Feeding turkeys

[Spurhunter]

What have you guys tried in a feeder that worked well for the turkeys? I refuse to put out corn due to aflatoxins. I'd love to use milo but it is so small I'm afraid it would just run through the feeder. I thought about mixing wheat with milo. Anyone tried that?

 

[prstide]

If you're in the CWD zone I don't believe you can legally feed with anything. I could be wrong though.

 

[Spurhunter]

If you're in the CWD zone I don't believe you can legally feed with anything. I could be wrong though.

I have a deer lease in the CWD Zone, but my turkey lease is not. You are correct though. No feeding in CWD zone.

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[catman529]

Have you looked into planting chufa? I've heard it's really good


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[timberjack86]

Never fed anything but a barnyard turkey. They eat gamebird feed from the co op. Might try that for wild birds.

 

[Spurhunter]

Have you looked into planting chufa? I've heard it's really good

I've been wanting to plant some for a long time. I know it's expensive and difficult to get going. Someday I will try it.

 

[Spurhunter]

Never fed anything but a barnyard turkey. They eat gamebird feed from the co op. Might try that for wild birds.

A friend of mine suggested "chicken scratch" from the co op. I'm guessing this is the same thing? If it won't run through my feeder it should work.

 

[prstide]

I used this to get pictures of birds, prior to season, on my trail cameras several years ago. Tractor Supply had it then I found it at R&J Feed Supply in south Jackson for cheaper.

https://www.purinamills.com/chicken-feed/products/detail/purina-organic-scratch-grains

It's at least organic so you know you're not introducing something that's pumped full of chemicals etc.

 

[Spurhunter]

I used this to get pictures of birds, prior to season, on my trail cameras several years ago. Tractor Supply had it then I found it at R&J Feed Supply in south Jackson for cheaper.

https://www.purinamills.com/chicken-feed/products/detail/purina-organic-scratch-grains

It's at least organic so you know you're not introducing something that's pumped full of chemicals etc.

Good info. Thanks!

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[ADR]

What have you guys tried in a feeder that worked well for the turkeys? I refuse to put out corn due to aflatoxins. I'd love to use milo but it is so small I'm afraid it would just run through the feeder. I thought about mixing wheat with milo. Anyone tried that?

I've never tried to feed it to wildlife but I previously grew and harvested milo for production. It is a very heavy grain the doesn't "flow" very well. Some grains like corn seem to be more likely to shift and settle, not so much with milo. You could climb in and stand on it when in hopper bottom trucks and your feet wouldn't even sink into it.

I don't know if that changes your mind on trying to put it in a feeder but thought you may want that tid bit of info.

 

[Spurhunter]

What have you guys tried in a feeder that worked well for the turkeys? I refuse to put out corn due to aflatoxins. I'd love to use milo but it is so small I'm afraid it would just run through the feeder. I thought about mixing wheat with milo. Anyone tried that?

I've never tried to feed it to wildlife but I previously grew and harvested milo for production. It is a very heavy grain the doesn't "flow" very well. Some grains like corn seem to be more likely to shift and settle, not so much with milo. You could climb in and stand on it when in hopper bottom trucks and your feet wouldn't even sink into it.

I don't know if that changes your mind on trying to put it in a feeder but thought you may want that tid bit of info.

Yes, that is good info. Thanks. So, do you think it would work in a feeder or no? I know it works in a small hopper seed spreader.

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[megalomaniac]

My only experience is running feeders during deer season here in MS. Corn just doesn't seem to be so magical as everyone says. We have turkeys on our deer lease, and they only rarely hit the corn feeders. I'm not sure why they aren't under them every day, but they just don't seem that interested in it. I did kill a gobbler in TN on one of my farms whose crop was slap full of whole kernel corn, however. And he was killed about 400yds from the property line (yes, I know 400y is nothing for a turkey).

 

[ADR]

What have you guys tried in a feeder that worked well for the turkeys? I refuse to put out corn due to aflatoxins. I'd love to use milo but it is so small I'm afraid it would just run through the feeder. I thought about mixing wheat with milo. Anyone tried that?

I've never tried to feed it to wildlife but I previously grew and harvested milo for production. It is a very heavy grain the doesn't "flow" very well. Some grains like corn seem to be more likely to shift and settle, not so much with milo. You could climb in and stand on it when in hopper bottom trucks and your feet wouldn't even sink into it.

I don't know if that changes your mind on trying to put it in a feeder but thought you may want that tid bit of info.

Yes, that is good info. Thanks. So, do you think it would work in a feeder or no? I know it works in a small hopper seed spreader.

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I think it would be worth a try but just keep in mind that in a small seed hopper you are moving and jostling the seed around vs a stationary feeder. I could see it getting clogged.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Sunflower seeds. They love them

 

[REN]

my buddy use to use winter wheat seed and it worked really well for him in the winter time, then come sprint he would have a small food plot for a little while

 

[woodsman04]

Any grain could contain alfatoxins, it doesn't have to be corn. It's just a fungus that can grow in any kind of decaying grain or vegetation. It glows in a black light if you were to buy some feed and shine a black light on it.

If you do feed turkeys preseason, best thing to do is fill up a five gallon bucket of whatever grain and broadcast it out by hand. This helps keep it spread out and getting molded like so often it gets in grain bins or feeders where moisture may get in.

I'm not a turkey feeder though, so really no help.

Chufa has always been tough to grow for me. I've seen it do well in south Alabama and Florida, but their soil is sandy and that's what chufa likes.

I think one of the best food plots for turkeys grain wise, is to leave corn, sorghum or millet standing all winter, then bush hogging some strips every so often.

I'm also partial to planting a variety of clovers, they love the clover it self plus the insects that get in them.


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[Spurhunter]

I'm also partial to planting a variety of clovers, they love the clover it self plus the insects that get in them.

I am a big fan of clover as well. I've never wanted to take on the challenge and cost of chufa so I plant clover.


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[catman529]

I'm also partial to planting a variety of clovers, they love the clover it self plus the insects that get in them.

I am a big fan of clover as well. I've never wanted to take on the challenge and cost of chufa so I plant clover.


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I've killed many birds with clover in their crop. They love the stuff


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[CritterGitter]

We always would sling corn chop in the woods to draw them in the off season. Whole corn gets eaten by deer. Not sure about a feeder though

 

[Spurhunter]

We always would sling corn chop in the woods to draw them in the off season. Whole corn gets eaten by deer. Not sure about a feeder though

Chops has always worked great for me as well, but that was before I knew about aflatoxins.

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