Single Poult - what to do?

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! I also have a single poult. A friend from work came by earlier today and dropped of a turkey they found running around in the road. (They said it was fully feathered, but it really only has some wing feathers. If it is the same as with chickens, I think it would have to be less than a week old.) They looked around for any more, but found none. Anyway, it's crop was completely empty, so it must have been away from any caregiver or family for a while. I now have it set up in my chicken brooder. It took a while for me to get it to eat. Finally managed to shove a pill bug into its mouth while it was calling for its family. Then I could get it to eat off of a toothpick and fed it mealworms and dampened chick starter. Now it is eating on its own, but is still really lonely. After reading this thread, I put a mirror in, but it hasn't helped yet. If I can find a young chicken, would that be a good idea? Is there anyway to tell if this little guy is wild or if he fell off a truck on the way home from the flea market? He doesn't scratch or just eat and drink constantly like my chicks always have. Seems to be waiting for me to feed it?! Anyway, would a chick friend help if I can find one?
Thanks!

 

[WalnutHill]

My turkeys did really well with bantam chick buddies, and those are usually available pretty much everywhere.

Chances are it's a wild baby, if you post a picture we can help ID it.

 

[mixedUPturk]

Be catious of blackhead, after a foster situation i started i learned that turkeys and chickens really shouldnt be kept togther for that parasite

 

[carolinasculpture]

Thank you both...anything I can do to prevent parasite issues? If the feed store has turkey poults (they have them periodically) I will get some of them...
Will try to send pics this afternoon.
Thanks!!!

 

[teria]

I have two 2 week old Bourbon reds that I got from a local poultry breeder. They seem healthy,but, spend most of the time in one corner of the brooder, not moving about much unless I open the brooder up, then they stand up and move around normally. It's definitely tall enough, they just don't really move around when the screen we have covering it is on. They pretty much only eat when I put their food up to them, but, at least once or twice now they helped themselves to what I left in there for them. Otherwise, I worry they will starve themselves as I hear turkeys may do. I have only seen them take one drink from their waterer, so I always make the mush very watery to give them some hydration. It's all new to me, as I have never raised turkeys, and have only had my little chicken flock since March. The chicks have had no problems with eating or drinking, and being active. These little turkeys have been with us since Friday afternoon, so, just three days now. Am I expecting too much from them? With there being only two of them, even though they tend to stick close to each other, is that just not enough companionship?

Also, on the feed issue, our local tractor supply didn't have any game bird or turkey feed at all. Just the poultry/chick starter that says on the bag it is also for turkeys and game birds. Is that okay for the baby turkeys? They really don't seem all that interested in it, and prefer the oatmeal/corn meal mush I make for them. Should I continue the mush until I can get to another feed store that may carry the feed specifically for game birds?

I am so worried about these two little ones. I have been hand feeding them since day one, but, I work all day, so, my family is trying to remember to feed them, but, it's summer, and they may forget. How long will the little ones be able to go without eating? Is there a better way to set up their feeder so they will just eat without me having to put it up to them? I know the waterer the breeder was using is the same as the one I am using.

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! I know nothing about turkies, but am learning right along with you. My little guy loves live bugs and mealworms. He eats anything I skewer onto a toothpick and is scavenging more now that he has two chick friends. I have only seen him drink twice. So far I have been offering dry food. Should wet it? He is pretty active, but does like to hang out with his new friends. He is really quiet now, just making little "happy birds noises".
Anyway, here he is: any ideas on id?

Age? Is this brooder set up ok?
Thanks!

 

[mixedUPturk]

Please excuse any mispellings or typos, i have the learing disabilitiy dyslexia and i tried to fix stuff but it never works i alwaz miss things

Hi! I know nothing about turkies, but am learning right along with you. My little guy loves live bugs and mealworms. He eats anything I skewer onto a toothpick and is scavenging more now that he has two chick friends. I have only seen him drink twice. So far I have been offering dry food. Should wet it? He is pretty active, but does like to hang out with his new friends. He is really quiet now, just making little "happy birds noises".
Anyway, here he is: any ideas on id?

