Blue Slate Turkeys

[eee3281]

My 4 Blue slate turkeys don't look like they are doing so well we got them in the other day, and one of them didn't look so good but after we showed them where the water and food, after a while he started to look better. We had them in the house with a red light and wood shavings. The second day we put them in the little side place attached to our house witha little place with wood shavings and a red light, we were checking on them failey often. We left them alone for a couple hours and when we went back out one had died. Left them alone for the night came back on the morning and two more had died. What do I do?! Are we doing something wrong? Is there a special way to take care of these kinds of turkeys? Please help!

 

[R2elk]

My 4 Blue slate turkeys don't look like they are doing so well we got them in the other day, and one of them didn't look so good but after we showed them where the water and food, after a while he started to look better. We had them in the house with a red light and wood shavings. The second day we put them in the little side place attached to our house with a little place with wood shavings and a red light, we were checking on them fairly often. We left them alone for a couple hours and when we went back out one had died. Left them alone for the night came back on the morning and two more had died. What do I do?! Are we doing something wrong? Is there a special way to take care of these kinds of turkeys? Please help!

What age are these turkeys?

 

[eee3281]

What age are these turkeys?

These turkeys just hatched Thursday

 

[R2elk]

Newly hatched poults should be kept in a brooder that is large enough that they can have warm and cool zones. The warm zone should be 90°F measured at the bedding level. They should have warm water available and a high protein turkey or game bird starter (usually 28% to 30% protein. They should have the starter feed for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

New poults should not be on wood chip bedding since they can eat the chips but will not be able to digest them. This can cause intestinal blockage and dead poults.

 

[eee3281]

We had all that. Maybe it's the wood shavings but otherwise we had all the starter food and in a warm and cool place with a place to walk around and have free space.

 

[eee3281]

Newly hatched poults should be kept in a brooder that is large enough that they can have warm and cool zones. The warm zone should be 90°F measured at the bedding level. They should have warm water available and a high protein turkey or game bird starter (usually 28% to 30% protein. They should have the starter feed for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

New poults should not be on wood chip bedding since they can eat the chips but will not be able to digest them. This can cause intestinal blockage and dead poults.

So with these upcoming turkeys that we are gonna get what should I do to make sure they make it to an adult stage? Should we put them on a portion of wet food for a week and then get them to a solid food?

 

[R2elk]

So with these upcoming turkeys that we are gonna get what should I do to make sure they make it to an adult stage? Should we put them on a portion of wet food for a week and then get them to a solid food?

I use sand for bedding in my brooder. I sprinkle the 28% protein starter on the sand for the first few days until they figure out that the stuff in the feeder is also food. It is their nature to peck at things on the ground so they usually start eating within minutes of being put in the brooder.

I use a GQF brooder heater as their source of heat. I have it connected to a temperature controller to maintain the temperature within a degree or two of 90°F for the first week. I also use a daylight bulb that I turn on in the morning and off at night.

I keep their feeder and waterer full at all times. The feed and the water are not kept in the heated zone. The brooder that I use is 4' x 4'.

 

[eee3281]

I use sand for bedding in my brooder. I sprinkle the 28% protein starter on the sand for the first few days until they figure out that the stuff in the feeder is also food. It is their nature to peck at things on the ground so they usually start eating within minutes of being put in the brooder.

I use a GQF brooder heater as their source of heat. I have it connected to a temperature controller to maintain the temperature within a degree or two of 90°F for the first week. I also use a daylight bulb that I turn on in the morning and off at night.

I keep their feeder and waterer full at all times. The feed and the water are not kept in the heated zone. The brooder that I use is 4' x 4'.

Thank you so much i appreciate your help!

 

[eee3281]

I have one last question. Why sand? Is there a specific reason for it?

 

[R2elk]

I have one last question. Why sand? Is there a specific reason for it?

I live on a sand dune. The sand is free for the digging. some of it is coarse enough that it serves the purpose of grit.