Raising turkey chicks (also known as poults) is an exciting endeavor for any backyard poultry enthusiast. However, knowing what to feed turkey chicks is crucial for their health and development. As a first-time turkey keeper myself, I learned through trial and error what turkey poults need to thrive. In this article, I’ll share the key things I wish I knew about feeding baby turkeys when I was just starting out.
Turkey Chick Nutritional Needs
Turkey poults require high levels of protein, vitamins, and minerals to support their rapid growth. They have different nutritional needs than baby chickens. Here are some key nutrients turkey chicks need:
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Protein Poults need 28-30% protein in the first 8 weeks to build muscle and tissues This is higher than the 20-24% protein baby chickens need
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Vitamin A Critical for immune health and development Deficiency can cause disease.
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Niacin Important for proper nervous system and digestive health.
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Riboflavin: Plays a role in growth, antibody production, and more.
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Vitamin D: Necessary for calcium absorption and bone development.
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Calcium: Needed for proper bone formation to support fast growth.
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Selenium: Supports immune function and antioxidant activity. Deficiency can cause muscle disorders.
Turkey Chick Starter Feed
To provide complete nutrition for growth and health, turkey poults need a specifically formulated starter feed for the first 8-10 weeks of life. Look for a feed that has:
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28-30% protein: Ensures poults get enough protein to support muscle growth.
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Medication: Preventative coccidiosis control is important in starter feed.
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Turkey or game bird formula: Better nutritional balance than chick starter feed.
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Crumbles or pellets: Easier for poults to eat than mash.
Some good turkey starter feed options include:
- Purina Game Bird & Turkey Starter
- Nutrena Turkey Starter Crumble
- Blue Seal Turkey Starter Grower
Wet their feed for the first week to encourage eating. Keep feed available at all times.
Transitioning to Grower Feed
At 8-10 weeks of age, transition poults from starter feed to a grower feed:
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20% protein: Less than starter feed but still supports growth.
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Higher calorie: Provides energy for weight gain.
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Pellet form: Easier to eat than crumbles.
Some suitable turkey grower feeds:
- Purina Flock Raiser
- Nutrena High Energy Poultry Finisher
- Southern States Game Bird Grower
Continue offering grower feed free-choice until 20-24 weeks when poults reach market weight.
Supplements and Treats
Once poults are 2-3 weeks old, you can offer small amounts of supplements and treats:
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Greens: Romaine, kale, Swiss chard. Provides vitamins and minerals.
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Vegetables: Carrots, zucchini, squash. Good for variety.
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Fruit: Berries, melons, apple chunks. Provides natural sugars.
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Mealworms: Protein boost. Offer as occasional treat.
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Grit: Helps digest feed and greens. Offer granite grit in separate feeder.
Treats should be under 10% of total food intake. Always introduce new foods slowly.
Feeder Setup for Poults
Special considerations are needed for feeding turkey chicks:
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Use hanging feeders: Keeps feed clean and dry. Position at poult back height.
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Provide ample space: Allow 2-4 inches per poult depending on age.
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Use chick feeders at first: Shallow, narrow design suits small poults.
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Clean often: Change out wet or soiled feed. Prevent mold and bacteria.
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Encourage eating: Gently dip poult beaks in feed and water to train them.
Water for Poults
Turkey poults need unlimited access to clean water. Here are some tips:
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Use hanging waterers: Keeps water clean and reduces drowning risk.
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Space waterers: Allow 1 inch per poult around perimeter.
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Clean daily: Change water and scrub waterers to prevent disease.
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Avoid chill: Keep ambient temperature warm around water source.
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Add vitamins: Include vitamins & electrolytes in first week.
Monitor water intake and watch for signs of dehydration like lethargy or thick droppings. Provide water gel or injections if a poult becomes dehydrated.
Amount and Frequency of Feeding
Follow these guidelines for amount and frequency of feeding poults:
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First week: Feed free-choice with frequent refills. Support adjustment to feed.
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2-8 weeks: Feed free-choice. Refill feeders 1-2 times per day.
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2-4 ounces of feed per poult daily in the first few weeks.
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Consumption will increase rapidly as they grow.
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Always keep feed available 24/7. Poults are still growing and require frequent meals.
Weigh poults weekly and adjust feeder space as needed. Track feed intake changes to ensure healthy growth. Contact a vet if intake changes, growth stalls or other concerns arise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some key mistakes to avoid when feeding poults:
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Not using a turkey starter feed.
