Failing at this turkey thing???

[ChickyMudder]

Am I failing at turkeys? I have raised chickens for decades. I did my research. I prepped the brooder. I tested the ceramic heat source to a temp of 95 degrees. I gave the poults room temp electrolyte water. I used a high contrast surface to introduce food. I gave them 30% protein crumbles. I gave them a baby chick to remind them to eat and drink.

But they are all huddled up as if they are cold. I have a govee wifi hygrometer that texts me the temp. It says 101 to 104! But they are still huddled up. Whats going on?
Are they cold?
Nobody is panting….
Are they scared and huddled?
Will they overheat?

Thanks in advance

 

[Molpet]

where is the temperature probe located?

I see a white box under poults, could be getting warm from them and sending false reading of brooder.

 

[ChickyMudder]

The white box is my govee thermometer.
My son thought it might be wrong so I added another. They match.

Do the chicks look cold? I mean, does that look like a cold huddle?

 

[Molpet]

The white box is my govee thermometer.
My son thought it might be wrong so I added another. They match.

Do the chicks look cold? I mean, does that look like a cold huddle?

they peep loudly when cold, if they aren't yelling they could be just taking comfort from each other

 

[R2elk]

The white box is my govee thermometer.
My son thought it might be wrong so I added another. They match.

Do the chicks look cold? I mean, does that look like a cold huddle?

If the poults are laying on the sensor, it will give their body temperature reading rather than the actual temperature of the brooder..

 

[R2elk]

Am I failing at turkeys? I have raised chickens for decades. I did my research. I prepped the brooder. I tested the ceramic heat source to a temp of 95 degrees. I gave the poults room temp electrolyte water. I used a high contrast surface to introduce food. I gave them 30% protein crumbles. I gave them a baby chick to remind them to eat and drink.

But they are all huddled up as if they are cold. I have a govee wifi hygrometer that texts me the temp. It says 101 to 104! But they are still huddled up. Whats going on?
Are they cold?
Nobody is panting….
Are they scared and huddled?
Will they overheat?

Thanks in advance

You need a bigger brooder. They need room to come and go from the heated and non heated areas.

They do not need the heated area to be 95°F. I start mine at 90°F measured at the bedding level. I recommend using a thermometer that has a wired probe. It will not be as attractive to them to lay on as the unit you are using.

Your poults do not look cold and are not "huddling", they really don't have the room to get away from each other. Because the poults are laying on the sensor, you do not know what the brooder temperature is.

 

[ChickyMudder]

You need a bigger brooder. They need room to come and go from the heated and non heated areas.

They do not need the heated area to be 95°F. I start mine at 90°F measured at the bedding level. I recommend using a thermometer that has a wired probe. It will not be as attractive to them to lay on as the unit you are using.

Your poults do not look cold and are not "huddling", they really don't have the room to get away from each other. Because the poults are laying on the sensor, you do not know what the brooder temperature is.

The little box pictured was what they arrived in. I cut out the middle and let them run into this bigger brooder as a transition to my xxl brooder.

Im only keeping 5 and they will go into the xxl brooder after they are all eating and drinking well.

Ill put a probe thermometer on my list.

Thank you!

 

[ChickyMudder]

I think this brooder will easily fit 5 poults. Not sure about keeping both heating plates. If turkeys are what everyone says they are, they might get lost.

 

[Molpet]

I think this brooder will easily fit 5 poults. Not sure about keeping both heating plates. If turkeys are what everyone says they are, they might get lost.

I had 2 poults and 6 chicks in a 2x4ft horse tank. Lasted about 3 wks. They started flying out at 2

 

[Tonyroo]

Brooder is to small for that many chicks plus the poop accumulated would make them sick from the fumes. But they don't look cold they have no where to go.