Turkey poult growing slowly - should I worry?

[Airamith]

I have a royal palm x bronze breasted poultry that seems to be growing really slowly to me. I'm already worried, but I don't know how worried I should and whether or not I should be doing something more for it. It hatched late May 30th or the wee hours of June 1st, and it's still mostly baby down on it's chest, neck, and head.

Is this normal? Caused by being a cross breed? I have no idea. It's probably unhealthy how attached to this dang bird I am. I hatched it in an incubator so this is partially my fault somehow. It couldn't keep its balance for the first few days and kept flipping over on its back. It literally went to work with me and everything.

 

[R2elk]

I have a royal palm x bronze breasted poult that seems to be growing really slowly to me. I'm already worried, but I don't know how worried I should and whether or not I should be doing something more for it. It hatched late May 30th or the wee hours of June 1st, and it's still mostly baby down on it's chest, neck, and head.

Is this normal? Caused by being a cross breed? I have no idea. It's probably unhealthy how attached to this dang bird I am. I hatched it in an incubator so this is partially my fault somehow. It couldn't keep its balance for the first few days and kept flipping over on its back. It literally went to work with me and everything.

What are you feeding it?

 

[Airamith]

Regular chick starter and Ultra Chick Kibble mixed, nutra drench for poultry.

 

[R2elk]

Regular chick starter and Ultra Chick Kibble mixed, nutra drench for poultry.

That is your problem. Chick starter does not have the high protein level and higher lysine, methionine and niacin that turkey poults need for proper development. If you are having a problem finding turkey or game bird starter locally, Chewy.com carries several different brands and in my opinion, their shipping is reasonable.

 

[Airamith]

I'll switch it to something else today. I was trying to supplement the missing vitamins with the nutri-drench.

 

[R2elk]

I'll switch it to something else today. I was trying to supplement the missing vitamins with the nutri-drench.

You would do better by giving vitamin B complex at the rate of 1/2 tablet dissolved in one gallon of water. Make it the only source of water. It should be made fresh daily. It is also okay to give to any other hatchlings.

It will give it all of the necessary B vitamins including niacin and thiamine.

If your experience is raising BB poults, your mixed poult should grow at a rate between BBs and heritage turkeys.

 

[Airamith]

This is my fourth experience raising turkey poults. I'm new to this, I've only ever raised chickens and waterfowl before. It's parents both grew much faster than it is though, which caused me to worry.

I take those daily, so I'll start that today too.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. Hazelnoot is my little turk-turk, and I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to it.