Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: massa on November 12, 2010, 17:53
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hi, im starting to get a little worried about my turkeys i bought for the table at Christmas. they are getting bigger and bigger by the week but i am concerned that with only 6 weeks left until Christmas day i am worried they wont be big enough. they are currently 13 weeks old and are bronze turkeys. they are being fed on turkey rearers pellets which i was told i should be feeding them. i was told if i wanted them to be ready for Christmas i should get them in August which i did. im not sure if im worrying over nothing, any advise welcome. thanks matt.
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GrannieAnnie is the lady to tell you about turkeys.
She'll be around later :)
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You talking about me again? :lol: :lol: ;)
Our turkeys are 14 weeks today, and are looking good. They will go onto finisher from next week until culling. They've been on turkey rearer then on grower, which as different ingredients in them.
I can't remember why, but I think one helps the bone development and the other then helps them put on the meat. We had one drop dead of a heart attack 2 weeks ago and it weighed 5.5kgs then, so hopefully by Christmas the stags will reach 9-11kgs and the hens a bit less. Say 7-8kgs.
Are yours all girls?
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My turkeys are 16 weeks old and on Smallholder grower/finsher pellets. Should they be changed onto just finsiher pelllets? They do look a reasonable size at the moment, particularly the male. :D
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i have one boy and three girls, i was hoping to keep the boy and one of the girls to breed from for future years. it must be the growers pellets that make them put on the meat then mine all seem very healthy and strong just not very fat! they are bigger than my ex bats but not as big as i thort they would be. i will have to get them some growers this weekend. what does the finisher do? thanks matt
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A few interesting articles here. Some people say put them onto finisher from 12 weeks, Kelly's say from 14 weeks.
http://www.turkeyclub.org.uk/?file=kop3.php
http://www.kellyturkeys.co.uk/kellybronze-turkeys-chickens-default.aspx?m=6&mi=105
I always thought finisher was just to get any medication out of their system, but the chap who had 25 poults from us last year pu them onto finsiher before us and his birds were 1 - 2kgs heavier than ours!
What breed are your turkeys massa? Maybe they are a slower growing variety?
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three are bronze turkeys and one is a norfolk black but that was is two weeks younger than the others as i hatched it and thats the one im keeping along with the male.
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My Turkeys have been on Marriages finishers from 11weeks and they are, like grannies, 14 weeks now.
Here they are at 11 weeks
(http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m491/hillfooter/Chicken%20Chat%20posts/Turkeysat11weeks.jpg)
Regards
HF
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ill get a pic of mine today to compare! what breed are yours HF ive never seen white turkeys before.
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ill get a pic of mine today to compare! what breed are yours HF ive never seen white turkeys before.
I believe they are Kelly's White Plumpies but Grannie would know better as they were sourced from Kellys along with her birds too. They are 4 hens and 2 stags and one of the stags is a very good weight and getting quite a handful to carry now. They are very friendly and inquisitive birds but I don't think I'll be breeding from them. Another shot taken at the same time.
(http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m491/hillfooter/Turkeys/IMG_8526.jpg)
HF
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Here's 2 of mine enjoying a fallen pear... they're about 14/15 weeks old in this photo.
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Yep, they are indeed Kelly's White Plumpies as HF said. No good trying to breed from them, as their Mum's were artifically inseminated.
One thing, are you all feeding them adlib? I have spoken to some people growing turkeys for the first time and they only put out food am and pm, but they need to feed whenever they want. Ours are on a bag a day at the moment! :D
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but you do have quite a lot Annie :lol:
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Not as many as Paul Kelly has!! :D :D
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I'd hate to see his food bill ::)
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Hi
I hatched my eggs in July I hatched five eggs and I had three males and two females, a couple of weeks ago one of the females dropped down dead!!! but the other four appear healthy and are still growing fast. I have put them on Turkey finisher as we finished our Turkey rearer feed last week.
Granny Annie how many Turkeys do you have? I dont think I am giving mine enough to eat as we only feed them once a day
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took a pick of mine today got to hunt down the lead now! mine have access to thier food and water 24hrs a day. they dont feel very heavy when i pick them up but they are ridiculously strong! they dont seem friendly like HF said though instead they seem scared of me. I think i must have just got wierd turkeys! ha! :wacko:
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forgot to ask, how many litres is the drinker in the background on your pic HF? just to give a scale.
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Found the lead heres the pics i took today
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and these
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Yep, they are indeed Kelly's White Plumpies as HF said. No good trying to breed from them, as their Mum's were artifically inseminated.
One thing, are you all feeding them adlib? I have spoken to some people growing turkeys for the first time and they only put out food am and pm, but they need to feed whenever they want. Ours are on a bag a day at the moment! :D
Yep they have food available all the time. It's in a feeder under cover but I also throw them a handful in a "sombrerro" trough you can see in the photos whenever I pass by.
HF
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forgot to ask, how many litres is the drinker in the background on your pic HF? just to give a scale.
4litres I think.
I keep mine in in the morning in a pig shed (like a little nissen hut) along with food and water to encourage them to feed as otherwise they tend to gorge on the grass. I let them out at around midday and they also get some feed in the trough in their run to pick at. Then back to the house at around 5 ish.
When I let them out they flock round me as they are very curious about the elasticated gold (not solid of course) toggles on my fleece which the grab and pull. Usuallly giving me a twang on the backside when they release them. Then they all have a mad 10mins flying around before starting to graze on the grass. I've not tried to handfeed them but they know when I bring the feedbucket and mob me. They don't seem interested on corn. They are just about trained to come into the house when called at night though very slowly. I use a head torch (LED Lenser) which I 'd recommend every chicken keeper has as they are invaluable for lighting your way hands free on these dark evenings and if I shine this in front of them in the semi dark they will follow it to the house.
Regards
HF
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I use a head torch too HF, brilliant aren't they?
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I use a head torch too HF, brilliant aren't they?
Certainly are and if you don't have one get santa to sneak one into your Christmas stocking.
HF