Radishes are quite the popular vegetables liked by some people and ignored by others because of their peppery yet bland taste.
It is not a surprise that radishes are safe for turkeys to eat as it is healthy and safe for them to eat.
Radishes provide a number of health benefits including water and vitamins to your turkeys.
Also, unlike some vegetables and fruits, radishes are the full package as turkeys can also eat their leaves as they are non-toxic.
This article will discuss radishes and their relation to turkeys and also answer most of your questions on the issue.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Radish To Turkeys?
- Water
Radishes are quite high in water content and this is especially helpful to the turkeys.
It helps them to remain hydrated even during the hot periods.
You give them water to drink, yes, but it is also helpful to feed them foods that will help them stay hydrated.
- Anthocyanins
Radishes are a good source of anthocyanins. This mineral helps to keep the heart in good working order and promotes easy blood flow in your turkeys.
- Fiber
Radishes will aid the digestion process of the turkeys. With its high fiber content, it will help prevent diarrhea and induce bowel movement in your birds.
- Potassium
Radishes contain potassium, which aids in blood pressure regulation and has a calming effect on the blood. The turkeys will be less stressed as a result of this.
- Vitamins
Radishes are high in vitamin content especially vitamins A, C, E and K.
Weather changes are unavoidable for turkeys.
They may become ill as a result of this. Due to the high vitamin C content of radishes, feeding it to them can help prevent illness and boost immunity.
Here is an article I wrote on what do turkeys eat
How Often Should I Feed Them Radish?
Radishes, like other vegetables and treats, should be fed to turkeys in moderate amounts.
Radishes are not a dietary staple for them, so they should only be given as a snack from time to time.
The turkeys digestive tract can become irritated if they consume too many radishes.
As a result, radishes should be fed to them twice a week at the maximum.
It is important to rotate radishes with other vegetables and treats to keep the turkeys from getting bored with about the same food all the time.
As I’ve mentioned in my other posts, feeding of treats should always be limited to 10% of the turkeys diet as it helps to ensure they eat their commercial feed and get a balanced healthy nutrition all the time.
Can Baby Turkeys Eat Radish?
Baby turkeys can eat radishes from time to time. Unlike their parents and turkey adults, it is not easy for them to radish as they can be a tough vegetable to eat.
If you are going to feed radishes to turkey poults, first ensure they already have enough grit in their gizzard to digest the tough vegetable.
That is why it is important to wait at least six weeks before feeding other foods to them.
You can also cook the radishes slightly and cut into smaller bits to make it quite palatable for them to eat.
Can Wild Turkeys Eat Radish?
Wild turkeys will eat radishes if they happen to get around them.
You have probably hear that wild turkeys will eat anything they can get their beaks on.
That is true as many farmers who have radish plots report seeing the wild turkeys around their patch.
They usually love the sprouts, tops and seeds. Wild turkey hunters have also reported finding radish greens in the crops of wild turkeys they killed especially during autumn.
Can Turkeys Eat Radish Leaves?
Yes, turkeys adore radish and radish leaves; they will literally go absolutely nuts for them.
What’s more, because radish contains a lot of water, it will keep your turkeys nourished and hydrated.
Radish leaves are also perfectly safe for your turkeys to eat as they do not contain the toxic solanine compound found in the leaves of most plants and vegetables.
And it would be ideal if you could cut the leaves into smaller bits to make it much easier for them to eat before feeding them.
Also check out this article I wrote on feeding turkeys with strawberries
Can Turkeys Eat Radish Tops?
Radish tops also known as greens are also quite edible for turkeys to eat.
Most humans usually toss out that part of the vegetable as they believe it is not exactly adding anything to their meals.
Since your turkeys are good eaters, you can cut the tops and then feed to the turkeys as they would enjoy eating it.
Make sure they are fresh and also thoroughly washed before feeding them to avoid causing sickness.
You can also slightly cook the radish tops to make it more delicious for the turkeys to eat.
Things To Watch Out For Before Feeding Them Radish?
Before feeding radishes to your turkeys, have it in mind that radishes are a treat and should be fed to them only in moderation.
Yes, radishes are healthy vegetables and contain quite a number of important nutrients.
However, it cannot provide the turkeys with all the nutrients they need and require.
In addition, if you have not been feeding radishes to your turkeys then you should start out with little and see how they react to it.
You can cut a radish into small pieces and see if they go for it. If it is a success, then you can introduce it into their diet and incorporate it with other foods you will be giving them.
Excess feeding of radishes can cause your birds to get ill. Always wash the leaves and vegetable itself before feeding to avoid them getting sick from contamination.
How Can I Feed Radish To My Turkeys?
Turkeys can eat radishes whether raw or cooked, though some might be picky and prefer the cooked version.
To make it easier for them to eat, ensure you chop up the greens or leaves into small chunks before feeding it to them.
During the hot summer months, soaking the radish provides more water content to keep the turkeys hydrated.
To add some variation, you can also cook the radishes with other vegetables and feed the mix in their feeder.
Conclusion
Radishes are one of the more healthy vegetables that you can feed your turkey flock from time to time.
It has quite the nutritional value most important of which is water and this helps them to stay hydrated especially during the warm months.
As a flock owner, it is important that you balance out your turkeys’ diet and incorporate radishes into it without upsetting the balance.
Radish feeding should remain in moderation.
You can feed them raw or cooked radishes as long as they take to it and the leaves are totally safe for them to eat too.
