I ordered midget white turkey poults from Mcmurray hatchery. They were shipped on Tuesday and supposed to arrive Thursday, but they didn't. After talking to the hatchery on Thursday and Friday, it was determined that they were shipped to the wrong place. They went from Idaho to Florida, and were then put back on the plane to me in Oregon. The hatchery scheduled me to receive a duplicate batch of turkeys in the future because they said they would all be dead on arrival. They arrived Saturday and 3 of 15 were dead. We immediately dipped their beaks in booster water (vitamins, electrolytes, and probiotics) with marbles in it to prevent drowning. We have continued to dip their beaks multiple times a day to be sure they are drinking. They have 28% unmedicated turkey starter feed in a shiny metal feeder, we watch them eat and their poop looks normal. They are in a tall box without drafts, under an eco glow brooder.
We have continued to lose 1-3 turkey poults a day. They will all look lively, running around, eating and drinking. Then suddenly they will lay down and die within hours. Offering them water, they don't want to drink. They will gasp for air, almost like they aspirated water but there are marbles making their dish very shallow. They slowly get weaker and then die after only a few hours of showing any symptoms. Before that they were all up and running around.
I have heard that turkey poults are very fragile, and mine are no exception. It just breaks my heart to watch them die. My question is, is this shipping stress related? They spent 5 days in the mail and went across the country twice. They arrived Saturday and today is Tuesday; we have 7 left of 16, 3 were DOA so we started with 13 and have lost 6. I don't think it is disease because they are indoors where no chickens have ever lived, in a brooder box unused by chickens. They are warm and draft free. I see them eating and drinking. Why would they just drop dead?
We have continued to lose 1-3 turkey poults a day. They will all look lively, running around, eating and drinking. Then suddenly they will lay down and die within hours. Offering them water, they don't want to drink. They will gasp for air, almost like they aspirated water but there are marbles making their dish very shallow. They slowly get weaker and then die after only a few hours of showing any symptoms. Before that they were all up and running around.
I have heard that turkey poults are very fragile, and mine are no exception. It just breaks my heart to watch them die. My question is, is this shipping stress related? They spent 5 days in the mail and went across the country twice. They arrived Saturday and today is Tuesday; we have 7 left of 16, 3 were DOA so we started with 13 and have lost 6. I don't think it is disease because they are indoors where no chickens have ever lived, in a brooder box unused by chickens. They are warm and draft free. I see them eating and drinking. Why would they just drop dead?