poult dehydration

[ChickyLaura]

Just got my first turkey poults last week. Boy, I'm really glad I bought chicks at the same time, because I can defintely now believe that they don't "know" what to do. The chicks went right to work eating and drinking, but the turkeys didn't. I dipped their beaks in the water, but it still seemed to take a little time. I haven't lost any (yet)

, but I was worried that I would.

 

[ColbyNTX]

You are feeding turkey or gamebird starter crumbles right? Do you have it sprinkeled on the floor or just in a feeder. It is pretty important for the first few days to have it all over the floor. Also, use the eggs like Steve suggested.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
That's how we start ours is with chicks. Turkeys do seem to learn by "follow the leader". In a way I kind of dislike this time of year, we get emails every day about poults dropping one by one, what can be done. etc Shipping poults is a big stress on them and by the time they start dropping they are 3-4-5 days old and at their limit without eating and drinking. I think it turns alot of people off turkeys.

Steve

 

[95yj]

there's definitely a learning curve for poults, i by no means jumped into this unprepared, i did my research and have experience with all manner of other chicks, but theres just some things you need to learn first hand i guess. I did have food (yes, medicated 28% protien gamebird crumbles) spread around the brooder, and i saw the sick ones eating. Which is why i think it's dehydration, they also started getting diahrea towards the end. I put some balls of tin foil in the water, mixed some vitamins into the h2o and raised the temp. all the remaining birds seem to be doing good. thanks everyone.

 

[ColbyNTX]

I think you will find it a bit better next year if you hatch your own poults. Just remember, if you have guineas, put some eggs in the same day as the turkeys so they hatch togather. If you use chicken eggs, I put them in on day 7 of the turkey incubation. It makes things a ton eaiser.