Age? Is this brooder set up ok?
Thanks!

Im still new at this too so please bear with me and anyone who knows better than i do Please jump in.

I think tall are doing great putting the babies under lights with clean food and water. I agree that turkey and chick starter are Almost the same, and neither will Harm either bird. Specialized food is nice and all but i have chickens Because i live on a budget right? 50$ for 10#s of feed just wont fit in my books. You Do have to be careful not to give chicks adult food or vice versa because the super protien of chicks isnt healthy for the adults and neither is the lack of it for the babies. Birds Will indeed starve themselves to death, so i agree with the before mentioned, bonding and attention is the only answer. Teria maybe two isnt enough? Idk!
Also i find that Any critter i have, will eventually turn down its normal feed to try and make me give them their favorite treats as meals. I see it as a trick and manipulation usually they want something nicer. Just try to get them more excited about eating the feed, more often, and feed fewer treats. At first i understand that you may need treats for stimulation or even recovering health, but in general, tou want to discourage goodies and encourage healthy right?
Carolina sculpt
Hes so cute! Looks nothing like the baby royal palm i had, which was solid for weeks, i didnt have my BRs that young, but they look simiular to me. Its good that hes calm, and eating and drinking but like i said in previous posts i worry about blackhead paradite because my flock isnt established enough for me to be sure of myself in that aspect. I will have to add some grapevine and or mopani to mine more for them to interact with and less time to peck one another. All i can say is that it seems that your doing well and just remmember that chicks dont have the adult build up of grit so they cant digest everything yet.

Blackhead as my fav new book says:

"This parasite is one of the biggest threats to your turkeys -- eapecially to young poults aged 3 -18 wks. Unfourtuanatly, it is fairly common and can survive in the ground for at least a year -- it is carried around in worms and snails. Blackhead is also the reason that chickens should be kept seperatly, as the parasite can survive in their gut without any obvious symptoms and they can pass it on to your turkeys.

Treating sick turkeys is difficult, prevention is the best approch, keeping poultry seperate and letting land previously occupied by chickens lay fallow for at least two yrs"

Eggs and Poultry Made At Home
By Dick and James Strawbridge

I hope this is helpful

 

[lilybug51]

I have two 2 week old Bourbon reds that I got from a local poultry breeder. They seem healthy,but, spend most of the time in one corner of the brooder, not moving about much unless I open the brooder up, then they stand up and move around normally. It's definitely tall enough, they just don't really move around when the screen we have covering it is on. They pretty much only eat when I put their food up to them, but, at least once or twice now they helped themselves to what I left in there for them. Otherwise, I worry they will starve themselves as I hear turkeys may do. I have only seen them take one drink from their waterer, so I always make the mush very watery to give them some hydration. It's all new to me, as I have never raised turkeys, and have only had my little chicken flock since March. The chicks have had no problems with eating or drinking, and being active. These little turkeys have been with us since Friday afternoon, so, just three days now. Am I expecting too much from them? With there being only two of them, even though they tend to stick close to each other, is that just not enough companionship?

Also, on the feed issue, our local tractor supply didn't have any game bird or turkey feed at all. Just the poultry/chick starter that says on the bag it is also for turkeys and game birds. Is that okay for the baby turkeys? They really don't seem all that interested in it, and prefer the oatmeal/corn meal mush I make for them. Should I continue the mush until I can get to another feed store that may carry the feed specifically for game birds?

I am so worried about these two little ones. I have been hand feeding them since day one, but, I work all day, so, my family is trying to remember to feed them, but, it's summer, and they may forget. How long will the little ones be able to go without eating? Is there a better way to set up their feeder so they will just eat without me having to put it up to them? I know the waterer the breeder was using is the same as the one I am using.

 

[lilybug51]

I have a hard time finding high protein chick starter also...I add either mashed up hard boiled eggs or meal worms crushed up.