Broad Breasted White Poults Weevil Feed

[TheGreatChickening]

**Background for people who like reading random nonsense:

After all of the easiest chickens (RIRs) surviving last year (until they intentionally didn't... Yummmmm), we decided we were totally equipped to raise the easiest poult to kill. (That was sarcasm or sardonic. I ain't good at grammer-jk)

5 days old. One is already dead (from a heart condition, we assume? Beak and legs turned purple on day 4; we listened to his heart and it was a MESS, and then he died).

The poults hate their 28% protein feed. They pick at it. They'll eat the weevils (which have seriously infested it - came that way). They'll chase the weevils and try to bite them out of each others' beaks. But that darn feed will NOT be eaten...

UNLESS we sit at the brooder and endlessly peck at the food with a finger. (Not endlessly, but two hour stretches - our attention spans are extensive, but we like being literally anywhere else after 2 hours). Even then, they eagerly peck at our moving fingers or half heartedly at the food until we stop.

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**QUESTION:

These little haters will eat pea/egg yolk/feed mash of their own volition. They will fight for it. (4Tbs cooked and mashed dried peas, one boiled egg yolk, 3Tbs 28% protein weevil feed) Is this safe?
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**more background for avid readers and people comparing all WBBT raising:

We started out with Magic Water
1/2 Gal water
2Tbs ACV
1/2C raw honey
2 cloves mashed garlic

Pine shavings for floor, covered with burlap initially to prevent pine shaving ingestion (to no avail - these turkeys literally do not want to live and will eat ANYTHING but the actual food given to them, unless it's a weevil or mash).

Food in a feeder, food on red paper on the floor, food EVERYWHERE (but the turkeys' willfully ignorant little faces - I'm not bitter).

AC turned off. Brooder lamp on mic stand (karaoke turkeys anyone?), coop at 98°F with some fluctuation pertaining to outdoor weather. Weather channel says it's 110°F+ outside (but both the outdoor thermometers say 95°F for all you conspiracy theorists).

 

[R2elk]

We started out with Magic Water
1/2 Gal water
2Tbs ACV
1/2C raw honey
2 cloves mashed garlic

Really bad idea. Garlic is an allium and alliums are harmful to poultry. I will never put ACV in their water. ACV interferes with the proper absorption of calcium. Really bad for growing poults.

While in the brooder they should only have warm water (room temperature). If you want to add something of value to it, add vitamin B complex made at the rate of one half tablet dissolved in one gallon of water. Make it the only source of water. It should be made fresh daily.

Pine shavings for floor, covered with burlap initially to prevent pine shaving ingestion

I(f you want to use pine shavings, make sure they have the appropriately sized grit available.

AC turned off. Brooder lamp on mic stand (karaoke turkeys anyone?), coop at 98°F with some fluctuation pertaining to outdoor weather.

I start my poults at 90°F measured at the bedding level.

The poults hate their 28% protein feed. They pick at it. They'll eat the weevils (which have seriously infested it - came that way). They'll chase the weevils and try to bite them out of each others' beaks. But that darn feed will NOT be eaten...

UNLESS we sit at the brooder and endlessly peck at the food with a finger. (Not endlessly, but two hour stretches - our attention spans are extensive, but we like being literally anywhere else after 2 hours). Even then, they eagerly peck at our moving fingers or half heartedly at the food until we stop.

I have no problems getting poults to eat. I use sand as bedding material (free for the digging here on this sand dune). I sprinkle the high protein turkey or game bird feed on the bedding. The poults usually start eating within 15 minutes of being put in the brooder. It can take them several days to figure out that the feed in the feeder is also food so I keep sprinkling feed on the sand until I see them eating from the feeder.

I leave them alone. I do not give them extras. I do not handle them. The only time I do anything is to refill the water or the feeder as needed.

 

[nuthatched]

Careful with the magic water. It can be dangerous to OD.
The feed is spoiled, hence the weevils, which is why they don't want it.

 

[TheGreatChickening]

I have no problems getting poults to eat. I use sand as bedding material (free for the digging here on this sand dune). I sprinkle the high protein turkey or game bird feed on the bedding. The poults usually start eating within 15 minutes of being put in the brooder. It can take them several days to figure out that the feed in the feeder is also food so I keep sprinkling feed on the sand until I see them eating from the feeder.

OMG!! Read your water info. They are down to regular water now. Thank you so much for the input!!

The feed continues to be the problem. I just saw a second commenter stating that the weevils are the issue. Do you mind sharing what feed you use?

 

[TheGreatChickening]

Careful with the magic water. It can be dangerous to OD.
The feed is spoiled, hence the weevils, which is why they don't want it.

Gross on spoiled feed. Thank you. Changed out the water. Yikes!!

 

[R2elk]

OMG!! Read your water info. They are down to regular water now. Thank you so much for the input!!

The feed continues to be the problem. I just saw a second commenter stating that the weevils are the issue. Do you mind sharing what feed you use?

Currently I use Purina 30% protein game bird starter that is available at my local Tractor Supply.

Once they are 3 months old they get a 20% protein all flock feed that all of my adult poultry get.

Yours are broad breasted. If your purpose is to keep them as pets, you may want to use Purina's game bird maintenance feed which is only 12% protein to prevent them from growing too fast. If your purpose is meat, the all flock feed will be fine.

 

[Charlie Wooster]

No GARLIC