New turkey owner got a few questions

[conny63malies]

Hubby took me to the flea market today and across the street is where they always sell animals. We went over and one guy had some turkeys for sale. 6 left , five black Spanish and a little white poult. THey are of different ages 2 are about a week, 2 about 10-14 days and the last two are about a month . Anyways we got them at home in a brooder now with a heat lamp on . Feeder and waterer too. I dipped their beaks into water throughout the day . Is it normal that they cower in corners when they are in a new place/ area/brooder . Since some are a bit older I know that they eat, but for now they are just freaked out and huddling. I put the brooder in my son's room since he sleeps on the couch tonight anyways. What can I do the make them more relaxed. I know they are not the sharpest tools in the shed, would it be good to stick some other chicks in there? I got some 4 day old ring necks I could add or even some 4-5 week old corturnix. Any ideas are appreciated

 

[MontgomeryTX]

All of our poults do when moved to our bigger brooder.

 

[PalmRoyal]

I personally believe that my turkeys are much smarter than most chickens. Make sure that you socialize your turkeys because they will become excellent pets and "watch dogs" around your house. As for getting them to drink, they should pick up on it.
However, what did the previous owner water them in? My Broad Breasted Whites have troubles drinking because they have never seen a bowl like I water my animals in. So, I just allow them to all to "discover" it themselves. Once one starts to drink, they will all start to drink. If you are very worried about them, maybe add some Bounce Back.
For getting them to calm down, that might just be how they are. Were they like that when you went and looked at them? My hens are almost always jumpy, however, when they start to associate you as the "food giver", then they will rethink their ways around you. They will calm down with time. Just be patient and forgiving with them. I have heard that a night light will calm them down at night and slow, gentle movements will allow them to react to what you are going to do. With my grown birds, I frequently go out and sit in their enclosure and observe them and allow them to come up to (or near) me. The frequently observe me as well. Sitting out there for about 20 min a day has calmed the jumpy hens down quite a lot.

 

[ivan3]

Bottle up some moths tonight, tomorrow morning put a moth between your fingers and lower hand into brooder. Make sure they can see the moth fluttering - that should draw them out.

Of course, keep your new turks quarantined from the rest of your flock for a month. Have read too many horror stories about casual sales of apparently healthy stock that isn't..

 

[conny63malies]

Good news, they walked around last night and there is a few droppings in the feed.
Don't know what the previous owner did, we got them at the local swap meet they were 5$ each , he only had 6 left. He threw the little white one in for free so 6 for 25$ . Great deal since they usually 9-10$ at the hatcheries and they were already started.
I put the two different sav-a-chicks in the water.
Pets and watch dogs? I am set on that, I got 9 geese and 8 ducks that have to check everything I do and are quite talkative . Plus that one chicken insisting jumping on my back when I work kneeling down. Nothing like a gaggle of geese honking at everything.
As for quarantine. Before I even put them in the brooder I bleached it out, rinsed it and let it dry. They will stay in the room for a few days until they calm down and I can finish some other cages that I work on.