They are fed a balanced diet of corn and soybean meal mixed with a supplement of vitamins and minerals. On average, it takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 38-pound tom turkey.
What do they feed turkeys?
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 is the best feed for turkeys?
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.
How do you feed a turkey naturally?
Feeding Wild Turkeys the Natural Way
- Plant 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.
What do you feed turkeys when breeding?
Young turkeys need a high protein feed to thrive and grow efficiently. Turkey poults require the most protein during the first eight weeks of life, making a whole grain feed (28% protein) the best option. However, a broiler chicken feed consisting of 23-24% protein is efficient.
Do turkeys eat alfalfa?
Though all turkeys will eat insects, particularly grasshoppers and cicadas when available. Even small frogs and salamanders can be targeted by turkeys. Other key foods include legumes such as beans, peas, clover, alfalfa and chufa (more on that in a moment).
What do you feed turkeys in the winter?
If they have enough food, they can survive pretty much indefinitely in cold weather. And luckily for them, turkeys can eat almost anything, including insects, worms, snails, seeds, fruit, and nuts. The largest part of their diet is usually nuts, especially acorns, beechnuts, and hickory nuts.
What is a wild turkeys favorite food?
Preferred foods of wild turkeys
In the spring, they tend to eat leaves and grasses, and in the fall, they feed more on fruits, berries, seeds and insects. Acorns are a crucial source of nutrients for wild turkeys, especially in the wintertime.
Can turkeys eat bird seed?
Food. 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.
Can I feed turkeys chicken feed?
So, can turkeys eat chicken feed? Turkeys cannot eat chicken feed, or at least they shouldn’t. Turkeys are larger birds than chickens and therefore require more protein in their diet. Equally, chicken feed is usually insufficient to nourish and provide all the nutrients a turkey requires for optimal health.
What can turkeys not eat?
Foods You Should Never Feed to Turkeys
- Low-quality chicken feed. Turkeys require more protein than chickens do, therefore, a simple chicken feed will not contain the nutrition that a turkey needs.
- Other Livestock Feeds.
- Dried/Raw Beans.
- Avocados.
- Fruit Pits and Seeds.
- Tomato and Eggplant Leaves.
- Raw Meat.
- Onions.
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 turkeys eat rice?
We’ve all heard the warning: don’t feed rice to birds or don’t throw rice at weddings because birds will eat it. Fact is, rice cooked or uncooked won’t hurt wild birds at all. The rumor is that uncooked rice hits the bird’s tummy and then swells causing its stomach to explode. It’s simply not true.
How many turkeys can you have per acre?
Space: A good-quality habitat will support one bird per 30 acres (one flock per 640 to 800 acres). But because turkeys need a lot of living space, they may not remain on your property year-round unless it’s 1,000 acres or more.
Can you feed meat bird feed to turkeys?
Short answer: Don’t do it. The only acceptable substitute for turkey starter is gamebird starter. I can see why you think of broiler feed right off, it is a higher protein feed, as far as chickens go, but it’s not enough for your poults! Use the turkey starter, if it’s available in your area.
How long does it take to raise a turkey to butcher?
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.
Do turkeys eat grass seed?
Turkeys forage on grass seeds as well as the first tender green shoots. Native grasses not only provide a readily available food source for spring turkeys, but they also provide great security cover.
What do turkeys like for treats?
They enjoy nuts, acorns, seeds (including many wild weed seeds), corn, grain, and peas. They eat berries, flowers, bulbs, foliage, and fruit. Domesticated turkeys have different needs than chickens or ducks and should be fed either a turkey formulated feed or a wild or game bird feed to meet their needs.
How do you make a good turkey habitat?
7 Ways to Improve Wild Turkey Habitat:
- Plant and maintain mast-producing trees and shrubs.
- Provide and maintain sources of protective roosting and nesting cover.
- Establish and maintain food plots.
- Establish and maintain native grasses and forbs.
- Conduct timber stand improvement (TSI)
- Manage invasive plant species.
Should you feed wild turkeys in winter?
Keep wildlife wild! Never deliberately feed wild turkeys to attract them to your property or keep them around. Turkeys can survive very well on natural foods and do not need handouts from people.
Do turkeys need heat in the winter?
Turkeys can overwinter in temperatures below freezing provided they have adequate shelter, water, and extra feed to support the increased calorie burn of producing enough heat for them to stay warm. With the right care, your turkeys will come through winter happy and healthy.