Any experienced heritage turkey keepers willing to give tips to a beginner?

[njduck]

At 5 days old my turkeys go into a rabbit hutch outside if it is going to drop below 60 I put a light inside for heat. The rabbit hutch has a wire mesh floor. So all waste goes on the ground. The stay dry and clean. They stay in there until they are a foot high then get moved in with the adults. They free range with chickens and ducks. I hatch out ducklings at the same time and put 1 in with the turkey poults to teach them about food and water. I also put a marble in the water they will peck at it. I don't use any DE, however I try to lime the ground every 6 months. This is to keep pests away. Bugs don't like lime. I also like to make sure there are no worms to eat. Keep the pests away and there are no problems to treat or prevent.

That gasping for air is called gapping. It is from worms. The best solution is to get rid of the worms. Each area has its own problems to over come. See what it is in your area

 

[frank53061]

That sounds like a great idea using the lime I might have to try that as well,
I did read here that you have to be care full of how much and what kind to use because of burning the feet of the chickens or turkeys.
I don't know i will have to do more research here in Arkansas were I live we have a red clay soil.
But you are absolutely right remove the worms from the area and you eliminate the problem.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[ivan3]

Some info. on lime: http://www.irishlime.com/pdfs/Practical Guidelines on the Use of Lime.pdf

 

[frank53061]

Great information thanks.

Let me ask do you use your basic Quick Lime or there is other types that can be used there is a yellow basic lime that has almost a rotten egg smell for a short amount of time or have you used pellettized lime.

Also do you remove the litter from the ground in the run after being treated with Lime.
I guess Im asking what prosses you do for a smaller set up not commercial.

You have been a great source of Information Thanks for all your help.

 

[njduck]

I use pelletized lime. Since I have dirt floor runs and buildings it goes every where right after a good clean out. I will use a hose to dissolve it inside and do it right before a good rain out side. When I do a small pen I make sure there are no birds in it. When I do the larger pens which are a half acre I just spread it. They eat a few pieces then leave it alone. Also really helps out the grass after all the poop that has been dropped on it

 

[frank53061]

Great Information thanks.
I will have to try that with my coops and pens.

 

[Cottage Rose]

I use Oxine after cleaning bedding.

 

[ButchGood]

Ive been keeping my Turkeys with the chickens. No problems so far. I put mine outside at 3 weeks old along with 11 RIR rooster that came with them as "packing peanuts" They all live together with my big chickens. They all free range together and I havn't had any bad experiences with them at all. They are now 7 or 8 weeks old. Happy and healthy and just now starting to strut and get all red faced. Fun fun fun.

 

[ButchGood]

Got a question about free ranging Turkeys. I have a little over 1.5 acres fenced at 6 ft. high that my 13 Chickens and 4 BBB Turkeys Free Range. The BBB's I'm not to concerned about jumping the fence. Right now at 7 to8 weeks they stay very close to the house and the coop. They really don't like to venture out to the fence line. I figured they will be to fat to jump the fence before to long. But I'm getting a trio of Heritage birds next spring. I know these guys can hop a 6 footer without a problem. My question is, do they generally come back? Do they realize once they jump the fence they have to jump it again to get back in? I'm planning on getting day old poults and have them imprint on me and my property. Some folks say they stay in the yard and are homebodies, others say they have to go fetch their birds out from the neighbors yard. Where I live, I really don't care if they jump the fence from time to time. As long as they come back to the security of my property line in the evening.

 

[Morabilityranch]

So glad to find this thread I am also a newbie to Turkeys, I just bought 10 White Holland babies. I am keeping them seprerated from my chickens right now because of all the things I have read about. I know others in my area that keep turkeys and chickens together and have never had problems but am thinking about making my Turkeys their own huge pen away from my chickens just to be on safe side.