This resource was fully reviewed and updatedA member of The Open Sanctuary Project’s staff has given this resource a full review and provided updates where necessary. by a member of The Open Sanctuary Project. It was originally published under a different name on November 30, 2018.
If you plan to welcome a turkeyUnless explicitly mentioned, we are referring to domesticated turkey breeds, not wild turkeys, who may have unique needs not covered by this resource. resident to your sanctuary or into your life, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the care they require. Ideally, you should learn as much as you can before you take on the responsibility of their care, but we realize life doesn’t always go according to plan. We offer numerous resources dedicated to the topic of turkey care, as well as additional resources focused on general animal care topics that can help you begin to learn more about how to responsibly care for turkeysUnless explicitly mentioned, we are referring to domesticated turkey breeds, not wild turkeys, who may have unique needs not covered by this resource.. With so many offerings on our website, we know it can be tricky to figure out where exactly to start, so this resource serves as an introduction to turkey care, providing an overview of important topics and directing you to additional resources for more information.
Background
To best care for turkeys, it’s important to understand who they are and where they came from. DomesticatedAdapted over time (as by selective breeding) from a wild or natural state to life in close association with and to the benefit of humans turkeys are descended from the wild turkey of North America (Meleagris gallopavo). While some domesticated turkeys may look quite a bit different from their wild ancestors, they continue to share many similarities with wild turkeys, particularly in terms of their natural behaviors and preferences. To learn more about wild turkeys, how turkeys came to be domesticated, and some of the challenges domesticated turkeys face, check out our resource here.
Diet
The compassionate lifelong care of turkeys at animal sanctuaries starts with the food they’re provided. Unfortunately, commercial turkey food formulas have been created with a focus on “performance,” not turkey health and longevity. As a result, feeding turkey companions is not as easy as running to your local feed store and grabbing a bag of turkey food. These formulations typically have more protein than what is recommended for adult turkeys living in sanctuary. Instead, a lower protein maintenance formula for gamebirds or other avian species is usually a better option.
In order to determine how much a turkey should be fed, you’ll need to determine if the individual is a large breed turkey or a non-large breed turkey. Obesity and obesity-related health issues are common and serious issues that can affect the health and quality of life of large breed turkeys, but an appropriate diet will help them maintain a healthy weight and reduce their risk of these health challenges. Healthy, mature large breed turkey residents must be fed measured portions of food, and typically do best on a lower protein maintenance food formula. Heritage breed turkeys, on the other hand, can often be fed on a free-choice basis because they have not been bred to grow so unnaturally large and can self-regulate their food intake.
Supplementing a healthy base diet with turkey-safe produce is a great way to offer residents more variety, and, for large breed turkeys, it can help keep them feeling more satiated than if they were simply to receive their two portioned meals. However, not all fresh produce is created equal, especially when it comes to your large breed residents. For example, greens can be offered regularly and in larger quantities than starchy vegetables or sugary treats, which should be given in limited quantities.
Turkeys do not have teeth to chew and break down their food; instead, food is broken down in the gizzardthe muscular enlargement of the digestive tract of birds that has usually thick muscular walls and a tough horny lining for grinding the food and when the crop is present follows it and the proventriculus (also called the ventriculus or muscular stomach), and insoluble gritSmall stones or sand swallowed by birds to help them digest food. assists in this process. Turkeys naturally eat small pebbles and stones, which then stay in the gizzard for some time and help break down food. However, depending on their housing arrangement, you may need to offer insoluble grit, which can be purchased at most feed stores (and is not to be confused with soluble grit). Providing insoluble grit to large breed turkeys must be done carefully because they may gorge themselves on it.
You can read more about providing a healthy diet for turkeys here.
Living Spaces
Turkeys need an indoor shelter to keep them safe and comfortable, as well as ample outdoor space in which to explore, soak up the sun, and dust bathe. When designing resident living spaces, caregivers must make sure the spaces meet the basic needs of both the residents and the human caregivers, but we also encourage them to take an animal-centered design approach, which entails thinking about what the residents need to thrive and what type of space they would design for themselves if they could. You can read more about animal-centered design here.
