Turkeys are a nice addition to backyard poultry.
They are social creatures and make good company.
They are friendly and respond well to treats.
They particularly enjoy fruits and vegetables as treats but not all fruits and vegetables are good for them.
Can turkeys eat carrots? Fortunately, turkeys can eat carrots. If you enjoy eating carrots and you are wondering if you can share them with your turkeys, it is absolutely okay.
Not only do turkeys enjoy eating carrots, carrots are healthy and packed with nutrients that helps them grow well.
Carrots should however be fed moderately to turkeys.
They cannot replace their main food as they do not contain all the nutrients they require daily.
Too many of it can also lead to one digestive issues.
They should also be cut into small pieces so that turkeys don’t choke while eating.
Are carrots healthy for turkeys?
Yes, carrots are healthy for turkeys.
They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that will boosts their immune systems and help them stay healthy.
Carrots are low in calories, helps your turkeys stay hydrated and also aids their digestion, so they are quite healthy for them.
Related: Can turkey eat grapes
What are the health benefits of carrots?
Carrots contain a lot of health benefits and I’ll be talking about some.
✓ A balanced growth.
Carrots are rich sources of vitamin A which is necessary if you want your turkeys to grow healthy and live long to their full potential.
Vitamin A gives your turkeys better immune response and disease resistant.
Giving your turkeys carrots occasionally as treats further equips them with the vitamin A they need.
A deficiency of this vitamin can cause stunted growth, uncoordinated movements, ruffled feathers and high mortality rate in poults.
✓ Hydration.
A medium carrot contains about 88% of water.
This is beneficial to your turkeys.
It ensures they stay hydrated and that they are able to digest their food properly with no fear of choking.
A dehydrated turkey can develop other health issues which can be fatal.
✓ Blood clotting.
This is very important.
Carrots contain Vitamin K which helps in clotting of blood.
A deficiency in this can make turkeys bleed excessively when they have minor injuries. Eggs laid by breeders that are deficient
Related: Here is an article I wrote on can turkeys eat watermelon
Can turkeys eat raw carrots?
Yes, turkeys can eat raw carrots.
Ensure you wash them properly under a running water and cut them into small pieces before feeding it to them.
Raw carrots contain potassium, beta carotene and antioxidants that will boost the immune systems of your turkeys.
When eaten with other foods, carrots will help your turkeys better absorb the minerals in those foods.
Can turkeys eat cooked carrots?
Yes, turkeys can eat cooked carrots. It is infact better than raw ones.
Cooking carrots make them more nutritious and beneficial to the health of your turkeys.
More beta carotene is released when carrots are cooked and beta carotene can produce vitamin A in your turkeys.
You can even cook the carrots with other healthy vegetables so that your turkeys can get other necessary nutrients from the serving.
You should note however, boiling carrots for a long time can reduce their vitamin content. You should avoid this.
Also avoid adding sweeteners, spices or preservatives. They may harm your turkeys.
Can turkeys eat carrot tops?
Yes, turkeys can eat carrot tops. Infact, they love them.
Carrot tops also called carrot greens are contain a lot of nutrients.
They have more vitamin C than roots and more potassium and calcium.
Not only can your turkeys benefit from eating carrot tops, carrot leaves and peels are also healthy for them.
Carrot leaves contains protein which is the largest nutrient requirement of poults in order to grow healthy.
Carrots indeed are lovely fruits you should definitely add to your turkeys’ diets.
Also here is a comprehensive guide on how to raise turkeys
Can turkeys eat canned carrots?
Canned carrots are not healthy. Infact staying clear of canned foods is best if you care about your health.
Now, if canned foods aren’t good for your health, they definitely aren’t good for your turkeys too.
Canned carrots contain sodium which can cause dehydration in turkeys.
If you’re going to feed them canned carrots at all, then go for unsalted ones.
Canned carrots also contain preservatives and seasonings that may not agree with the digestive systems of your turkeys.
Oil is also used to pack carrots inside the can.
Consuming this can make your turkeys overweight and develop health issues.
Depending on the type of oil used, the outcome could even be worse.
Can turkeys eat vegetables?
Yes, turkeys can eat vegetables.
Turkeys love to forage and eat whatever they come across, plants, insects, rodents, snakes, lizards etc.
They are omnivores which means they equally eat plants and animals.
Turkeys enjoy eating vegetables and other plants while foraging.
You can also decide to add vegetables to their treats.
Lettuce, spinach, carrots, cabbages etc. are some of the vegetables you can feed your turkeys.
Vegetables are good sources of vitamin K and protein which helps your turkeys to grow healthy.
They are also packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants that helps their body fight infections.
Conclusion.
Carrots are vegetables turkeys enjoy eating.
They are packed with vitamins, minerals and other antioxidants that that are very beneficial to their health.
Turkeys have better digestion when they eat carrots, they also grow better and their blood clots properly.
Turkeys can eat both raw and cooked carrots but cooked ones are better.
They are more chewable because they are softer, they contain more nutrients.
Carrot tops, leaves and peels are also edible for turkeys.
Canned carrots should not be fed to turkeys.
They contain sodium, preservatives and oil which aren’t good for them.
In addition to carrots, turkeys can also eat other vegetables like cabbage, lettuce etc.
References.
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/vitamin-recommendations-and-requirements-for-turkeys
