Bread is a staple food for humans, but can our feathered friends enjoy it too? As a backyard turkey owner, you may be wondering if offering bread is safe and healthy for your birds. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and risks of feeding bread to turkeys and help you make an informed decision.
An Overview of Bread and Turkeys
Turkeys are omnivorous birds that enjoy a diverse diet of plants, seeds, insects and small animals in the wild. As for bread, it’s made from wheat flour, yeast, water and salt. Bread provides carbs, some protein, vitamins and minerals. But not all breads are created equal when it comes to nutrition. Whole grain and sprouted breads contain more fiber and nutrients than white bread.
Potential Benefits of Feeding Bread to Turkeys
Here are some potential benefits of offering bread to turkeys
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Energy source Bread can provide carbohydrates for energy The sugars and starches get converted to glucose,
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Protein source Bread contains some protein from the wheat flour typically around 5-10% protein depending on the type. More protein supports growth and egg production.
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Fiber source: Whole grain breads contain fiber which promotes gut health. Fiber also helps turkeys feel full.
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Vitamins and minerals: Bread can provide small amounts of B vitamins, iron, calcium and selenium. Enriched breads have added vitamins and minerals too.
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Palatability: Many turkeys seem to relish bread and view it as a treat. It encourages eating.
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Convenience: Bread is an easy household food to offer turkeys versus specialized poultry feed. Stale bread can be recycled.
Potential Risks of Feeding Bread to Turkeys
However, some risks and downsides also exist when offering bread to turkeys:
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Lower in protein: Bread is significantly lower in protein compared to commercial turkey feed or insects. Too much bread could lead to protein deficiency.
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Nutritional deficiencies: Bread lacks some key nutrients like vitamin E, choline, and others that support turkey health. Relying solely on bread would lead to deficiencies.
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Angel wing: Excess bread intake, especially by young turkeys, may contribute to angel wing which is a deformity of the wing joints that prevents flight.
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Poor calcium to phosphorus ratio: The ratio of these minerals is ideal at 2:1, but bread’s ratio is 1:1 which can impede bone health if fed excessively.
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Moldy bread can harbor toxins: Stale, moldy bread can contain mycotoxins that cause illness. Always discard moldy bread.
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Can obstruct the digestive tract: Large pieces of bread may clump together and block the gizzard. Soak or crumble bread before feeding.
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May attract pests: Uneaten bread may attract rodents, insects, and predators to the area that could harm the turkeys.
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May reduce natural foraging: Readily available bread decreases the turkeys’ natural foraging for a diverse diet.
Best Practices When Feeding Bread to Turkeys
If offering bread, here are some tips to minimize risks and maximize benefits:
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Limit bread intake: Bread should be no more than 5-10% of the total diet. The bulk of the diet should still be quality poultry feed and treats like vegetables, fruits and insects.
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Avoid moldy bread: Discard any stale, moldy bread as it contains toxins. Stick to fresh loaves.
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Select nutrient-dense breads: Choose whole grain, sprouted and enriched breads which offer more nutrition per serving compared to plain white bread.
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Soak or crumble the bread: Make it easier to digest by soaking in water or broth or tearing it into small pieces before feeding.
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Supervise feeding: Don’t leave bread out unattended. This prevents gorging and saves unused portions from spoiling or attracting pests.
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Have a feeding routine: Offer bread only at designated feeding times rather than free-feeding. This helps control portions.
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Analyze droppings: Monitor the turkeys’ droppings to ensure the bread is digesting well and not causing digestive upset.
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Assess body condition: Weigh birds regularly and feel the breastbone to ensure they are maintaining good growth and weight.
Healthy Bread Options for Turkeys
Focusing on more nutrient-dense breads provides more nutritional bang for your buck when feeding turkeys. Here are some healthy bread options:
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Whole wheat bread: Higher protein and fiber than white bread. Provides B vitamins, magnesium, iron, selenium.
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Sprouted grain bread: Made from sprouted grains. More vitamins and digestibility.
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Oatmeal bread: Contains oats with soluble fiber to promote gut health.
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Multigrain and seeded bread: Packed with additional grains like quinoa, flax and chia for fiber, protein and omega-3s.
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Fruit and vegetable bread: Breads containing fruits/veggies provide extra vitamins and antioxidants.
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Enriched bread: White bread with added vitamins and minerals like iron, B vitamins and folic acid.
The Verdict on Bread for Turkeys
In conclusion, bread can be included as a supplemental treat for turkeys, but should not become a diet staple. Prioritize poultry feed, treats like fresh produce, and opportunities to forage naturally. When offering bread, select nutritious varieties, limit intake, and monitor the birds closely. With some precautions, bread can be an occasional, safe treat that turkeys relish. Moderation and variety is key when incorporating human foods like bread into your turkey’s diet.
