Turkeys

Choosing the breed

Compared to the commercial white turkeys, bronze turkeys grow slower and are a smaller size at maturity. Wild turkeys are being raised by some organic farmers. These beautiful birds are excellent foragers, but grow more slowly than the conventional white turkeys. Bronze and wild turkeys have dark pinfeathers, which may cause problems with consumer acceptance.

Turkeys have demanding nutritional needs

To grow quickly, turkeys need higher protein levels in their feed than almost any other type of poultry or livestock and they need more vitamins. Young turkeys need three times as much vitamin B12 as chicks, along with higher levels of vitamin A, vitamin D, niacin and choline.Organic turkey feed is carefully formulated to meet the nutritional needs of growing poults (young turkeys) and adult turkeys. Higher levels of roasted soybeans and flax meal provide extra protein. Vitamin B complex is included in starter feed to help prevent hock disease in the rapidly growing poults. Other vitamins and minerals are also added.

Establishing a feeding plan

The feeding method varies both with age and sex of the poults. It is cost-effective to separate male and female poults. Compared to the hens, the toms grow 30% faster than the hens and need to be fed a high protein feed for a longer period of time. Consequently, the toms are kept on turkey grower after females have switched to turkey finisher. Although the females grow relatively slowly, they mature at a younger age.

For the first three weeks, the feed should always be available. The lip of the feeders should be as high as the back of the birds. As the poults grow, the feeders need to be raised. After three weeks of age, feed twice a day, each time feeding poults as much as they can eat in 30 minutes. Alfalfa pellets can be provided free choice after three weeks of age. If a slower growth rate is desired, or if the poults are going to be used as breeders, provide whole oats free choice starting at 14-18 weeks of age.

Feeding programs for male and female turkeys

The following tables provide estimates of peak rates of feed consumption and weight gain. The data were obtained from large white turkeys under conventional management (with no additional forage). Free-ranging birds fed organic feed will eat less feed and have a slower rate of weight gain.

Based on data from Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 9^th Ed. National Academy of Sciences. USA 1994.

Based on data from Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 9^th Ed. National Academy of Sciences. USA 1994

* Females are normally not raised for longer than 20 weeks.

Increasing the survival rate of the young poults

During the first two weeks of life, poults are vulnerable to dying of starvation or dehydration, even when food and water is available. To encourage poults to drink and eat, try the following:

• Provide food and water within 36 hours after hatching.
• Dip the day-old poults’ beaks in water when they are first placed in the brooder.
• Put a couple of very young chicks in with the poults for a few days (1-2 young chicks per hundred poults). White Leghorn cockerel chicks are especially effective at encouraging poults to eat.
• Focus a bright light on the feed.
• Use a brooder ring to ensure that the poults remain close to food and water.

Preventing gizzard impaction

At two to three weeks of age, poults sometimes eat the bedding. This can cause gizzard impaction where the gizzard collapses, eventually causing death. Providing free access to granite grit can help to prevent and treat gizzard impaction.