Because turkeys (and other smaller farmed bird species) are more vulnerable to predation than larger mammalian farmed animal sanctuaryAn animal sanctuary that primarily cares for rescued animals that were farmed by humans. residents, their living spaces must be designed carefully, and they must be properly maintained to ensure your residents are properly protected. To ensure their safety overnight, when they are most vulnerable to predation, turkeys must be closed into fully predator-proof indoor spaces before dusk and should not be let out until after dawn. A fully predator-proof space does not have any gaps the size of a US quarter or larger, as this could allow certain predators into the space. It is also constructed in a way that prevents predators from climbing, chewing, or digging their way into the space, which means all materials are robust. You can read more about predator-proof living spaces for avian residents here.
Indoor living spaces for turkeys must provide enough space and proper traction for residents to move around comfortably and safely. The space must protect residents from the elements year-round and be set up so that you can maintain it at a safe and comfortable temperature while still providing proper ventilation. Turkeys instinctively want to sleep off the ground, so you must provide appropriate opportunities for them to do this (which will look different for large breed versus non-large breed turkeys), and actively laying females will also need cozy spots for nesting (you can find guidance on what to do with your residents’ eggs here). Given how common foot and joint issues are in large breed turkeys, extra attention should be paid to flooring and bedding to ensure they will provide appropriate traction and be easy on the feet and joints.
Outdoor living spaces must provide residents with enough space and opportunities to perform natural behaviors (such as foraging and dust bathing) and must provide appropriate protection from diurnal threats. During warm weather, outdoor spaces should include ample opportunities for residents to cool off and get out of the sun. To learn more about creating living spaces for turkey residents, check out our resource here.
Providing appropriate living spaces is just one part of the equation. You also need to keep it clean and properly maintained to ensure your residents’ continued comfort, safety, and health! You can read more about how to do this here.
Social Needs
Turkeys are highly social animals who have evolved to live in flocks with other turkeys. As prey animals, living in a flock setting offers more protection than living alone, so isolationIn medical and health-related circumstances, isolation represents the act or policy of separating an individual with a contagious health condition from other residents in order to prevent the spread of disease. In non-medical circumstances, isolation represents the act of preventing an individual from being near their companions due to forced separation. Forcibly isolating an individual to live alone and apart from their companions can result in boredom, loneliness, anxiety, and distress. can be very stressful for a turkey. However, while turkeys often do best when living with other turkeys, there are some important things to keep in mind when considering flock arrangements. While non-large breed turkeys can live in mixed-sex flocks (so long as everyone gets along and no one is being overmounted), large breed turkeys should be kept in same sex flocks. The reason for this is that large breed tomsMale turkeys (males) can seriously injure both large breed and non-large breed turkey hens if they attempt to mount them due to their heavy weight. Though non-large breed toms are smaller than their large breed counterparts, they could still seriously injure a large breed turkey hen in the process of mounting her by putting undue strain on her already compromised joints or by causing deep mounting wounds. Therefore, female large breed turkeys should not be housed with male turkeys, regardless of their breed.
You can read more about safe flock dynamics here and how to conduct turkey introductions here. If you are considering introducing a turkey resident to a member of a different species, this too must be done with careful thought. You can read more about this topic here.
Enrichment
It is easy to think that food, water, shelter, and veterinary care make up all of a resident’s basic needs, but enrichment is also an important aspect of basic care. It can be difficult to think of enrichment if you have many residents to care for or an endless list of tasks to finish, but enrichment can completely change the mental, emotional, and physical lives of residents for the better! You can read more about why enrichment is so important here, and you can find turkey-specific enrichment ideas here. These are just two of the many enrichment resources we offer, so be sure to browse our other offerings as well!
