Question about turkey poult behaviour

[fitz]

Hi, I'm a newbie so please bear with me... about two weeks ago I purchased from a local hatchery some white turkey poults and barred rock chicks to raise together. They have been doing fine but for one turkey poult, she (presumably) keeps looking outside of the cage and running along the edge of the cage constantly. She is not as interested in eating as all the other ones and is the smallest one of all now...since they all started about the same size.

She also constantly peck at the other chicks while they are eating, disturbing others eating and even drawing some blood on some of her 'siblings'...

I was wondering if this is normal? Because all other chicks are behaving normally except that one. Any suggestions?

Please feel free to email me if you got any good ideas! I'd appreicate it! thanks alot!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Do you still have them in with the BR? If those are the ones it is pecking, you can go ahead and move them to a different brooder. And if the poult is running back and forth on the sides of the 'cage', I assume that means an actual cage, not a brooder box? Cover up the sides and see what happens. I haven't had turkeys (yet), but it sounds like it is getting stressed. How big is the cage they are in, and how many birds? More space, less things to look at, these things should at least help.

 

[fitz]

Thanks for your reply, actually I have them in a cage which I used to keep a large rabbit. The sides are partly covered but I guess they got a bit bigger so they can see out more. I put them in my garage, uncovered in the day time because it is actually quite warm now here in California. They do have a constant light source though.

I guess I will try to cover up more of the cage then, but even if they are in the garage, nothing around them moves, I don't know what that one would be stressed about? Any suggestions on her excessive pecking at others?

 

[patyrdz]

Are you giving the turkeys the right feed? They need to be on the turkey starter to get the nutrition they need. I know my turkeys seem to get hot faster than my chicks do, so maybe he's hot? I am not sure what the problem is, but maybe this willl help!

 

[fitz]

I didn't realize that there are different starter feeds for chickens and turkeys, I've used chicken starter feed on them since they are raised in the same area. the other turkeys are not like the one with the neurotic problem, it is alert but does not eat much and keeps on looking and pecking on its own feet for some reason. I thought maybe there was something wrong with his feet but when i picked him up to look, both feet appear normal, nothing broken... They are three weeks old now and it's been quite warm so they are let out during the day time in the pen, everyone eats and drinks as normal, but that one just lays there all day and not eating much. he does not appear to be sick, dropping color and consistency is normal... so any suggestions on how I can encourage him to eat more?

 

[pdpatch]

Yes there is a different starter, usually it's called wild game, It can be a starter or a starter/grower. It is a lot higher protein, and has different trace minerals in it. Both of these are needed to get the turkey's started.

With out the extra trace mineral it's body won't convert what is in the feed correctly.

You can try to provide some fancy scratch for it, fancy scratch is corn and a number of other grains mixed together. Also they will prefer weeds to regular lawn grass. The walking back and forth is because the pullet wants to get out to forage and explore.

You can cut grass/weeds and bring that to them, that may help. They also appear they are ready for more space.

Tom

 

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
Mine does that running and then when they get bigger they try to fly thru the wire..

I have had a few kill themselves by hitting the wire to hard (Silly things)

If it's running means that it's eating ok, or it'd stand around in a trace like stance a day before falling over dead..

I put my hand in with mine daily .. little water on finger tip.. hit the food to stick on it.. then let them be little peronas eating it off.. This will give you and idea how they are eating and their activeness.