a bit of 'planning in advance' help :)

[spish]

ok poults are now 7 weeks old and looking fantastic.. they out grew their first brooder quickly so have just moved into a taller one.
now i plan on keeping them inside now until at least march so they will be around 25 weeks by then (way past the 'danger zone' for putting poults outside on the ground.)

my question is..how, if they are being kept in all that time, can they build up their resistance to cocci/blackhead/whatever else is lurking out there..if they'd have never been exposed?
i dont want to put them outside in the middle of winter as im scared it will kill them with them still being young....and in all honest their enclosure will not be ready until then too!

 

[phaethona]

wow I can't imagine keeping them in a brooder that long. I'd probably suggest a plan B in case they outgrow the bigger booder before next spring

I don't really know about disease resistance, I personally always medicated my chicks' water as soon as I got them home and for 5-7 days after, I let them out at about 8-9 weeks, and(knock on wood) I've never had a single diseased chicken.

hopefully you get a better answer than mine

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i think the theory is to make sure their natural immunities are developed so they can handle the cocci and such. i could be wrong but i think they develop their immunities then they can build up the resistance.

potato? pototo? same thing said differently??

i think that after 2 or 3 months they should be ok. depending on the breed they are pretty winter hardy. our BR's love to be outside in the winter. and i think you are right, once you have a hard freeze they should be ok. however once it starts getting wet in the spring the cocci can bloom (if its warm). you might try contacting your local extension office and ask them what diseases are problems in your area. someone told me that blackhead can be regional.. and if its not in your region you might be out of those woods.

we have a huge problem with cocci here. sulmet is the best medicine if you notice any of the poults "huddling" - you'll know it when you see it.

good luck!

 

[spish]

we have a huge cocci problem here, we live on the edge of a river so the ground is always moist, and belgium is always humid so its just right for cocci (we battle it with all our young poultry every year) hence why im so worried about it. we tried with turkeys once already,bought at birth, kept inside until 11 weeks, put them out at 11 weeks old, by 13 weeks they were all dead, it was heartbreaking!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

wait! you are in BELGIUM!

wow! i havent been there for years.... and i just love it. have some chocolate for me! the stuff we have here in the states doesnt even compare.

and yes, if you have cocci there then better safe than sorry.

one of the turkey guys recommended adding gravel to the yard to help it drain and give them dry places to be. dont know if that would work for you or not

good luck!