Turkey, Broad Breasted 'White' (min order 10)

This is your chance to brag about the turkey you raised last summer as you’re sitting down with your family and friends for Thanksgiving dinner. There is so much pride and much more to be thankful for when you raise your own meat. This next Thanksgiving or family get-together, let the praising commence as your guests enjoy the tender layers of one of our turkeys that you had the pride and joy of raising. If you want turkey just in time for Thanksgiving, don’t forget to order before July 4th! Turkeys ship separately from chickens and other fowl.

1. Be sure to clean and disinfect the brooder and equipment before your young poults are placed, especially if you previously had other fowl. After disinfecting, let the brooder dry and air out for approximately two weeks prior to placing your new poults.
2. Use clean, dry wood shavings for litter. Cover floor to the depth of three inches. Rice hulls or sawdust can be used for litter if covered with two inches of wood shavings for the first seven to 10-days. DO NOT use straw for litter. Operate heat lamps for 24 to 48-hours before the arrival of poults to warm the brooder floor and surroundings. Start with a temperature of
   105-degrees at three-inches off the floor at the edge of the brooder area. Reduce temperature five-degrees per week for the first six-weeks.
3. It is important to get poults started early on feed and water. If they don’t find the feed and water easily, starvation and/or dehydration can occur. Dip their beaks when the poults arrive to help them learn to drink. Start poults on high protein (28%) turkey starter. We recommend using NatureServe® Turkey/Gamebird Starter and NatureServe Turkey/Gamebird Pellets that contain essential oils, prebiotics, and probiotics. From three-weeks to market, the poults should have access to larger feeders that are about four-inches deep and provide three-linear inches of feeder space per bird.
4. Insoluble grit should be fed. Feed grit by sprinkling on top of the feed at the rate of one-pound per 100 birds twice weekly for the first three-weeks. Provide separate grit feeders after three-weeks for free choice consumption.
5. Provide one-square foot of floor space per poult up to eight-weeks of age. From eight to twelve-weeks, increase the floor space allowance to two-square feet per poult. From 12 to 16-weeks, the minimum allowance is 2 ½ square feet. It is important to observe space requirements to avoid cannibalism, feather pulling, and to make sure birds get adequate feed and
   water.