand of oak trees can make a difference in wild turkey winter survival.
What is the food plot for wild turkeys?
After clover, Sumner’s second favorite food plot for wild turkeys is chufa. A member of the sedge family, chufa is attractive to turkeys not for its leaf or seed, but for the tubers it grows just under the surface. Once turkeys discover the tubers, they will spend the entire fall and winter scratching at the soil to uncover them.
What is the best cover for turkeys?
One of the best cover habitats for wild turkeys, from nesting, to the poult stage, and even for adult birds, according to Sumner, is a good stand of native warm season grass (NWSG). These grasses grow in thick bunches with an open structure in between, leaving a maze of alleys and paths beneath the grass canopy and allowing free movement within the stand. For those reasons NWSG provides prime nesting sites, excellent escape cover, and effective brood rearing habitat for a variety of game birds and grassland wildlife species, including turkeys.
What are the threats to wild turkeys?
One of the biggest threats to wild turkeys is nest and poult production. From nest predators like raccoons, opossums, and skunks, to poult predation by foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and hawks, a wild turkey faces an uphill battle to survive from the second their egg is laid.
How to keep turkeys on your property?
One of the best ways to hold turkeys on your property and increase population numbers, Sumner says, is to plant food plots. His favorite is clover. Turkeys utilize clover plots both for their tender growth and for the tremendous number of insects they hold.
When do wild turkeys eat plums?
Sumner says he has watched mixed flocks of wild turkeys fill their crops with plums from late spring through early fall, depending on the tree variety. He recommends the Chickasaw plum variety as a fast-growing, high-production tree perfect for all wildlife, including wild turkeys.
Do turkeys eat dogwood?
Dogwood flowers signal peak gobbling times for many spring turkey hunters — but the leaves and fall fruits from the tree signal food to a wild turkey. According to James Earl Kennamer from the National Wild Turkey Federation, turkeys are particularly fond of dogwood fruit, and the berries are especially important to wildlife during years with poor acorn crops. For maximum fruit production, choose dogwood varieties native to your area of the country.
