BR poults dying....any advice??

[Pine Roost]

I had 10 Bourbon Reds and 10 Eastern Wilds in 2 separate brooders...both 1 weeks old...being fed the same thing (28% protein game bird) with fresh water every day...fresh straw in brooder daily...fine grit available free choice. Temp has been consistent...90-95 degrees. The eastern wilds looks very healthy. No runts in the batch. However the Bourbon Reds are not so healthy. I have already lost 2 and a couple more are looking sickly also. Does anyone have advise as to what may be causing this? It hurts the wallet a little when your turkeys start dying!!

Thanks.

 

[Pine Roost]

anyone have any pointers? Like I said, there are a few that look like they may die too. Is there something I can do to perk them back up?? Does anyone put humming bird mix with their turkey's water??

Thanks.

 

[mrclif]

Bump to the top maybe somebody with more experince can help looks like your doing most everything right. Make sure no drafts and whatnot. I have to use the search tool to find most answers

 

[Celie]

I have never used anything in my poults' water, except vitamins and electrolytes. You might try some pedilite, like you give to babies, if you are not sure they are drinking. turkey poults are very delicate and not as easy to raise as chickens. You have to keep reminding them to eat. I usually hatch a few chicks out with my poults to use as tutor chicks to remind the poults to eat and drink. Turkeys will copy behavior they see, so you might consider putting one of your young wild turkey poults in with the BR, if you do not have chicks as tutors. Are there any other symptoms? What are you feeding them? Turkeys need 28% or higher turkey starter or game bird feed! Smell the feed and make sure it is fresh, any mold in the feed can kill them! You could also try to get them to eat a little cooked egg yolks or yogurt, but you need to get some food into them. Make sure you see them eat! If they get wet or in a draft they will likely die. Are your brooders, where the temps are stable? Turkeys do better at 95 degrees at that age. If the brooders are outside, as the temps drop or it becomes rainy, poults can catch a chill. Eastern Wild sound like they are hardier, while BRs are better tasting, they are also more fragile! Have you noticed any thing else, unusual? I hope you don't loose your BR poults,

they are a gorgeous breed and a good meat breed! Good Luck !

 

[Pine Roost]

Celie, Thanks for the reply.
I am feeding 28% game bird feed. I may boil an egg for them to eat this afternoon. The brooders are in a storage room with no drafts and a heat lamp keeping it a constant 90-95 degrees. I am using large plastic storage containers that have done really good for other turkeys and lots of chickens. I know that they are eating and drinking because both the feeder and waterer need refilling each day. On occasion they may spill some of the water and get a little wet, but like I said...I replace the straw daily. I think that I may build a brooder with a hardware cloth bottom, so getting wet will not be an issue anymore. I feel like I'm doing everything right...it's just aggravating when they are dying on me like this!

 

[hdmax]

First thing I'd do is remove the grit. Turkeys that young do not need it, and being turkeys, they aren't to smart, so the grit may be the only thing they are eating, or at least eating to much of it, and not enough feed.
Poults learn from others how to eat and drink, so if one starts eating the grit, they others may follow suit.

 

[Pine Roost]

thx for the info. The 8 BRs that are left now are looking a little more healthy and are starting to beef up some. I have been giving them egg yolks. Maybe that is helping.

 

[casportpony]

If they don't like eggs, try crickets or mealworms.

-Kathy

 

[kuntrygirl]

First thing I'd do is remove the grit. Turkeys that young do not need it, and being turkeys, they aren't to smart, so the grit may be the only thing they are eating, or at least eating to much of it, and not enough feed.
 Poults learn from others how to eat and drink, so if one starts eating the grit, they others may follow suit.

I was thinking the same thing about the grit. I don't feed grit at that early age.