Raising Turkeys
Turkeys can be some of the sweetest and friendliest birds to keep on the farm. They are very social, and will follow you around the garden, helping with chores like weeding, and insect eating.
Baby turkeys are called poults, and they imprint heavily with their caretaker. Holding turkeys regularly at a young age will teach them to be friendly and devoted to their human keeper. They are very inquisitive: young poults and will try anything you offer them from above: meal worms, scrambled eggs, leafy greens, bits of fruit.
For their first few weeks of life, turkeys need a high-protein diet. The Snohomish and Monroe Co-Op carry multiple choices of turkey feed, conventional or organic.
Turkey poults have fewer feathers than chicks, and need more attention to keep properly warm. They require a brooder temperature of 95o for their first 10 days. You can then start to lower the temperature about 5o a week, until reaching ambient temperature.
Consider providing Chaffhaye to your turkeys from day one. Chaffhaye is a fermented alfalfa product. The natural probiotics provided by the fermentation process with help strengthen your turkey’s natural immune system. The alfalfa provides fiber to support the digestive tract. Plus, having Chaffhaye to scratch and peck through gives your turkeys something to do. Bored birds often pick on each other.
Both the Snohomish, and the Monroe Co-Ops will be receiving regular shipments of turkeys throughout the spring and summer. We will have production black, bronze, and white broad breasted turkeys, as well as heritage breeds like Narragansett and Bourbon Reds. You can find our full schedule of turkeys on our website at www.snohomishcoop.com.
