First time new poults

[lintlicker]

Hello everyone,

picked up 5 heritage breed poults. They are bopping around and seem happy, however I'm concerned they're not eating "enough". They're eating Purina Game Bird starter/grower crumbles but I feel like for the 5 of them they don't seem to be eating enough for some reason, they're only about 3 days old and when I peek in they are typically pecking food from their feeder which ends up on a plate I have underneath it in the brooder or drinking out of their waterer. Am I overthinking this? Should I grind up the crumbles a bit if maybe they're a bit too big for them? Not sure if that's a thing...Maybe I am just overthinking this but wanted to each out as I don't have any personal experience with raising day old poults so this is all new to me. Thanks in advance for any and all advice on this.

 

[Huntmaster]

Hello everyone,

picked up 5 heritage breed poults. They are bopping around and seem happy, however I'm concerned they're not eating "enough". They're eating Purina Game Bird starter/grower crumbles but I feel like for the 5 of them they don't seem to be eating enough for some reason, they're only about 3 days old and when I peek in they are typically pecking food from their feeder which ends up on a plate I have underneath it in the brooder or drinking out of their waterer. Am I overthinking this? Should I grind up the crumbles a bit if maybe they're a bit too big for them? Not sure if that's a thing...Maybe I am just overthinking this but wanted to each out as I don't have any personal experience with raising day old poults so this is all new to me. Thanks in advance for any and all advice on this.

Welcome. As long as they are pecking at food and water, they should be fine. Sometimes you have to dip their beaks in water and food to get them going and knowing what it is. Also is good to sprinkle a little on ground to appeal to their natural pecking. But if they are already pecking at food and water, they should be fine. No need to grind game bird starter they can eat it just fine. At being only 3 days old you should see an increase in feed consumption from now on. As they can take a few days to get up to speed of life. Keeping them warm and dry in brooder is very important for turkey poults. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions as there are some very knowledgeable folks here on BYC.

 

[lintlicker]

Welcome. As long as they are pecking at food and water, they should be fine. Sometimes you have to dip their beaks in water and food to get them going and knowing what it is. Also is good to sprinkle a little on ground to appeal to their natural pecking. But if they are already pecking at food and water, they should be fine. No need to grind game bird starter they can eat it just fine. At being only 3 days old you should see an increase in feed consumption from now on. As they can take a few days to get up to speed of life. Keeping them warm and dry in brooder is very important for turkey poults. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions as there are some very knowledgeable folks here on BYC.

Thanks for having me, and thanks for getting back to me @Huntmaster

I think I'm just overly being worried haha and I'll have to see how their food consumption does over the next week. Tried to give them some soldier fly larvae but they didn't seem interested. I'm sure as time goes on that could change.

 

[Huntmaster]

Thanks for having me, and thanks for getting back to me @Huntmaster

I think I'm just overly being worried haha and I'll have to see how their food consumption does over the next week. Tried to give them some soldier fly larvae but they didn't seem interested. I'm sure as time goes on that could change.

I would keep them on their game bird feed for at least 6 to 8 weeks old. I feed a 28% gamebird starter for my heritage varieties up to 12 weeks of age and then switch to a 24% gamebird grower pellet for life along with free range. I tend to run on the higher end of protein requirements as most of my birds are breeding stock and it helps with stresses like molting/brooding and such.

 

[lintlicker]

I would keep them on their game bird feed for at least 6 to 8 weeks old. I feed a 28% gamebird starter for my heritage varieties up to 12 weeks of age and then switch to a 24% gamebird grower pellet for life along with free range. I tend to run on the higher end of protein requirements as most of my birds are breeding stock and it helps with stresses like molting/brooding and such.

Okay sounds good ill definitely give that a shot.

We currently have a 50x50 covered run/enclosure with 7' high 1/2 inch welded wire and 2x4 welded wire for chickens with their 10x18 inside the 50x50 area and was considering building an attached 3 sided perch/coop for the turkeys off the side of the chicken coop. The turkeys and chickens would be in the same area for roughly a few hours a day, but will spend 4-12 hours out of the run when family members are home.

We free range our birds daily out in the country. Is blackheads disease a pretty prevalent thing or serious cause for concern in central new york? Was hoping to house in same enclosure in separate sleeping areas as we will be free ranging everyone daily regardless. Thoughts?

 

[R2elk]

Tried to give them some soldier fly larvae but they didn't seem interested.

Don't give treats like that without providing them with appropriate sized grit. Without the grit they cannot digest them.

If they are on a quality game bird or turkey starter, they don't need extras.

 

[lintlicker]

Don't give treats like that without providing them with appropriate sized grit. Without the grit they cannot digest them.

If they are on a quality game bird or turkey starter, they don't need extras.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[Huntmaster]

Okay sounds good ill definitely give that a shot.

We currently have a 50x50 covered run/enclosure with 7' high 1/2 inch welded wire and 2x4 welded wire for chickens with their 10x18 inside the 50x50 area and was considering building an attached 3 sided perch/coop for the turkeys off the side of the chicken coop. The turkeys and chickens would be in the same area for roughly a few hours a day, but will spend 4-12 hours out of the run when family members are home.

We free range our birds daily out in the country. Is blackheads disease a pretty prevalent thing or serious cause for concern in central new york? Was hoping to house in same enclosure in separate sleeping areas as we will be free ranging everyone daily regardless. Thoughts?

Sounds like that should be doable I wouldn't brood your poults with chicks. I would then later introduce turkeys to pen, how many chickens will be in that area with your turkeys? As far as Blackhead you would need to check locally if it is present in your area, I couldn't tell you that. My heritage turkeys will not use a shed or inside roosts, they roost outside all year round. All they need for roosting area is to be out of heavy wind. If you can use coop and one wall off coop blocking prevailing wind in your area would probably be sufficient.

 

[Huntmaster]

A few pics of examples of a couple of my outdoor roost for my heritage turkeys.

 

[Huntmaster]

A pic of a small grow out pen with covered roosts all open air just wind breaks.