HELP-What's wrong with my Turkey poults????

[Jayare's Chicks]

I have hatched out about 8 turkey poults in the last couple months and have noticed when they hatch they can't stand up and keep falling and rolling over on their backs and can't get up and die that day or the next? These were brooded and hatched by a broody turkey and some broody hens - not in the incubator. Is their equalibriem messed up because maybe the hens did'nt rotate the eggs enough when she was setting them? I just got 3 more to hatch yesterday and 2 of them seam normal but 1 dosen't look like it will make it.
I have been giving the sick ones sugar water to try and give them a little energy boost but it don't seam to help.

Anybody know what is wrong with them?

Jayare

 

[nop169]

Sorry about the hard time you are having with your poults. I don't know for sure but as poults can be tricky & fickle.... Have you dewormed & treated your adults for coccidia? Parasites will be passed from the hen to the egg & poults can be parasitic when hatched. If you haven't then I strongly suggest doing so. In SC I tend to have more of a issue with the coccidia & if I do not keep my adults treated with Sulmet every few months the poults I hatch are weak & die. Since using the Sulmet I have only lost one or two in the 4 clutches we have hatched both under broody hens & mother turkeys.

 

[fgdiii]

We had the same problem and we kept them in the kitchen for about 2 days and kept picking them up when they fell. We also put their beak in the water (sugar water) and food each time we picked them up. We then put them on straw and so far so good. They are not falling anymore.

 

[lilchick]

Sometimes they are weak because of parents inbreeding or less than robust stock.. I use sugar water and wet their high protein feed and cook egg yolk and crumble up on top. I have had a few that were weak and wobbly the first day or two and constantly checked and placed them upright. Then all at once they seemed to walk normally. Alot of work but worth it! good luck!