Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[draye]

So my assorted order from McMurray is 5 weeks now. It included two turkens. Last Friday I moved them outside to their welded wire chicken yard. Using an igloo dog house with the red light in it for a temporary coop. Although they were a bit shocked at first (it is cool here now), they seemed to adjust well. However, after having no problem at all with pecking I found my turkens today being pecked mostly at the top of their shoulders where the feather line starts. The two that I think are white leghorns were the ones I I saw pecking. So I brought the two back inside to my brooder that I haven't taken down. They do not seem to be pecking each other. I think they are either a hen and a roo or two roos (mostly due to rooster posturing). I will keep them separated until healed up though I am now concerned how they will do when put back. Anyone with mixed flocks have opinions? Giving them some boiled egg for extra protein, anything else to do for the wounds? They are not actively bleeding, look more like bruising plus missing feathers.

Betodine ( I think that's the spelling). Sprayed on the wound. Leghorns are bad about pecking, I've noticed it with mixed flocks. Also it could be that it is too hot on them. How many chicks do you have and how close is the light to them? Is the bulb one that is infra red?

 

[HTChick]

Betodine ( I think that's the spelling). Sprayed on the wound. Leghorns are bad about pecking, I've noticed it with mixed flocks.

Also it could be that it is too hot on them. How many chicks do you have and how close is the light to them? Is the bulb one that is infra red?

They had plenty of room in the brooder and had no problem with the light. In the igloo, it is clamped to the opening, They can get as far as 3 ft away. This is definitely pecking, I can see the broken off feathers. The leghorns were so timid in the brooder but outside they are feisty. Thanks on the betodine (I know what you mean even if the spelling is off). Will get some. Hmmmm.....they may not need the light in the igloo as there are about 30 of them, most nearly fully feathered.

 

[draye]

They had plenty of room in the brooder and had no problem with the light. In the igloo, it is clamped to the opening, They can get as far as 3 ft away. This is definitely pecking, I can see the broken off feathers. The leghorns were so timid in the brooder but outside they are feisty. Thanks on the betodine (I know what you mean even if the spelling is off). Will get some. Hmmmm.....they may not need the light in the igloo as there are about 30 of them, most nearly fully feathered. 

I wasn't questioning the pecking part. I was trying to get to overcrowding and too much heat will cause excessive pecking.

I would at least keep some heat in them somehow until they are 6 weeks old.

Edit: just reread what I put in, hope it doesn't sound snippity. I didn't mean it that way.

 

[Kev]

Depends on how warm it was for them in the brooder- if constantly 80F in brooder then suddenly outside with no heat at all may shock them however if its been reaching 70/60 before going outside then yes they can keep each other warm overnights.

Personally I would remove the feather pickers instead of moving those two. They are showing signs of an extremely aggressive feather plucker in the group.. they can teach others this bad habit which is another reason for separating the pickers instead of the victims if possible Put on anti-pick spray or lotion on the area and return them to the group.

 

[Kassaundra]

They had plenty of room in the brooder and had no problem with the light. In the igloo, it is clamped to the opening, They can get as far as 3 ft away. This is definitely pecking, I can see the broken off feathers. The leghorns were so timid in the brooder but outside they are feisty. Thanks on the betodine (I know what you mean even if the spelling is off). Will get some. Hmmmm.....they may not need the light in the igloo as there are about 30 of them, most nearly fully feathered.

Your in Texas, w/ 5 week olds, they shouldn't need heat at all. My flock is not mixed now, but used to be, I've never had a pecking issue, except my EE debearding each other. But I have heard leghorns are bad about flock aggression.

 

[Kassaundra]

Depends on how warm it was for them in the brooder- if constantly 80F outside with no heat at all may shock them however if its been reaching 70/60 before going outside then yes they can keep each other warm overnights.

Personally I would remove the feather pickers instead of moving those two. They are showing signs of an extremely aggressive feather plucker in the group.. they can teach others this bad habit which is another reason for separating the pickers instead of the victims if possible Put on anti-pick spray or lotion on the area and return them to the group.

Completely agree I would remove the peckers, knock them down the pecking order, if that didn't work I'd cull or permenantly remove the peckers.

 

[HTChick]

I wasn't questioning the pecking part. I was trying to get to overcrowding and too much heat will cause excessive pecking.

I would at least keep some heat in them somehow until they are 6 weeks old.

Edit: just reread what I put in, hope it doesn't sound snippity. I didn't mean it that way.

I didn't take it that way, I appreciate the help. I am caught between two non ideal situations and fall weather. The brooder inside was getting too small and I need to get them out so I can dechickendust my house before the holiday! The outside yard is 10 by 10 so the outside space is currently adequate but the warm space is smaller than the inside brooder though big enough for all of them and they were still sleeping in a pile so I thought it would work. Anyway, hoping this is the only incident. I can keep the brooder going inside for the turkens for another week.

 

[HTChick]

Depends on how warm it was for them in the brooder- if constantly 80F in brooder then suddenly outside with no heat at all may shock them however if its been reaching 70/60 before going outside then yes they can keep each other warm overnights.

Personally I would remove the feather pickers instead of moving those two. They are showing signs of an extremely aggressive feather plucker in the group.. they can teach others this bad habit which is another reason for separating the pickers instead of the victims if possible Put on anti-pick spray or lotion on the area and return them to the group.

I didn't think about moving the peckers and didn't know about anti peck spray. Good idea.

The brooder is 5 ft across and I only had one red light on one side so they were able to self regulate. It was not 80 degrees except right under the light.

 

[HTChick]

Your in Texas, w/ 5 week olds, they shouldn't need heat at all. My flock is not mixed now, but used to be, I've never had a pecking issue, except my EE debearding each other. But I have heard leghorns are bad about flock aggression.

Days are currently about 70 where we are, have had nights get down to 40 but not a lot of wind this weeek which makes a big different here.

 

[HTChick]

Completely agree I would remove the peckers, knock them down the pecking order, if that didn't work I'd cull or permenantly remove the peckers.

I will remove them permanently if I have to though it would be a shame as they look to be both hens and this flock is mainly for laying so would be sad to remove two leghorns! I know they don't have the best disposition, tried to tame them along with the others but they resisted it strongly. But they didn't peck till they went outside.