Most people enjoy observing wildlife, including wild turkeys. However, providing food in residential areas to attract wild turkeys can become a public safety threat for you and your neighbors.
Wild turkeys are opportunistic foragers and can eat a wide variety of leaves, grass, seeds, berries, insects, worms, snails, frogs, and small reptiles. This allows them to thrive in a variety of natural habitats. They also can inhabit residential areas, particularly where they are being fed.
Strawberries are a delicious and nutritious fruit that many people enjoy But can our feathery friends, turkeys, eat them too? The short answer is yes, turkeys can eat strawberries in moderation as an occasional treat
In this comprehensive guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about feeding strawberries to turkeys. including
- The benefits of strawberries for turkeys
- How much and how often to feed them
- Potential risks and precautions
- Comparison to other fruits and foods
- And more!
An Overview of Turkeys’ Diets
Turkeys are omnivorous birds that thrive on a varied diet. In the wild, turkeys eat a diverse range of foods including insects, seeds, nuts, fruits, plants, and small animals Their diet provides them with protein for muscle growth, carbohydrates for energy, vitamins and minerals for bodily functions, and fats for nourishment
Domesticated turkeys can eat a similar diet to their wild counterparts. A balanced home diet includes:
- High-protein turkey feed or chicken feed
- Insects like mealworms
- Fruits and veggies like strawberries, melons, lettuce
- Some cooked meat scraps
Commercial turkey feeds are specially formulated with the right blend of nutrients for turkeys. But fresh foods add variety and extra nutrition.
The Benefits of Strawberries for Turkeys
Strawberries offer some great nutritional benefits for turkeys:
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Vitamin C: supports immune health and nutrient absorption.
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Manganese: aids bone formation and metabolism.
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Antioxidants: protect cells from damage.
The bright color of strawberries comes from polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
Strawberries also provide turkeys with hydration from their high water content. This helps keeps them cool in hot weather.
How Much and How Often Can Turkeys Eat Strawberries?
Strawberries can be part of a turkey’s diet, but in moderation. Here are some feeding guidelines:
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Give only a few berries 2-3 times per week at most.
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Chop berries into small pieces to prevent choking.
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Feed as an occasional treat, not a daily food.
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Avoid moldy or damaged berries.
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Introduce new foods slowly and watch for reactions.
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Provide ample fresh water to help digest juicy fruits.
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Remove any uneaten berries within an hour to avoid spoilage.
The small serving size is important since strawberries contain natural sugars. Too many can cause digestive upset and diarrhea in turkeys.
Potential Risks and Precautions
While strawberries are safe for turkeys, here are some precautions:
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Overfeeding can lead to loose stool or diarrhea.
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Moldy berries could cause illness.
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Whole berries may pose a choking risk.
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Introduce new foods slowly to watch for allergic reactions.
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Always wash berries thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides.
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Make sure turkeys have plenty of water available to help dilute the juicy fruit.
As with any new food, start with a few pieces and wait a day or two before increasing portions. Monitor your turkeys for any signs of digestive distress or other reactions.
How Do Strawberries Compare to Other Fruits?
Strawberries are about average in terms of sugar content and moisture compared to other popular fruits fed to turkeys:
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Lower sugar than grapes, bananas, and pineapples.
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Higher water content than apples, pears, peaches.
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Similar sugar and moisture to melons and berries.
Here are some other fruits turkeys can eat in moderation:
- Chopped apples
- Melons – cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon
- Bananas and plantains
- Berries – blueberries, raspberries, blackberries
- Pitted stone fruits – peaches, nectarines
Fruits provide more nutritional benefits than treats like bread or crackers. But they are high in natural sugars, so fruits should be limited to a few times a week.
For daily nutrition, a quality turkey feed is a turkey’s best diet. Combine with insects, veggies, and small amounts of supplemental fruits and proteins.
Putting It All Together
Turkeys can eat strawberries as an infrequent treat. The small serving size provides beneficial vitamins, minerals, and hydration. But overdoing fruits can cause issues. Following proper guidelines allows turkeys to safely enjoy strawberries and other nutritious fruits.
With a diverse balanced diet, plenty of fresh water, and proper care, turkeys will thrive. So next time you enjoy some fresh strawberries yourself, grab a few extra to share with your feathered friends!
How to resolve issues with aggressive wild turkeys
If you encounter wild turkeys that are remaining in a residential area and appear to be losing their fear of people, the FWC recommends aggressively hazing them by:
- Chasing them (without making physical contact) while doing the following:
- Waving your arms or clapping your hands and yelling at them
- Making loud noises using an air horn or banging pots and pans
- Spraying with a strong water jet from a hose
- Waving or swatting at (but not hitting) with a broom
- Opening a large umbrella while facing them
- Allowing a large dog on a leash to bark and scare them
Encourage other adults in your neighborhood to do the same by sharing these tips with your neighbors. Your efforts will be more successful if everyone avoids feeding wild turkeys and helps instill the turkey’s natural fear of people by actively hazing nuisance birds. If wild turkeys begin acting aggressively, increase your hazing efforts.
Wild turkeys that are repeatedly aggressive toward people may ultimately have to be killed. It is rarely an option to trap and relocate wild turkeys that have become aggressive. Keep wild turkeys wild by not feeding them.
How to avoid problems with wild turkeys
Feeding wild turkeys in residential areas isn’t good for them and can compromise the overall health of wild turkey populations.
Wild turkeys are supposed to cover large land areas while foraging throughout the day. Providing food repeatedly causes them to congregate, which results in a build-up of droppings and unnaturally increases contact between flocks.
These conditions can encourage disease outbreaks and the spread of disease through wild turkey populations.
In addition, feeding wild turkeys in residential areas, intentionally or unintentionally, is discouraged because it causes them to lose their natural fear of people and can cause them to act aggressively. Wild turkeys can become a public safety concern due to their:
- Powerful wings
- Large size (males can weigh over 20 pounds and stand 3 1/2 feet tall)
- Sharp spurs on males’ legs
- Tendency to occur in large flocks of 6 to 12 birds
Once aggressive behavior is established, it’s difficult to change.
Another problem with feeding wild turkeys in residential areas is they’ll remain in a neighborhood or community, which can eventually lead to pecking and scratching cars, tearing up flower beds and depositing turkey droppings on drive-ways, sidewalks, yards and porches. Turkeys have been known to begin roosting on roofs and pool screens, which can result in considerable property damage.
The best way to prevent these issues is to simply not feed them.
THE ONLY WAY TO EAT STRAWBERRIES #shorts
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