Feeding Turkeys: What Can Turkey Eat?
Inside: Are you wondering about feeding turkeys once you get them? Whether it’s fresh produce, grains, let's talk about what they can and can't have.
Are you wondering about feeding turkeys once you get them? Whether it’s fresh produce or grains, let's talk about what they can and can't have. You should find all the information you need here in order to provide a nutritious and delicious diet for your feathered friend.
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Feeding Turkeys: What Can Turkey Eat?
Did you know you can feed turkey household items like vegetables, fruit, and even Cheerios? This is because turkeys are omnivores, which means they eat plants and animals. You can also supplement their diet with protein-rich foods like beans and nuts.
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If you want to make raising turkeys super easy, buy commercial, non-medicated turkey feed. You should be able to buy it at any feed store.
Free-range turkeys will eat:
- Acorns
- Seeds and grains, including spilled birdseed or corn and wheat in agricultural fields
- Berries, wild grapes, crabapples, and other small fruits
- Fleshy plant parts, such as buds, roots, bulbs
- Plant foliage, grass, and tender young leaves or shoots
- Large insects, including grasshoppers, spiders, and caterpillars
- Snails, slugs, and worms
- Sand and small gravel for grit to aid proper digestion
What can you feed a turkey?
You can feed turkeys cracked or whole-kernel corn, sunflower seeds, and other grains as well. Similar to feeding other poultry, you'll want to feed turkeys daily by giving food at a rate of 1/2 cup per turkey per day.
How to properly feed a turkey?
Yes, you can free-range turkeys but that doesn't replace their need for actual feed. Turkeys require a high amount of protein. It's important to provide commercial, non-medicated turkey feed.
What NOT to feed a turkey?
- Avocados
- Dried/Raw Beans
- Fruit Pits and Seeds
- Tomato and Eggplant Leaves
- Onions
- Processed Food
- Chocolate
- Citrus Fruits
- Coffee/Tea
- Green Potatoes
- Mango Peels
- Rhubarb Leaves
Can turkeys eat peaches?
Yes! Turkeys love fruits. But it's important to remember not to give them the pits. Some fresh fruits, including cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots have pits that contain cyanide compounds, which are poisonous.
We enjoyed raising turkeys for a year, and then we sold off the remaining few turkeys we had. We weren't able to free-range them and it wasn't fun cleaning their coop and run. Plus their feed bill was crazy! I want to raise more someday if we have the space (dogs without high prey drives, trained to be around birds).
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do turkeys need to be fed? Turkeys can be fed free-choice throughout the day.
What is the feed requirement for a turkey? The essential dietary needs of turkeys include a 28% protein ration for the first four weeks, 24% for the next four weeks, and then reduced to 20% until grown.
Is it OK to feed turkeys bread? Bread fills up a small stomach in a hurry. The bird doesn't know the food is empty calories for them.
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