my poults won't eat

[chickabator]

I have 2 beltsville small white poults, they hatched on wed. I cannot get them to eat unless I feed them boiled egg yolk from my fingers. Only one will eat that way the other will will peck a little at the peices that the other one drops. I cannot get them to eat their starter no matter how hard I try. I am afraid that they will starve to death. any suggestions? Please

 

[birdlover]

I have heard that if you put a chicken in with them to show them what to do, it works. Never had poults so I don't know but this is what I've read. Hope they eat soon!!!

 

[chickabator]

this is the first time I have had them too. I don't have any chicks right now

 

[the simple life]

I have heard that poults are alot more fragile than chicks.
I have also heard you could put a chicken with them as well, but I also have heard that turkeys can catch a disease from chickens.
I am concerned though that they were hatched wednesday and still don't know how to eat.
Have you done a search under poults or turkeys to see if this has been addressed before?
I hope someone can help you. Good luck.

 

[chickenannie]

We did all kinds of crazy things to try to get our first poults to eat, like wrap stones in tinfoil to have "shiny" things for them to peck at in the food dish and constantly dipping their beaks in water and food. Somehow they eventually figured it out, even though we were exasperated and thought they would die. They didn't! Plus I think they were eating when we weren't looking.

Also, I've heard they go for dark-colored things first, and feed is generally light colored. Perhaps put a few tiny bugs in there? Or tiny bits of cut up grass? Also, since they're attracted to red, use a red dish.

Turkeys don't sit and gobble food like chickens do... they eat a few bites then walk around then eat a few bites...kind of like a persnikety eater.

But I would try the beak dipping thing repeatedly. The yolks are good too. Just put it on a dish for them and theyll start eating it even if it takes a day or two or three.

I found my poults like hardboiled egg yolks, when I left them in small chunks, rather than completely mashed in miniscule crumbs. keep us posted.

 

[seminolewind]

Make mush from the chick feed. Or grind it up smaller. Mine didn't eat cause the pieces were too big. When I ground it up, they ate like vultures.

 

[chickabator]

I have ground it up they still won't eat it. I mixed some with water and made like oatmeal out of it still nothing the only way they will eat is out of my fingers, then only egg yolk they will not touch the starter at all. they drink water I made them some vitamin water I still have to dip beaks it is like they forget what it is. their waterer is red the feeder is not I guess I will have to find a red feeder

 

[hinkjc]

We use marbles in the feed and water to encourage poults to eat/drink. This has worked very well for us. They are attracted to shiney stuff and will peck at it out of curiosity and learn to eat.

Jody

 

[seriousbill]

If you don't have any marbles, shiny dimes or nickels will work too.

 

[Bandana]

Maybe tape a toothpick to your finger and peck at the food with it. Also, have you tried dying the food red? The only time I raised poults, I raised them with chicks and that's how they learned. Good luck.