New turkey chicks - questions

[bubbleslove]

Hi everyone! New to the board, I've looked a little and can't find anything specifically on this. We got two turkey chicks to add to our small coup, and because we have so many predators outside, I brought them inside in a hamster cage for the time being. The ladies at the feed store told us that they don't need a heat lamp if kept indoors, is that true?? We keep our house at 70-76 (lowest in the evening), but I was under the impression that they need closer to 100?

Also...how do I make them shut up?!? They won't stop peeping! Our chicks stopped peeping when no one was around, these two start peeping and don't stop until they see you! We're going to go nuts tonight if they keep on like this. My husband wants me to turn off their lamp, but I'm worried about them getting too cold.

And our setup for the time being

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

they need to be kept at around 90-95 degrees for a week. However, let them tell you. If they huddle, increase the heat, if they are spread apart, back off

 

[bubbleslove]

They're about 8 days old, according to the ladies at the store - does that make a difference?

I should add - this is really frustrating. We have the incubator at the barn set up perfectly, with a solid roof over one portion with heat lamps put over top of holes. The other half of the lid is mesh, and that's where the food dish and water feeder are...never had a problem with chicks in it, until a raccoon figured out how to pry out the lamps. We don't want to take that risk with these two, so now it's like starting all over again, except without sleep since they won't stop peeping

 

[Nava]

yea they need the night light,and they are very noisy,they will stop for a lil bit while they eat and sleep,just enough time for them to rest and keep on peeping all night long,so what i do is put them in another room,but i love my turkeys.

 

[dieselgrl48]

If they are annoying yea try moving them.Turkeys are diff. for sure well mine were anyway.I raised quite a few babies.They are most likely wanting the heat.At 3 weeks they grow very fast and should do fine with a reg. light on them then.They seem to be like kids trying to wean them from night lights.I have 18 sexlink chicks in basement right now we had elect. prob. and they just huddling and snoozing just fine without lamp and the oldest are only 2 weeks old.They will grow out of it.If you think turkey poult's are bad try some guinea keets lol.The turkeys will do fine trust me they are VERY reslient unlike some myths stupid turkeys.