Tips needed on getting hatchlings started

[Cottage Rose]

What do you do when you don't have a chick or duckling to teach newly hatched poults how to eat and drink?
I have some poults that are around 12 hours old. I sprinkled their crumbles on the floor of their brooder and tapped at them with my finger. Slightly curious but none ate them so far. Dipped beaks in water. Don't know what else to do. I only have 4 so don't want to lose any. Any tips for a turkey beginner most appreciated!

 

[blake w]

they dont do much eating that soon...obsorbing the yolk in the egg takes care of them for a day or so..hard boiled egg ground up with small amount of starter sprinkled over it works great....dont know if its taste/color or texture but they love it...and of course, its good for them

 

[kuntrygirl]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/466253/lone-turkey-poult-pic


Post # 4

I have had to do the same thing in the past. You can see how I set everything up. I hope this helps. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Being a first time Turkey mom I was worried since I've read how hard it is to get hatchlings to eat and that people put ducks or chicks in with them to teach them how to do so.
Well they didn't seem any slower to start eating than chicks so I'm wondering what all the warnings are for??
At any rate from my 16 shipped hatching eggs only 4 hatched (2 White Midgets & 2 Blue Palms)
so I hope I can keep these buggers happy & healthy through the first few weeks and keep them alive.
Thanks to the above poster for recommending the hard boiled eggs.
I had kind of forgotten about that...I use to feed them to new chicks.
I've been putting chick vitties/electrolytes in their water and offering them fine chopped dandelion greens
which they like to peck at and eat.
They seem to be doing well so far/knock-on-wood!
Looking forward to watching them grow

 

[tank21107]

I suggest putting marbles in there food and water dishes. We usually do this with are baby chicks or turkey's and it has worked. This makes them peck at the colors in return they get the food and water.

 

[Cottage Rose]

My poults are 2 weeks old and doing well so far. Again I didn't see that they were any slower than chicks with starting to eat and drink. In addition to their crumbles they're getting and loving chopped dandelion greens and hard boiled eggs. I moved them out to my big shed and they have a very large brooder area but they seem like they want to get out by sometimes peeping loudly and trying to jump out over the edge. If we get some nice hot days when can I put them outside in a pen?

 

[feathersandfur]

I'm so glad I found this post! I have no experience with newly hatched turkeys and now I have 3. 2 hatched yesterday and 1 today. Any other advise?

 

[feathersandfur]

I worried for nothing, my babies are doing great!

 

[kangababy]

They can go outside aroudn 2 months old. Just be careful of the rain

 

[Cottage Rose]

GEEZ! TWO MONTHS OLD?!?
I feel sorry for them being cooped up for so long.