Best solution for lone turkey chick

[Isadora]

Hi guys,
I have 4 turkey chicks that are a couple weeks old, maybe almost 3 weeks.
3 out of the 4 have slipped tendons and I have been totally unsuccessful in fixing them, so I will have to cull them. The last chick is normal, no issues walking. This turkey will be processed for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, so it's not a pet.
Obviously the best solution for this bird would be to get some more turkey chicks for it, but I have been unable to get them locally.
I have pullets, cockerels, ducks, geese, meat birds, and goslings. Would any of these combos work as company for this turkey? What would be second best to him having other turkeys?

 

[R2elk]

Hi guys,
I have 4 turkey chicks that are a couple weeks old, maybe almost 3 weeks.
3 out of the 4 have slipped tendons and I have been totally unsuccessful in fixing them, so I will have to cull them. The last chick is normal, no issues walking. This turkey will be processed for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, so it's not a pet.
Obviously the best solution for this bird would be to get some more turkey chicks for it, but I have been unable to get them locally.
I have pullets, cockerels, ducks, geese, meat birds, and goslings. Would any of these combos work as company for this turkey? What would be second best to him having other turkeys?

Since it is going to be processed soon, a few chicks could keep your poult company for the time being.

Slipped tendon in broad breasted turkeys at a young age is usually caused by improper starter feed that is in particular too low in niacin and thiamine. One way to provide the necessary levels of thiamine and niacin is by dissolving one half tablet of vitamin B complex in one gallon of water. It should be their only source of water and it should be made fresh daily.

 

[Isadora]

Since it is going to be processed soon, a few chicks could keep your poult company for the time being.

Slipped tendon in broad breasted turkeys at a young age is usually caused by improper starter feed that is in particular too low in niacin and thiamine. One way to provide the necessary levels of thiamine and niacin is by dissolving one half tablet of vitamin B complex in one gallon of water. It should be their only source of water and it should be made fresh daily.

Thank you for your reply.
I've been feeding these poults game bird starter and they have rooster booster in their water. I thought that would give them adequate amounts of vitamins, but I guess not? My husband wondered if perhaps the store we got them from just gave them chick starter, and not something specifically for game birds, but who knows.
We are getting another batch of meatbirds (chickens) in the next week and a half or so. At that point, he will be quite a bit bigger than them, but I was wondering if maybe I could try to integrate him into that flock.

 

[R2elk]

Thank you for your reply.
I've been feeding these poults game bird starter and they have rooster booster in their water. I thought that would give them adequate amounts of vitamins, but I guess not? My husband wondered if perhaps the store we got them from just gave them chick starter, and not something specifically for game birds, but who knows.
We are getting another batch of meatbirds (chickens) in the next week and a half or so. At that point, he will be quite a bit bigger than them, but I was wondering if maybe I could try to integrate him into that flock.

Not all turkey or gamebird starters are created equally. I have seen manufacturers selling products labeled as turkey or gamebird starter that is as low as 24% protein. If they are skimping on the protein, who knows what else they are skimping/ The USDA does not require that the amount of niacin in the feed be printed on the label tag. You usually have to call the manufacturer to learn the niacin and thiamine amounts.

The other problem can also be genetics as the predisposition to slipped tendon can be inherited.

If you bought the poults in a chain feed store, they were very likely to have received a 17% chick starter while in their possession.

You can try integrating it with the meat birds. Keep an eye on what happens. Every turkey is its own individual. One might try to mother smaller chicks while another might try to kill them.

Good luck.