Turkeys

[colowyo0809]

Howdy!
I will probably ask this same question on BYC, but figured I'd check here and see what ya'll knew.

How well do Turkeys do with freerange? does it depend on the breed?
Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Matthew Ryan

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

yep. depends on the breed. the BBW's that we've had prefer bagged food.. a lot of it. the BR's would rather be out there free ranging - rain, shine, or snow



and you know that the commercial BBW's dont um.. that is.. er... "reproduce naturally" so a flock of heritage birds is the way to go if you want to keep a flock going.

 

[Buster]

When allowed, chickens forage for up to 20% of their food. For turkeys, it's closer to 70%. Chickens were domesticated thousands of years ago and have relied on humans for a long long time for their food. Turkeys it's only been a few hundred years, so they are closer to their wild state.

So, yeah. You can free range turkeys. Mine stay in a brooder then a tractor until they are big enough to take care of themselves. I then turn them loose to go where they will.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

hi Buster!

 

[me&thegals]

We had 10 Bourbon Reds last year. We didn't watch super closely, but there wasn't much increase in the chicken food consumption. The turkeys are usually outside foraging.

BTW, we got Light Brahma chickens this year and I have been incredibly impressed by their foraging also! Anybody else have these and notice that? I see them out first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

ETA: We butchered 6 of the turkeys, and they were excellent! Not tough like you sometimes get from pastured nonhybrid birds. We have 5 chicks from that flock, which are now foraging, too. They started foraging with mom when they were tiny

 

[colowyo0809]

Thanks for the info guys!
This all corresponds with what they were saying on BYC so yay! Plus, I think I've decided to go with the Bourbon Reds, they are rather good looking. Maybe some naraganasett ? (haha, i know i misspelled that, i'm just lazy ) I had heard, several places that the BBW's don't procreate naturally, their breasts are waaaay to large and it's too much exertion!
(this is a lesson to be learned by humanity, when its too much bother to indulge in procreation type activities, its time to lay off the twinkies and hops!)

 

[me&thegals]

Yeah, I've read that about the BBWs, too! Crazy world we live in where the animals we eat need to be AI in order to reproduce. Although, I'm not one to talk as I am currently raising Cornish Crosses, another freak of nature (or man). I DID get my crosses outside yesterday, though!! Wooohoo!

Have fun with the turkeys. They have paid for their feed long ago in the laughs they give our family. The toms are especially hilarious with all their gobbling, strutting and general "manliness."

 

[Buster]

hi Buster!

Heya, OFG. How's it goin'?

Or need I axe?

 

[freemotion]

hi Buster!

Heya, OFG. How's it goin'?

Or need I axe?

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

hi Buster!

Heya, OFG. How's it goin'?

Or need I axe?

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... what a groaner..... booooooo... bad bad bad!

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
;-)