New poults, not interested in food

[SlipsWife]

We brought home 6 poults from a local feed store. They ordered a hatchery assortment from Privett and aren't sure of the breeds. I'm 99% sure one breed is Bourbon Reds, I think the 2nd breed is Narragansett but there are a number of breeds that look the same and their feathers aren't long enough to tell for sure.

More than likely they hatched Tuesday and we picked them up Wednesday. Do they have the same 3 days as chicks? Should we offer them egg yolks?

We had 2 poults last year but they were in with chicks. We only had them for a week but no issues. I was going to get more chicks to put in with them but TSC was out already.

Any suggestions on how to encourage them to eat? I've read they will actually 'starve out' and not eat, I'm just not sure at what point to become concerned.

 

[SlipsWife]

 

[kuntrygirl]

When did you get them? Where is your feeder? I don't see it in the pic. Do they have crumble?

I have a section on this.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/512320/how-do-i-get-the-poults-to-eat/10

Turkeys 101 - New To Turkeys (What Do I Need To Know?)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-turkeys-what-do-i-need-to-know#post_11309891

I hope this helps. They will need to eat ASAP or they will die. And yes I would offer egg yolks. If you have colored marbles, I would put the marbles in with the food.

PLEASE keep me posted.

GOod luck.

 

[Hounds51]

We brought home 6 poults from a local feed store.  They ordered a hatchery assortment from Privett and aren't sure of the breeds.  I'm 99% sure one breed is Bourbon Reds, I think the 2nd breed is Narragansett but there are a number of breeds that look the same and their feathers aren't long enough to tell for sure.

More than likely they hatched Tuesday and we picked them up Wednesday.  Do they have the same 3 days as chicks?  Should we offer them egg yolks?

We had 2 poults last year but they were in with chicks.  We only had them for a week but no issues.  I was going to get more chicks to put in with them but TSC was out already.

Any suggestions on how to encourage them to eat?  I've read they will actually 'starve out' and not eat, I'm just not sure at what point to become concerned.

You might also give them some sugar water, and dip thier beaks in the water, then while the beak is wet, dip thier beaks into the food. hopefully they will get some into thier mouths and they should start eating. It may take a few times till they figure it out.

 

[SlipsWife]

When did you get them? Where is your feeder? I don't see it in the pic. Do they have crumble?

I have a section on this.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/512320/how-do-i-get-the-poults-to-eat/10

Turkeys 101 - New To Turkeys (What Do I Need To Know?)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-turkeys-what-do-i-need-to-know#post_11309891

I hope this helps. They will need to eat ASAP or they will die. And yes I would offer egg yolks. If you have colored marbles, I would put the marbles in with the food.

PLEASE keep me posted.

GOod luck.

Thank you for the links and ideas.

We got them yesterday morning, they hatched Tuesday.

I did get them to peck at my ring yesterday and eat a little bit of food that was in my hand. I was trying to figure out a way to get their attention with something similar to my ring. Foil never crossed my mind.

I'm going to cook them a few egg yolks. Right now we have them on paper towels with the feed sprinkled out and in piles, I'm going to try the foil. We have a metal base feeder somewhere that of course I can't find. I didn't realize how much being with chicks helped show them what to do last year. They are all drinking. The feed we have them on right now is 24% protein.

 

[retlaw]

When they are on paper towels like that sprinkling crumbs all around grabs their curious attention fast and they start to pick at them because the contrast between the white and the crumbs are so good.

 

[Lagerdogger]

I agree with retlaw. Sprinkle feed on the towels. Also, it is not uncommon to rarely see them eat. When I started with turkeys I was worried because I didn't see them eat like chicks. But the food magically disappeared and the poults got bigger.

 

[SlipsWife]

I do have it sprinkled out and in a pile on the paper towels. I think maybe they just weren't ready to eat yet. They've perked up this afternoon and we can finally tell they've ate some. I tried everything to get their attention yesterday and even tried leaving them alone. I'm still going to cook an egg yolk and give it to them.

If we ever get poults again, I'm going to start with the foil trick. They were spunky and loud yesterday, which is why I was shocked that they didn't want to eat. I think they like the brooder a little warmer than our chicks usually do. They weren't huddling together for warmth so I wasn't catching on...

ETA:
The sparse amount of food in the photos in not what I had out for them, its from before I put food in. They were pecking at poo in the bottom of the box before we left the feed store so one of the girls that works there sprinkled a little into the box. They didn't seem interested in the feed, but the poo is another story!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Great to hear that they have perked up! I hope they continue to strive.

Keep us posted.

 

[SlipsWife]

We lost one of the Narragansetts, if that's what they indeed are.

I'm not sure what happened. We were home, everyone was doing great. We left for a few hours, came back and it was just sitting in one place, not really responsive. With in a few minutes, it passed. They've been eating and drinking.