I Am looking into raising heritage breed turkeys on a free range. I heard heritage breeds are much heartier than commercial broad breasted varieties, so i believe that i will be experimenting raising turkeys on free range with them next year. I am also an avid hunter and usually plant deer feed plots, consisting primarily of clover, chicory, alfalfa, and some other ground cover. Anyway, on all the seed bags, it says that these plants deliver a crude protein of 35%. I am wondering if planting this and raising the turkeys on it would be better than supplying them with regular wild grasses. any information you have on this topic would be deemed quite helpful, thanks!
~Andrew
ranging heritage breed turkeys
http://albc-usa.org/downloads.html is an exellent website for info on Heritage breeds. I find the Black Spanish to be the heartiest and most docile, but the market price is lower for whole birds because of the black pinfeathers.This is my first year, so it could just be the poults I got.All turkeys need protection for the first 12 weeks when their immune system is fully developed, can't be exposed to soil or dampness or other animals, especially chickens. The starter recommended has 28% protein for the first 8 weeks, after that 20-23% with extra calcium and phosphrus. The market seems to be growing, even at 6-10.00 per pound. And the only way to save the breeds is to grow and eat them. Hope this helps!
Andrew,
I raised Bourbon Reds a few years back and just let them range once they were half grown. They were fed regular starter til then. I used them for grasshopper control... turkeys eat a lot of bugs, so the protein makeup of your planting probably isn't as important as the protein makeup of your bugs! LOL
Here in New Mexico, you can still find old timers who herded turkey flocks for grasshopper control in the alfalfa fields and corn patch. I used them in my garden too, as they don't scratch like chickens, occasionally just stomping a plant. They'd sit under the zucchini leaves and pick the squash bug eggs off, thereby keeping the squash bug pop down.
The Reds made for some very nice eating. One of my birds was 22# and so juicy and tasty. I guess we had a very good grasshopper year that year. =)
Jay
Wow, great info all! Thanks.
Yes thankyou guys for the info. i have been looking into the bourbon reds quite extensively, they are quite beautiful. Narragansetts are also beautiful and seem somewhat ecumenical.
Ecumenical? I didn't know turkeys were religious... then again, I just never gave it any thought...
LOL Jay
I'm getting my first turkeys this fall...a pair of lavenders.
Andrew after your turkeys are started a pasture with those greens would be excellent for them!
I found this turkey breeders site recently.
Lots of cool varieties to look at.
http://www.porterturkeys.com/index.htm
Re. "ecumenical"...
probably meant economical.
Oh, I don't know. I kind of like the idea of a turkey of the faith...
=)
That's a lovely fellow in the photo.
I thought maybe Episcopalian--cause they look very pious.
LOL!
And the Bourbon Reds are the cardinals... how aptly named!
haha, i have been laughing at myslef for the past few minutes here. Yes i did mean economical, thanks. Cottage rose, i am really liking that site you gave me the link to, turkeys are such beautiful birds. thanks again
UR welcome Hunter. ;o)
Keep us posted on what you get!