Raising turkey

There is a big grassy land here where I see goats and turkeys on the loose. The owner said the turkeys don't need to be fed every day, meaning if you have no money for buying feeds it is okay because the turkeys find their own food. And what's good with loose turkeys are that they are fat and full of flesh unlike those inside cages. And for the matured turkeys, they easily mate and breed so the nests should always be available in case there are eggs to be hatched.

 

Birds in general can forage on their own and survive. They'll eat whatever they come across. That includes insects, seeds, and grass if need be. They are survivors. Chickens, ducks, quail, all domesticated birds do know how to find food in the wild. That's all they do all day.

 

My mother raised turkeys when she and daddy had a small dairy. The one thing to know about these birds is that they can drown in the rain. As the drops fall from the sky, turkeys look up and the warer falls into their nose. They will continue looking up until they drown. If you get turkeys, just remember to place them in a shelter at the first sign of rain.

 

I think Turkeys are smart enough to get out of the rain when need be. If they were that dumb to constantly be looking up, then the species would be extinct because of that.

 

Turkeys raised on free range can survive on grass and insects, without having to give them food. It is sometimes not advisable to raise them in the same space as your crops because of possible damage to the crops. In a group of turkeys make sure that the males are few as possible, because having much males is an issue in turkey husbandry. The presence of much males causes much fights and it causes injury to the females too because of the number of males wanting to mate with them. Be also careful to make the nails on their feet blunt, because if not they might unknowingly use the sharp nails to scratch the females back, leading to injury to the female.

 

Turkeys are great species of birds with different breed. I have seen families raise turkeys successfully on free rang. However, you need to make the environment conducive for free ranging. Make sure to plant grasses that can scare away harmful reptiles like snakes
In free ranging you will definitely save on feeding the birds.

 

We have wild turkey in abundance here and many of us hunt them. There are so many at times, they become an issue on the roads. I haven't considered raising any because of that reason. A hunting license and smoothbore and you've got plenty of delicious bird.

 

Are wild turkeys native where you live, @CivilDefense , or were they planted there and did well ? We have wild turkeys in abundance in northern Idaho now; but they were only started there around the late 1990's or thereabouts. Even with the harsh winters, the wild turkeys do well because they shelter in farmer's barns, and find food there as well.
In the summers, they roam around in flocks up and down the driveways and pastures of farmers and other people who live out of town.
I had a friend who shot one and I cooked it; but it was really tough. The flavor was fine; but it ended up being cooked long enough to make turkey noodles instead of turkey dinner.
Chickens and turkeys are both great for eating all kinds of insects; so aside from the damage they do sleeping in the hay lofts, the wild turkeys are probably a benefit to the areas where they live.