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Letting feed run out or get soiled/wet.
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Not cleaning waterers daily.
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Introducing treats/greens too early before gut develops.
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Overcrowding around feed and water sources.
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Not monitoring weekly weight gains.
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Transitioning to grower feed too late or early.
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Not seeking vet advice if concerns arise.
Raising Turkey Poults with Chicks
Add a chicken chick or two to your order when purchasing turkey poults. To protect your young flock’s health, choose chicks that have never touched the earth’s surface, such as from a hatchery or feed store, to minimize the potential of blackhead disease. Read on to learn more about blackhead disease and how it can affect a flock of turkeys.
I’ll be quite frank; turkey poults are not the smartest of the bunch. Chicken chicks have an instinct to survive and seek food, heat, and water without being guided. Poults need constant reminders where to find those. Without the incorporation of chicks, you become the caretaker and responsible for keeping the poults alive.
Within a few days, the poults will be more independent and can care for themselves. Chicks can then be removed from the brooder and raised separately or remain with the poults until ready to move into their separate coops.
To ensure poults remain close to heat, water, and food, restrict them to a smaller brooder space for a few days. A rafter of young turkeys can become confused in a large space. This can cause them to starve or catch a chill.
To minimize workload, construct a brooder that will accommodate the growth of the young flock. Poults often remain in a brooder until they are fully feathered, roughly six to eight weeks of life, potentially longer depending on the weather. During the time in the brooder, it is imperative to provide adequate space to ensure livability without hindering the growth of the birds. This requires a minimum of two square feet per bird; however, three to four square feet guarantee the birds will not be overcrowded and allows them to stretch their wings comfortably.
There are multiple options for brooder bedding, with pine shavings as the most common. Straw is also a favorite among poultry keepers and is available chopped (designed for brooders) or in bales. Other options include peanut hulls, chopped cardboard, and crushed corn cobs. Refrain from using shaved cedar in bedding; the oils are drying and can harm the young birds.
Add three to four inches of bedding and replace it each time you clean the brooder. This amount allows the birds to dust bathe without reaching the brooder floor and cushions their landing if roosting bars are added. Spot clean the brooder daily, especially where the feed, water, and heat source are located. Deep cleaning a brooder can be reserved weekly or as needed. Keep in mind, an extremely dirty brooder runs the risk of respiratory issues and is a breeding ground forcoccidiosis. A brooder should never have an ammonia smell permeating from the bedding.
Feel free to compost the bedding. How long it will take to decompose depends on material used.
Brooder heat is necessary for the first four to six weeks of life. This time will vary based on where you reside. A good rule of thumb is that, once a bird is fully feathered, a heat source is no longer needed. Two available heat sources include an infrared bulb or a heating plate designed for brooders. Both work well; however, a heating plate is a safer option, and it resembles a broody hen’s body temperature. A heating plate temperature never has to be regulated; simply adjust the legs’ height as the poults grow. This allows them to come and go from under the heat source comfortably.
When using an infrared bulb, the temperature under the bulb must maintain 95 degrees F for the first week. After that, raise the bulb, lowering the temperature by five degrees each week. Watch your daily to ensure the temperature within the brooder is right:
- Poults huddled tightly together indicate the brooder is not hot enough.
- Birds resting away from the heat beam indicate the temperature within the brooder is too hot.
- Poults resting comfortably under the lamp indicate the heat within the brooder is perfect.
For safety reasons, secure the lamp to prevent it from being knocked down. Infrared heat lamps are the main cause of coop fires.
Young turkeys need a high protein feed to thrive and grow efficiently. Turkey poults require the most protein during the first eight weeks of life, making a whole grain feed (28% protein) the best option. However, a broiler chicken feed consisting of 23-24% protein is efficient. Between nine and 24 weeks, you can decrease to 18-20% protein or offer a fermented feed.
Keeping Turkeys is Rewarding, Especially When You Start with Poults
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There are many reasons raising turkey poults is rewarding — not the least of which is keeping turkeys to have a few pets.
Raising turkey poults is enjoyable and a wise decision for meat purposes. But keep in mind, raising poults is not the same as raising chicks or ducklings. They are much more delicate than other poultry species. Here are a few tips and tricks for successfully raising poults to maturity.