Pew! Is there a better bedding?

[PatS]

Okay, it is partly my fault. We're brooding our turkeys in the back hall. We have chickens, and are waiting for the turkeys to get older (and their immune systems stronger) before putting them outside 24/7. When the weather is nice, we put them in pens on clean grass. But we've had a couple of days of showers, so they're spending time indoors. And they sleep inside, too.

At four and six weeks-old the poults are growing fast and going through a LOT of food. And producing a LOT of stinky you-know-what.

The pine shavings aren't doing a great job of absorbing odors. The birds are in a 150 gallon stock stank, and I don't see changing it multiple times a day. Is there something else I should put down that will be better for their health and my nose?

PLEASE help! We're headed into town tomorrow, so I can pick up something if you suggest it.

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

Hi, I have no experience with Turkeys, but try to see if you can get some DE (diatomaceous earth - make sure it's 'food grade') to sprinkle into the pine shavings bedding - that works great for chickens. If the store doesn't have that you can also use Stall-Dry or PDZ, both are horse stall fresheners, which dry out the bedding and absorb urine. If you can't lift the stock tank, could you perhaps line it with a thick tarp and then fill with bedding? At least that way you could pull it up fairly easily and dump the bedding for cleaning instead of lifting the big ole' tank.

I hope this helps...good luck with your babies!

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Garden lime helps too, but really if you give them shelter in that pen, a large cardboard box or a dog crate to go into with a blanket over they should be ready to stay outside at that age. If it's still really cool in your area add a light bulb in a tin foil cover. Just a regular 100 watt bulb and make sure it clear of the bedding and the blanket.

Tarp over the outdoor pen and they can be out in the rain too, just have them on high ground so they are not in a puddle.

 

[dutchhollow]

wood pellets

 

[evonne]

what about nice playground sand and a kitty litter scoop???

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Sand is the way to go for older poults that's what we use in our brooders after couple weeks.

Steve

 

[ziggywiggy]

I feel for you. My wife won't let me brood anything in the house any more. Try and brood geese sometime. You think turkeys are bad!

 

[OmaBird]

I don't notice my turkeys smelling. But then I have both geese and ducks in the house. My turkeys are in a 180 gallon stock tank with shaving at the bottom( about 4 inches deep) and alfalfa hay on top. I just keep covering fresh hay over the bottom. They are in my dinning room across from the 22 ducks. This method and a good watering system works for them too. The 8 geese are in the kitchen with the smaller turkeys and chicks. We clean them compleatly once a week. About the 6 to 7th day you know they are due. On Monday I am getting 20 more ducks and 18 geese shipped. At least the weather is getting warmer to get them outside sooner.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
Can you post some pics of your setup? How do you keep the top dry and not get moldy? I'm very curious as to how you keep the hay dry with geese and ducks.

Steve

 

[OmaBird]

Can you post some pics of your setup? How do you keep the top dry and not get moldy? I'm very curious as to how you keep the hay dry with geese and ducks.

Steve

One key to keeping things dry is to not let them get wet. I don't use big water containers until they are older. The 4 ounce canning jars is what I use on everyone to start. They are deep into the hay so they don't spill. I never remove them. I just fill them with a water bottle. I am a slave to them. I fill them all day long. I feed ducks and geese floating food in the same canning jars. I feed and water only on one end of the stock tank.