[leaswood]

I have five Norflok Black Turkeys I bought as poults at 8 weeks. They were fed on a start mash for the first couple of weeks and on to grower pallets since. Ive offered them treats like corn and veg and fruit but they seem only interested in the pallets or grass in the compound. Three of the five have flourished while two have grown less so, still look healthy but a third less in size as the other three..should i be doing something different..does it take time for them to acquire a taste for other things?

[Clansman]

I apologise if i'm stating the obvious but I assume you have both stags and hens and that your size difference is not just the difference in the sexes?



might just be unlucky and you have a couple of runts that aren't really growing as fast.

If you look closely at a flock of turkeys they are actually all different sizes and shapes although all within a close range.

Mine are fed mostly on pellets but they love apples and have done so since the day i got them but they will also eat other things, they have recently found the ripe blackberries and are clearing them fast!

Split an apple in two and give it to them or tie them up at head height on a string.

[leaswood]

Hi

thanks for the reply..to be honest I was under the impression I had all stags..thats why I waited for 8 weeks..well thats what I was told, so they could be sexed?

Ive thrown a couple of apples in but they havent touched them..not like the chickens they devour them (kept separately) ive also tried redcurrants and black currents but not interested, cabbage heads, spinach leaves, broad beans and peas..nothing..

[Clansman]

I think 8 weeks may be a bit young to accurately sex them.

What age are they now?

My oldest ones are 13/14 weeks and there is still the odd one i'm not sure of.

In fact i've had the odd one over the years surprise me at 6 months! 

[leaswood]

Ive had them 5 weeks..

the breeder says they were sexed at a day old..?

[Clansman]

so yours are much the same age as my oldest ones.

The stags I can see easily, they are taller, wider have bigger stronger legs and heads, have a bit rougher feathering and are starting to get their snoods.

The hens are smaller and petit, with thin short legs and a lovely rounded shape but theres one hen thats slightly bigger than the rest and it has a big bigger head which is slightly more stag shaped than the rest.

I'm 90% sure she's a hen but I keep looking at her

There's definitely a bit of Fatima Whitbread about her... she looks like a girl but you wouldn't risk finding out!

yes they can be vent sexed at day old but its not 100% guaranteed

Although i'd like to think they would do better than 3 out of 5 right, that ratio is more like unsexed birds.

Have you any pics of them?