Turkeys

What’s a Thanksgiving table spread without a turkey? America’s favorite Thanksgiving protein can be raised in the backyard or farm with special care so you can fill your table spread with a bird you raised yourself!

1. Be sure to clean and disinfect the brooder house and equipment before your young poults are put down, especially if you previously had other fowl. After disinfecting, let the brooder house dry and air out for approximately two weeks prior to placing the new poults down.
2. Use clean, dry wood shavings for litter. Cover floor to depth of 3 inches. Rice hulls or sawdust can be used for litter if covered with 2 inches of wood shavings for the first 7 to 10 days. DO NOT use straw for litter. Operate brooder stoves or heat lamps for 24 to 48 hours before arrival of poults to warm the building, floor, and surroundings. Start with temperature of 90 to 95 degrees, at three inches off of the floor at the edge of the brooder. Reduce temperature 5 degrees per week for the first 6 weeks.
3. It is important to get poults started early on feed and water; if they don’t find the feed and water easily, starvation and/or dehydration can occur. Dip their beaks when the poults arrive to help them learn to drink. Start poults on a high protein (28%) commercial Turkey Starter. Provide 2 linear inches of feeder space per bird from day old. From 3 weeks to market, the poults should have access to larger feeders about 4 inches deep and provide 3 linear inches of feeder space per bird.
4. Insoluble grit should be fed. Feed grit by sprinkling on top of the feed at the rate of one pound per 100 birds twice weekly for the first 3 weeks. Provide separate grit feeders after 3 weeks for free choice consumption.
5. Provide one square foot of floor space per poult up to 8 weeks of age. From 8 to 12 weeks, increase the floor space allowance to 2 square feet per poult. From 12 to 16 weeks, the minimum allowance is 2 1/2 square feet. It is important to observe space requirements to avoid cannibalism and feather pulling and to make sure birds get adequate feed and water.