Is turkey poult behavior normal?

[ninjapoodles]

We've had 15 Narragansett turkey poults for three days now. They're really different from baby chicks, so we're not sure what to expect. They're active and curious and alert...the only thing that concerns me is that they don't seem to eat much! Is that normal for turkeys, compared to chicks? They're definitely eating less than our new chicks did.

 

[pdpatch]

Ours did seem to eat much at first. We had them on pieces of cut up blankets, and Had to scatter there food around to they could find it. After a couple of days they finally figured out there was food in the feeders. By the second week they were eating as much as the Chicken chicks.

 

[chickenzoo]

Often turkeys and peachicks need to learn how to eat. If you have a baby chick, put it in with the turkeys to show them what is food. Also you can tint the food with food color, red, green etc.. to make it more attractive to them. It always helps with my peachicks & poults, though I think chicks are more piggy w/food then turkeys and peas.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Thanks for the input. We have feed scattered on newspaper and in feeders. We thought maybe the crumbles were too large, too, so we are smashing them up with a mallet before feeding now.

 

[FarmGirl01]

You can wet the food down a little. I have Narrganasett poults also. They really loved the wet mash.

 

[Struttn1]

In a couple of months you will be complaining about them eating so much not too little.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Thanks--I needed to hear that! Today they all have brand-new "big" feathers poking sideways out of their wings, and they're hopping around to beat the band. I REALLY love the personalities on the little dopes.

Belinda

 

[farm_mom]

I had the same concerns. I put marbles in their food and water to attract them, and a fellow BYCer gave me the great advice of raising the food and water as they grow to keep it at eye level. My poults are 10 weeks old now and gone are the days where I worry about their lack of interest in food and water!!

Good luck with your poults!