Got my first turkeys!! Pics Added

[OmaBird]

If there is any left over egg left in the brooder, take it out. Its old now. Are you giving just fresh water now?

 

[simplycreative]

thank You very much for that, i had actually started reducing their feed the other day, was letting them clean up what was left in the brooder.

that will help imensly.

 

[simplycreative]

i put fresh water in there 3 times a day.

i dont see any egg left in the brooder.

 

[the simple life]

Why can't the meatbirds and poults be on the same food? Many of us here start meatbirds out on the game bird feed or turkey starter that is 28 percent protein. I have raised turkeys and meatbirds on that same feed with great results.
In fact the last time I raised meatbirds and cut back on the high protein feed earlier than I normally do I had lousy results.
Its not recommended to keep them on it the whole time, you are suppose to lower the protein at a certain point, but either way I wouldn't be telling someone that it will kill week old meaties.

 

[OmaBird]

Quote:
This is how I have been taught. Welp Hatchery specializes in Meat Birds. The information I posted is from them. They say very clearly " Failure to follow this feeding program may result in heart attacks. Sudden Death Syndrome or "flip" as it is sometimes called can result because of the very rapid growth of your Welp Broiler Chicks. Following the above restriction outline, religiously, every night commencing the 5th night of their 5th day of age, will reduce the "flip" thing substantially."

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
You are correct it's not the % of protien it's how much of it they eat. When we raised meat birds we withheld feed for 12 hours each day and they did fine. The first time we ever raised them I read the "instructions" then went and asked people that raised them. I have found a big difference in what you read and cut and paste vs actual experience.

Steve

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I have had best success with hatchery turkeys starting them with layer chicks, I get ISA Browns. They do seem to learn to eat better with chicks to show them the way, but in order to keep the feed in there I use the layers as the meat birds will soon overeat and they make the brooder too messy. The conflict with meat birds and turkeys in feed IMO is that the chicks would be best suited to either a low protein continuous feed or the higher protein taken out for hours as mentioned, both systems work well. Turkeys need the higher protein constantly in there. With layer chicks they don't need the higher protein but they can tolerate it. When the turkeys are eating well and the brooder is looking too messy or crowded they get separated into 2 areas to continue in their own feeding program.

Sorry for your losses. Do try and get the remaining turkeys eating, they need teaching unlike the chicks who will try to eat anything not nailed down as soon as they leave the egg.

 

[the simple life]

I agree Steve, there is a big difference with actual experience and what you read.
I raise cornish that I get from Welp Hatchery and the one and only time that I followed their directions on feeding and raising the cornish was the absolute worse results that I ever got and I have raised hundreds of meatbirds.
They took forever to grow out, had more leg problems and we actually lost alot more birds to flip.
It cost me more to feed them too since I had to keep them around longer to get them to a decent weight.
I went back to feeding them the higher protein at the beginning, have them on a feeding schedule and they are doing great. I feel they need the higher protein in the beginning to give them a good start.
I have a batch that is thriving right now and haven't lost a single one.

 

[OmaBird]

Much of what I have learned was from April (adoptedbyachicken) years ago. I have followed Welps feeding programs with no problems at all. The grow fast with few problems. I normaly raise 50 to 100 at a time. I have a huge freezer that we stock. Welps has the best birds in my opionion for meat birds. I tryed others and always go back to them. I have never had luck raising turkeys with them. It just does not work.

 

[OmaBird]

I just wanted to add that everyones experience with this is going to be different depending on where you live. I live at high altitude and I only deal with large number of birds. I can only share what I have done. Meat birds are very hard to raise at my altitude. Most hatcheries do not even recomend them for my altidude but I do manage to be able to do it with the guideline that Welps gives me.