My Royal Palms Hatched!! **UPDATE and Questions**

[Old McDonald 27]

Well....... they actually hatched last monday, but I just now had time to post. Out of 12 eggs she only hatched 6. Then when I got home today from having a goat kid disbudded one of the babies was missing. I found it dead outside the coop. I'm not sure how it got out, but I fixed any places that I thought looked big enough for a poult to escape. One of them keeps doing the back flippy thing

but it seems to be able to get flipped back over...eventually. I check on it alot to make sure it is ok. I am feeding 27% gamebird starter. I didn't expect these guys to be so cute!! They look like the chicks that people dye bright yellow at easter! They are also alot smaller than I expected. I am gonna wait until they are ALOT bigger to move them out to the front pasture. Keep your fingers crossed for hens! I was gonna try to keep a trio to go in my front pasture, but I think I will just move my pair out there and keep a couple more hens to go with them.... all of this planning and I will probably end up with 5 jakes!!! Thanks to everyone that answered all of my crazy questions... I'm sure there will be alot more to come!

 

[Old McDonald 27]

This morning I went out to check on my poults.... The back flippy one was dead..covered in ants. One is completely missing... no body or anything. The other 3 have ants on them. So I panicked and brought them inside and stuck them in the brooder with some RIR and SS pullets. Do I need to keep them inside or put them back with momma??

 

[theOEGBman]

They may be covered in ants that were trying to get to the dead poult, but I think it would be best to keep them inside. It sounds like they're having a rough time out there with their momma. Congrats, I'm sorry for your losses.

 

[Old McDonald 27]

Thanks, I left them in the brooder with the chicks. I worry about blackhead, but think they are safer there than with mom. This is my first experience with turkeys. I am gonna leave my hen in the small coop for a little while to settle down, then put her back out with my tom. Will she start to lay again in a few weeks like a chicken or is she done for the summer?

 

[lotzahenz]

I am sorry for your lost babies. I just hatched one of two RP eggs, and you are so right, they are cute. Mine was yellow with brown stripes on its back. Now, ever so slightly there are black and white tipped feathers sprouting on its wings. Adorable. I hatched it in the bator and just keep it with the chicks. Its legs are getting so long, but it is still very small. Good luck with the rest of the brood.