High Mortality rate.

[jimi79]

We have been breeding and hatching chicks for awhile now and have excellent hatch rates and very rarely do we lose a chick. This year we decided to hatch out ducks and turkeys. As far as hatching we have a 75-85 % hatch rate. We have yet to lose a single duckling "knock on wood" however we lose approx half of the turkey's that hatch. The brooder is 95 deg, they have fresh clean water, for food as we hatch out significantly more chicks the gentleman at the feed store said it was no problem to give turkeys and duck the same medicated chick feed but after a search I am not so sure how true this is. As this is our 3rd batch of poults with a 50% loss I am becoming very concerned as to what is going on. The parents are in excellent health and of good breeding stock and are feed game bird breeder layer. We have a royal palms hen and tom and a eastern wild hen. We lose roughly the same of each. Today the poults are 5 days old and we lost the 4th of the 7 that hatched. Very heart breaking, the birds all seem happy and energetic, then the next morning or after a day at work we come home to a dead poult.

Any help and guidance will be greatly appreciated!

 

[R2elk]

We have been breeding and hatching chicks for awhile now and have excellent hatch rates and very rarely do we lose a chick. This year we decided to hatch out ducks and turkeys. As far as hatching we have a 75-85 % hatch rate. We have yet to lose a single duckling "knock on wood" however we lose approx half of the turkey's that hatch. The brooder is 95 deg, they have fresh clean water, for food as we hatch out significantly more chicks the gentleman at the feed store said it was no problem to give turkeys and duck the same medicated chick feed but after a search I am not so sure how true this is. As this is our 3rd batch of poults with a 50% loss I am becoming very concerned as to what is going on. The parents are in excellent health and of good breeding stock and are feed game bird breeder layer. We have a royal palms hen and tom and a eastern wild hen. We lose roughly the same of each. Today the poults are 5 days old and we lost the 4th of the 7 that hatched. Very heart breaking, the birds all seem happy and energetic, then the next morning or after a day at work we come home to a dead poult.

Any help and guidance will be greatly appreciated!

Turkey poults need a high protein (28% to 30%) turkey or game bird starter. This is the recommended feed for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

You did not mention what you are using for bedding material in the brooder. I do not recommend using wood chips for the first couple of weeks. The poults can eat the wood chips and without any grit, cannot digest. They develop intestinal blockage and typically die. If they are on wood chips, they need to have grit available.

I use sand for bedding as it is free for the digging here on my sand dune.

I start my poults at 90°F measured at the bedding level. I use a 4' x 4' brooder with a GQF brooder heater. The rest of the brooder is cooler. The feed and water is kept in the cool zone.

The temperature needs to be measured at the bedding level. If you are measuring the air temperature, the bedding will be much hotter and you will cook the poults.

It is also important that their water is warm and not cold.

I typically have around a 99% survival rate for poults in the brooder.

 

[jimi79]

We use wood shavings, the bizarre thing is we bought 6 poults as day olds last summer and all 6 grew to be adults. There is nothing I am doing differently so I am really confused.

 

[Kiki]

We use wood shavings, the bizarre thing is we bought 6 poults as day olds last summer and all 6 grew to be adults. There is nothing I am doing differently so I am really confused.

You fed those chick feed or turkey feed?

 

[jimi79]

Chick feed, the I confirmed with the breeder that is what they feed them. I bought Turkey feed last night and will see if it makes a difference.

 

[R2elk]

Chick feed, the I confirmed with the breeder that is what they feed them. I bought Turkey feed last night and will see if it makes a difference.

This might be part of the problem. Do not buy from someone who does not provide their birds the proper feed.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

I have to agree with everyone here. You're likely getting weak stock (eggs and Poults) from the breeder due to the diet. Turkeys and other game birds need much higher protein levels then chickens. If the diet isn't properly met it can cause a lot of health problems.

I would go to a different breeder, and switch the diet you have the poults on immediately.

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to BYC. This sounds like a very good forum for Turkeys. I have never had them (except as Thanksgiving and Xmas dinner guests.)

 

[Turkey babies now]

Last summer was much warmer. Seems the heat is a very big deal. Raising some now. Added the three chicken chicks of same age suggested. Turkeys are known to have a 5 percent death rate is what brochure said.