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Free-range turkeys should have access to vegetation

IT will only take a week or two for young poults to acclimatise to being outside, especially if the weather is kind. The sun on their backs does them a power of good - as well as being a source of Vitamin D and helping to promote smooth feathering - and they will revel in running around and playing in the grass. Always have them housed though before the evening starts to cool. With a broody turkey hen, if it does get cool during the day, she will soon order them under her and brood them to keep warm. However, to be fair to her usher them back into the housing in good time so that she does not start to get too concerned. I had a Bourbon Red broody hen once that always started to call me when she thought it was time to take them indoors.

A broody turkey can stay with the poults almost until they are quite grown up if she is happy but there will come a time when she starts to gets a little exasperated with them and then it is certainly time to let her go back to her flock or group. Integrate her with care by first putting her back at night when the others are just about to perch. Keep an eye on her for a few days to make sure she is not being bullied by the others but after a day or two she will relish being 'free' of responsibility again.

Meanwhile the fast growing poults will get more and more interested in what is going on around them. They will enjoy flying out of pens but if you clip their wings it will curtail their adventures somewhat. 'Teenage' poults of about 12-16 weeks do love exploring and trying out new grassy areas and even trees but they don't usually stray far. Although they can fly up and play in trees it is only for a few minutes and they soon come back down again. Should you need to clip a wing this is usually done at about eight weeks of age before they go into rearing pens. The females are more active when it comes to flying than the males, so if it looks as though they are getting flighty again, re-clip the wings at around 16 weeks. Wing clipping is cutting off two-thirds of the primary feathers, at the level of the small coverts, on one wing. This can be done with a sharp pair of large scissors or secateurs. Of course if a turkey is a pet it might not be necessary to do this and if you plan to exhibit the turkeys at poultry shows then you will not be able to clip the wings as this will lead to disqualification.

As the turkeys develop it is essential they are given an adequate diet. Proprietary feeds are very good these days and there are specific formulations for turkeys. Between 5-6 weeks the poults should be moved onto turkey grower pellets. Some manufacturers do make turkey rearer pellets, which move towards the grower formulation but in a smaller pelleted form. However, most poults do managed the change from starter crumb to grower pellets quite well. The turkey grower pellets take the poults through their main growing period until around 16 -17 weeks when they should be put on either turkey finisher pellets or turkey breeder pellets. The finisher pellets help to 'finish' the birds ready for the table by putting on weight and conditioning the flesh. The turkey breeder pellets on the other hand prepare the birds for a natural lifecycle and with added calcium and vitamins gear the birds up for egg production - which can be used for either eating or hatching.

Pellets are fed to the turkeys in the morning, as they are easily and quickly digested. In the afternoon give them some wheat but introduce this after 12 weeks because before then the digestive system has not developed sufficiently to accommodate hard cereals.

Interesting environment
Wheat does not have the nutrition of formulated pellets but does take longer to go through the system and will keep the birds satisfied overnight. A few sunflower seeds and naked oats added to the second feed of the day will add interest and both are good for the birds.

Most small flocks reared for the Christmas market are free-range but should you house them completely, or towards the end of their maturing, some added treats would be appreciated and help to give them a more interesting environment. Cabbages or Brussels sprout tops hung up for them to peck would be immensely popular. This will also detract from any social squabbles that could take place and prevent boredom. Other goodies, such as apples, fallen plums or sweet corn would be pounced upon.

Occasionally, even in the best living conditions, turkeys can get sick. One of the most common problems is Mycoplasma, which is a respiratory disease that causes sinusitis, foaming in the eye, rattly breathing and discharge from the nostrils. It is important to isolate any bird which such symptoms and the recommended treatment is 1ml of Tylan 200 injected into the breast muscle ever 48 hours. The turkey requires five doses and may even need a further course if the disease hasn't fully cleared. Tylan 200 is a prescription only medicine that is obtainable via a veterinary practice. It is not licensed for poultry but maybe used on recommendation from a veterinary surgeon for a specific treatment.

Teenage turkeys love to explore

Remember to worm
Just like other animals, turkeys are vulnerable to worms, especially roundworms and worming treatment should begin when the poults are about 5 weeks, again at 10 weeks and then at 15 weeks. Although there are various worming treatments available, Flubenvet is the wormer that is licensed for use in poultry in the UK and this is obtainable from a veterinary practice or qualified agricultural merchant. It is a white powder that is mixed into the feed at a dosage rate of 10g per 8kg of feed for 7 days.

Regular worming is particularly important if, as well as turkeys there are chickens on the premises. Chickens can carry a disease called Blackhead which they do not normally succumb to but turkeys can. Blackhead (Histomonas melagridis) is a protozoan parasite that attacks the liver and is usually fatal. The European Commission withdrew Dimetridazole - the drug once used to cure Blackhead - from the market on human health grounds. A course of Metronidazole in the drinking water can be used now but the best advice is to observe good hygiene and worm the turkeys about every six weeks. This interferes with the lifecycle of the Heterakis worm which carries the parasite.

In the run up to despatching time the birds should be starved for 24 hours. This is to ensure that the gut will be empty and evisceration, which is taking out the turkey's entrails, will be more hygienic with less risk of bacterial contamination of the carcass from faeces. No one should slaughter a turkey unless they have been trained by a skilled person to do so. The Humane Slaughter Association publishes a booklet on the Slaughter of Poultry, which explains how it can be done but the organisation also run day courses on the techniques, if there are sufficient people interested.

Once the turkey has been slaughtered it should be plucked whilst it is still warm. If left the task of taking out the feathers will be doubly difficult because the skin will have tightened up once the flesh is cold and the feather shafts will be very awkward to remove.

After plucking, a turkey should be tied up by the legs and 'hung' for around ten days in a cool place. This helps to tenderise the meat and allows the flavour to develop.

If you are not slaughtering for your own use but to sell, then there is legislation that you need to adhere to. Food health and safety is a major concern and details of compliance can be found on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) website. Also, there are regulations regarding how the waste from processed turkeys is disposed of. You cannot wrap it up and put it in the dustbin.

Animal by-products have to be disposed of via a knackerman, an incineration unit or a rendering plant.

Weather protection
For those turkeys that are being kept they are best brought inside over the bad winter weather, if that is, you have the facilitie. Rain, wind and mud are not conducive for good health and welfare and the birds will keep fitter inside, just so long as there is plenty of ventilation provided.

Before the breeding season, which usually starts in late January, order some breeding saddles for the hens. These are placed on her back and fitted via leather straps around the wings and are crucial in preventing mating injuries caused by the male whilst treading.

Although males do not go out to be aggressive to hens, they can rip backs open and even fatalities can occur.

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