First time raising turkeys, help!

[Over_Easy47]

Decided to pick up 2 bronze turkey at rual king yesterday, they are 2 days old. So far I’ve noticed they’re not as bright as chickens(as they aren’t either ) but I’ve had to show them how to drink and eat rather than the chicks I got go straight to food and water. Other than that, which isn’t anything, I know nothing about turkeys!! So this is something new I want to learn, I’ve been reading online and reading books but I wanted to know what information I could get from you guys on BYC.

Tips, anything special I need to know? Best home? Looking for all information

Also my chickens free range so they only go up at night, what size coop is ok for 2 turkeys?

 

[R2elk]

Decided to pick up 2 bronze turkey at rural king yesterday, they are 2 days old. So far I’ve noticed they’re not as bright as chickens(as they aren’t either ) but I’ve had to show them how to drink and eat rather than the chicks I got go straight to food and water. Other than that, which isn’t anything, I know nothing about turkeys!! So this is something new I want to learn, I’ve been reading online and reading books but I wanted to know what information I could get from you guys on BYC.

Tips, anything special I need to know? Best home? Looking for all information

Also my chickens free range so they only go up at night, what size coop is ok for 2 turkeys?

Since you got your turkeys at Rural King, they are most likely Broad Breasted Bronze.

Turkeys are more intelligent than chickens. People confuse the instinctive behavior of chicks to start eating and drinking quickly as intelligence. I have no problems getting my turkeys to eat and drink on their own without "showing" them how to eat and drink. Turkeys do much better in larger groups. I dip each poults beak one time in their water when I put them in the brooder. I scatter some feed on their sand bedding along with giving them a full feeder. They do fine for me and learn to eat and drink on their own.

Turkey poults need a quality turkey or gamebird feed that is high in protein. I feed mine a 28% protein turkey or gamebird feed that has the higher concentrations of lysine, methionine and niacin that poults need. If I happen to have chicks in with the poults, the chicks get the same high protein feed as do the poults.

Poults should get the high protein turkey or gamebird starter for the first 6 weeks after which they should be switched to a quality turkey or gamebird grower which is usually about 24% protein for the next 6 weeks. After the first 12 weeks they can be switched to a quality All Flock feed that is usually 20% protein.

I consider 10 sq. ft. of clear floor space to be the minimum amount of area needed per adult turkeys in a coop plus a minimum of an additional of 50 sq. ft. of run space per adult turkey. My turkeys get 500 to 600 sq. ft. per adult turkey in their run.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I will tap at the feed with my finger and peep to show poults where the food is for the first few days. I also add glass stones to draw them in.

Chicks hatch knowing what to do. Poults hatch ready to learn.