Baby Turkey wont eat!!!

[jaseg]

Hi, I brought home two baby turkeys from the co-op this morning and one had no trouble getting into the water and feed, the other just sits in the straw and sleeps. I tried getting it to eat, but it wont even acknowledge the feed. Any thoughts or Ideas?

 

[hinkjc]

Baby turkeys can be hard to start. Some people put baby chicks in with them and they show the turkeys. Also, using marbles in the food and water are sometimes helpful. And sometimes there is just nothing you can do to get them to eat...this is known as a starve-out and he likely won't make it. I'm so sorry. It sounds like you are trying so hard.

Jody

 

[bobbieguyette]

sometimes its hard to get them to eat one thing that will help ( i have raised turkeys for 8 yrs now )is i make a mash mix grain with a bit of water and keep tapping the side of the dish copying a momma hen that will make a tapping noise helps with water too sometimes people will put a chick in with them to help them out I also have put many a slow starting poult in my lap with the mush and give them a bit with a syring or baby spoon to help them figure out the food give that a try and hope it helps

 

[jaseg]

UPDATE!

Sorry I didn't write sooner, I've been very busy around here with all the new Chicks hens and Pig. I want to say thank you for your advise the marbles and the tapping worked perfectly. The tapping mimics the sound of other birds eating, I love it...laughs! Turkeys are getting bigger and are perfectly healthy. Nobody told me that they would follow me around the yard like curious puppies though..haha! They want to see everything I'm doing. I'll post some pics of them as soon as I figure out how to get the ashes off their feathers.

I was burning some left over scraps of wood in a recycled wheel barrow and the Turkeys were rolling in the ashes the next day, I don't know if it is safe to give them a warm bath in a large bucket I have, any ideas?

 

[birdlover]

Hi! So glad your turkeys are fine now!!! I actually know NOTHING about turkeys BUT I do know chickens and I know that ashes are good for them to roll in as it helps keep mites and lice away. If it were me, I'd just let them be and not bathe them. They'll shake their feathers and preen and be back to their beautiful selves before long! Are they white, btw?? (or should I say...WERE they?? LOL )

Ellen

 

[jaseg]

They were White!!!! laughs, thanks for the response!

 

[Crazy Mama]

I just came home last night with another chick and my first baby turkey instead of what I went for, (not the first time) and these suggestions are really helpful, I hope I won't have to use them but it's nice to know I can always come back if I do have any problems.