Bread – 28
Turkeys – 27
Protein – 7
Nutrients – 6
Diet – 6
Digestion – 4
Fiber – 4
Vitamins – 4
Health – 4
Risks – 3
Benefits – 3
Feeding – 3
Minerals – 3
Treat – 3
Grain – 2
Stale – 2
Moldy – 2
Whole – 2
Forage – 2
Ratio – 2
Body – 2
Gizzard – 2
Pests – 2
Deficiency – 2
Condition – 2
Excess – 2
Obstruct – 2
Palatability – 1
Convenience – 1
Deformity – 1
Mycotoxins – 1
Droppings – 1
Routine – 1
Turkeys Eat Bugs
Turkeys will gobble up insects any time theyâre available, but the birds particularly target them in the late spring into summer. Hens require the protein found in grasshoppers, beetles, grubs, and the like to produce eggs. Poults feed almost exclusively on insects after hatching and for the first several weeks of life. With that in mind, ideal brood habitat is fairly openâthink hayfields, food plots, and very early successional habitatâbut with good escape cover nearby.
But turkeys donât just âbugâ in the spring. Youâre likely to see them chasing invertebrates anytime the weather allows. During the early spring hunting season, itâs always a good idea to scout for turkeys wherever thereâs early greenery. Sunny creek bottoms and south-facing slopes warm up and green up earliest, and thatâs where the earliest insect activity will be concentrated, too. And you can bet turkeys will be nearby.
A hen turkey leads her poults into a greenfield to look for insects to eat. (Photo/Adobe Stock)
In addition to the bugs found on a south-facing slope in the early spring, turkeys love to pick on the greens themselves. They feast on legumes like clover and alfalfa, making many food plots and hayfields all the more attractive, in addition to the insects they provide. And speaking of food plots, few are more attractive than the shoots of newly sprouted cereal grains, like wheat and oats. In the wild, turkeys pick and pluck at many of the same forbs preferred by whitetails. So, again, in the early spring, simply finding the areas that are greening up with tender shoots, whether that is an ag field, food plot, or naturally growing forbs, is a great way to find birds.
What Do Turkey Eat? Table of Contents
- What Do Turkeys Eat? Four Favorite Foods
- Turkeys Eat Bugs
- Tender Greens Are Important Early
- Turkeys Eat Hard and Soft Mast
- Seeds and Grain
- How Knowing What Turkey Eat Helps Your Hunting
feeding the turkeys bread
FAQ
Is bread okay for turkeys?
Simply, bread fills up a small stomach in a hurry. The bird doesn’t know the food is useless, but leaves feeling full and satisfied, nonetheless. This is a deadly combination of factors, considering how many calories birds need to eat in order to survive.
What is a turkey’s favorite food?
Turkeys, being omnivores, eat just about anything, with favorites including bugs, tender greens, acorns, berries, corn, soybeans, sorghum, milo, sunflowers, chufa, and other seeds and grains.
What foods can turkeys not eat?
- Avocados
- Tomato and eggplant leaves
- Beans (raw or dried)
- Fruit pits and seeds
- Onions
- Processed foods
- Raw meat
- Anything dairy
What is the best thing to feed turkeys?
Whole corn works best; cracked corn is not good because of mold. Soybeans are also a good high-energy supplementary food source.
Can turkeys eat meat?
Yes, they can. Turkeys are omnivores and that means they eat animal and vegetable matter. Turkeys can eat all kinds of fresh meat, be it from mammals, other birds, reptiles, amphibians, or insects.
Is honey wheat bread safe to eat?
Honey wheat bread is a good and healthy option to replace white bread, as it is a good source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and protein, which are essential for maintaining energy levels, promoting digestive health, and building and maintaining muscle mass. It is important to choose brands that contain whole wheat flour and to avoid those that contain added sugars or artificial additives.
What do turkeys eat?
Turkeys are omnivores and that means they eat animal and vegetable matter. Turkeys can eat all kinds of fresh meat, be it from mammals, other birds, reptiles, amphibians, or insects. Can Turkeys Eat Mushrooms?
Can turkeys eat eggs?
Yes, turkeys can and will eat eggs. Eggs are extremely nutritious for turkeys, but any that you deliberately give them should be scrambled and thoroughly cooked in order to avoid promoting egg cannibalism in your flock. They might start eating their own! Can Turkeys Eat Fruit? Yes, turkeys can eat all kinds of fruit.
Can turkeys eat beans?
Eggplants are another nightshade plant, making them unsafe for turkeys. Eating of these leaves and vines can lead to the same symptoms as eating potato or tomato leaves: loss of appetite, dilated pupils, and paralysis. Death is possible if large quantities are eaten. 7. Uncooked Beans
Can turkeys eat cooked rice?
Cooked rice is a safe and beneficial food for turkeys that can bulk up other foods. It’s a good source of carbohydrates and minerals, both providing necessary energy for your turkey. Also, you can give your turkeys uncooked rice as a treat or enrichment food: it is harder to digest, but it won’t make them explode like the urban legends claim!