Feed should be kept before the birds constantly from hatching to market
age. During the first 6 weeks feed starting mash. During the seventh
and eighth weeks feed a mixture of equal parts of the starting and
growing mashes. From 9 to 12 weeks feed the growing mash. From 13 weeks
to marketing feed growing mash and scratch grain. No scratch grain is
fed during the first 12 weeks. If a change is made from mash to the
whole-grain and liquid-milk method, cut down the mash gradually until the
poults learn to drink the milk and to eat the whole grain freely.
Cod-liver oil is necessary in starting rations, but as a rule it is not
necessary in a growing ration unless the birds are confined. In that
case, about 1 percent should be added to the mash. A good grade of plain
cod-liver oil is advised for use in turkey feeds. Fish meal, though an
excellent feed, may impart an undesirable flavor to turkey meat. Fish
meal and cod-liver oil should be omitted from the fattening ration
during the last 8 weeks before the birds are marketed. Birds should not
be moved, or feeding arrangements radically changed in the last 6 weeks
before marketing.
Feeding the growing mash wet is a common practice in some localities.
Like the dry-mash and scratch-grain system, it produces fine-quality
turkeys although the labor in feeding may be greater. With this method
the turkeys are fed all they will eat of a moist, crumbly mash placed
in troughs with sufficient trough space provided to accommodate all
the flock at one time. Only as much mash as the birds will clean up in
30 to 60 minutes is fed twice daily. Tail picking seldom occurs during
moist-mash feeding if the ration is complete.
Grit may be furnished in the form of commercial granite grit or coarse
sand for little poults and fine gravel for the larger birds. Limestone
grit does not serve well as grinding material and is unnecessary with the
rations as listed.
The poults may be put on the rearing ground when they are from 8 to 12
weeks old. An alfalfa field is an ideal rearing ground and may be used
as a permanent, fenced, rearing range divided into 2 or 3 sections.
When the rearing range is divided into 2 sections, 1 may be used for 2
seasons in succession while the other is rested for 2 seasons. A better
plan is to divide it into 3 parts, allowing 1 season's use followed by
2 seasons' rest for each of the 3 sections. With portable houses and
fences a method known as the "Minnesota plan" (p. 37) permits the turkey
poults to be moved to a new section once a week and to an entirely new
plot each year. Land on which no poultry of any kind have run for 2
years and on which no poultry manure has been spread, may be considered
clean ground. The feed should not be put on the ground but in hoppers or
troughs which should be moved frequently or set on wire-covered framework
to prevent contamination with droppings. It is very important that the
drinking water be fresh and clean and that the growing turkeys should not
have access to stagnant water pools. Watering dishes should be placed on
wire-covered platforms with a device to prevent contamination from the
birds' perching on the top or sides.
The limited-range method with full feeding, as described, is recommended
in preference to free range with limited feeding. However, conditions
sometimes demand that free range be permitted, and limited feeding
practiced. In such cases, when natural feed is abundant, good results
can be obtained by feeding the poults, after they are from 8 to 10 weeks
old, only once daily, as previously suggested. Any of the growing mashes
previously listed should make a good supplement to range feeds. This
extra feed will tend to keep the birds nearer home and keep them growing
at a reasonably good rate. Scratch grains should also be fed and as
marketing time approaches, will be eaten more liberally by the birds. For
turkeys on free range, plenty of water in convenient locations should be
provided. Water helps to maintain good health and may help to prevent the
condition known as "crop bound."
Turkeys which are well fed should make increases in weight comparable to
those given in table 2, which gives the average weights, at various ages,
ox Bronze turkeys raised in an experiment conducted at the United States
Range Livestock Experiment Station at Miles City, Mont. These birds were
fed starting and growing mashes containing about 22 percent of protein.
Table 2.--_Average weights of Bronze turkey poults from hatching
time to market age_
---------------+---------------------
| Average live weight
+----------+----------
Age | Males | Females
---------------+----------+----------
| _Pounds_ | _Pounds_
Newly hatched | 0.13 | 0.13
2 weeks | 0.33 | 0.30
4 weeks | 0.86 | 0.75
8 weeks | 3.13 | 2.68
12 weeks | 6.64 | 5.28
16 weeks | 10.35 | 7.67
20 weeks | 14.47 | 9.67
24 weeks | 18.23 | 11.15
26 weeks | 20.18 | 12.04
28 weeks | 21.35 | 12.48
---------------+----------+----------