Safe Handling
If you’re caring for turkeys, you must know how to gently handle and restrain them. Gentle handling and restraint can be necessary for a variety of care-related tasks, but it should always be approached thoughtfully, with the individual’s safety and well-being in mind. Situations that may require gentle handling and restraint include performing health checks, closely evaluating an individual showing signs of concern, administering medications, or responding to an emergency. You can read more about gentle handling and restraint for turkeys here.
Health Care
A critical component of animal care consists of establishing practices and protocols that help keep residents healthy. Below, we’ll highlight some important health care practices for turkey residents.
Veterinary Care
Regardless of the species you care for, you must establish a relationship with a veterinarian who is comfortable working with that species and is experienced in their care. When it comes to turkeys and other farmed bird species, it can sometimes be difficult to find appropriate veterinary care. While it’s ideal if you can find a veterinarian who has experience working with companion turkeys or other farmed bird species, this may not always be possible. At the very least, we recommend finding a veterinarian who has experience with avian species. You can read a bit more about the challenges of finding veterinary care for sanctuary residents, as well as how to find appropriate veterinary care for your residents, here.
Your veterinarian will play a crucial role in providing care to residents who are injured or ill, and if residents require treatments, they can properly train you to administer them. If they feel it is appropriate, they can also train you to provide supportive care, such as administering subcutaneous fluids and gavage feeding (tube feeding), so that you are prepared to offer it under their guidance should one of your residents require it. Performing these skills requires proper training–improperly administering fluids or gavage feeding can have devastating consequences for the individual.
Your veterinarian can also assist you in establishing appropriate care practices for your residents that are tailored to their specific needs, which may include helping your sanctuary establish intake procedures and parasite screening strategies (such as routine fecal testing) and can let you know if any vaccinations are recommended. They can also help you create a biosecurity plan for your sanctuary and make recommendations for enhanced biosecurityMerck Veterinary Manual defines biosecurity as ”the implementation of measures that reduce the risk of the introduction and spread of disease agents [pathogens].” measures during periods of high risk, such as during an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or other infectious diseases that trigger government-mandated containment and eradication efforts. As residents grow old, they can also make specific recommendations to address their changing needs and any health challenges they face.
Daily Observation
While your veterinarian plays an essential role in your turkey residents’ health care, it’s also important to familiarize yourself with signs of health and signs of concern in turkeys so you can closely observe your residents for potential issues. This will increase the chances of catching and addressing health issues early. To learn more about using daily observation to monitor your residents’ health and well-being, check out our resource here.
Routine Health Checks
In addition to regular veterinary care and daily observation, it’s important to perform routine health checks on your residents. By thoroughly checking each resident regularly, you’ll learn what’s normal for them and will be better able to catch health concerns early. We recommend performing turkey health checks every 6-8 weeks. You can read more about what this entails here.
Nail, Spur, And Beak Care
A turkey’s nails, spurs, and beak are composed of keratin – the same protein that makes up our fingernails and toenails. And just like our nails, a turkey’s nails, spurs, and beak are always growing. As a result, trimming may be necessary to keep residents healthy and comfortable. To learn more about the factors that can affect how often these areas may need to be trimmed, how to assess whether they are overgrown, and how to bring them back to a normal length, check out our resource here.
Recordkeeping
With all of the very important aspects of turkey care, it can be easy to think of recordkeeping as being less of a priority, and when things are busy (which may be all the time!), recordkeeping may be the first thing to slip. However, consistently maintained records kept in a safe, well-organized location are critical for resident health and safety, as well as the safety and success of your sanctuary. Documenting resident health histories can help inform decisions for each individual and can also be used to benefit others. To learn more about the many benefits of regular health documentation, check out our resource here. You can also read about different record-keeping systems here.
While this resource just provides a brief overview of important turkey care topics, hopefully, it has given you a better idea of the care they require! Be sure to check out the links throughout this resource to learn more about caring for turkeys and providing them with the best life possible!
