Raising poults. Beginner seeks advice.

[R2elk]

Has anyone had issues with a specific breed of turkey poults being... rude? Censoring myself here, obviously.
For instance, my blue slate poult keeps grabbing my chicks feet and dragging them.
I’m not 100% sure, but I believe it has led to some broken legs and death of my chicks.

There is only one breed and that is Turkey. There are many varieties.

It is not uncommon for turkey poults to see chicks feet or even other poults as food. The more you have the less likely it is to be a problem. It can often be a single poult that is the culprit and sometimes a brief time out can help. When there are just a few it can be difficult for the victim to get away. In these cases, it is best to separate the victim/s until they are big enough to escape the unwanted attention.

Some people have reported "meanness" in their particular line of turkeys and have made an effort to try to breed it out. I believe it can be an inherited trait but that most often it is how they are raised and what they are fed.

The Connection between nutrition and behavior in turkeys.

You have to click on their provided link to download the pdf file.

 

[Stajemahal]

Thank you for correcting my ignorance. I’d rather be corrected than to speak as if I have no knowledge of them in the future.
Varieties, not breeds. Noted.

Well I have (maybe) week old poults and the chicks out number them easily. I did do a time out session after witnessing the poult do this to a chick and I haven’t had anymore problems out of her/him.

I do make myself very present with my flock as well as my chicks. I don’t handle the chicks a lot to cut back on stress but the poults are so healthy and happy that I have been handling them to try and ensure they will be friendly turkeys.
I have yet to master ducks, even though all my ducks have been raised from ducklings- they seem harder to gain trust from.

We are planning on getting a working LGD pup in the new few days, going to continue to work it by protecting my children and poultry. Hoping this will be a big predator solution.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

My turkeys spend the night on their roosts all year long, in good weather and bad including when it gets down to -30°F. They have access to the coop and will spend the entire day in the coop during a snowstorm but still spend the night out on their roosts.

Do you have any pics to give a good idea of what to build?

 

[R2elk]

Do you have any pics to give a good idea of what to build?

Not really.
The coop is the basement of the building in the upper right.

I "planted" a dead Russian Olive and added support posts for the 4" diameter corral poles that are set at different heights and sort of "stair stepped".

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Oh wow. Look at that snow. Glad we only get it once or twice a year around here.

Hmmmm... I'm thinking I could do something cool with some of these felled tree branches I have. Too small to use as actual posts, but would probably make awesome roosts.

 

[R2elk]

Oh wow. Look at that snow. Glad we only get it once or twice a year around here.

Hmmmm... I'm thinking I could do something cool with some of these felled tree branches I have. Too small to use as actual posts, but would probably make awesome roosts.

When using tree branches for roosts, it is highly recommended to peel the bark off to diminish the places that pests such as lice and mites can hide and flourish.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

When using tree branches for roosts, it is highly recommended to peel the bark off to diminish the places that pests such as lice and mites can hide and flourish.

Always! I use them in my chicken coops too. Plus it keeps their foot bottoms from getting scratched up. Great advice for sure!

Can I use an all purpose flock raiser? I have other types of poultry as well...

And what kind of things should I watch for with them?

At what age will I be able to tell sex? (These are a pair of unsexed royal palms)

**Sorry, I really am new to turkeys. This is my first pair, we currently raise chickens, quail, ducks, goats, pigs, kitties and children!

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Oh! Is it ok to use ACV like I do with my chickens?

 

[R2elk]

Always! I use them in my chicken coops too. Plus it keeps their foot bottoms from getting scratched up. Great advice for sure!

Can I use an all purpose flock raiser? I have other types of poultry as well...

And what kind of things should I watch for with them?

At what age will I be able to tell sex? (These are a pair of unsexed royal palms)

**Sorry, I really am new to turkeys. This is my first pair, we currently raise chickens, quail, ducks, goats, pigs, kitties and children!

Once the turkeys are mature they can do well on a quality chicken feed or all flock feed.

Most experienced turkey raisers can tell the sex of most by 3 months. Late developing toms can take longer to be sure.

 

[R2elk]

Oh! Is it ok to use ACV like I do with my chickens?

I am not convinced of all the claims about how good ACV is. I do know that adding ACV to the water during high temperatures is bad for any kind of poultry. I do not add ACV for any of my poultry when my findings were exactly the opposite of many of the claims during a test run I did.