Turkey poults need for heat lamp?

ninjapoodles

Sees What You Did There
11 Years
May 24, 2008
2,842
8
191
Central Arkansas
Our Narragansett poults are about a month old now, and still in the basement brooder. The ambient temp in the room is stable, about 74-78 or so. Their heat-lamp is as high as we can get it from the floor. The way they're avoiding it, I think we could just turn it off. But we're worried that if we do that, and they acclimate to the constant temp in the room with the AC running, then they'll be in shock when we turn them out into their pen in August, when it's 100 degrees or better in the shade. My husband thinks we should leave the heat-lamp on them just for this reason.

Can anyone advise me?
 
Turn it off in the day and put them utside for short periods to get them started with an immunity to things in your dirt. My turkeys have been off the heat lamp MUCH earlier than normal and have done really well. They are in the barn now and when I left they were happily going to roost.
 
I guess that would work--the pen is up; he's just still working on the shelter and roosts. Of course, that means making a bunch of trips in and out of the basement!

I just keep reading stories of how fragile young turkeys are. How old do they have to be before I can relax at least a *little*?
 
Hee. Hijack away! When we get commercial dog-food, we get the Chicken Soup puppy formula (even for adults), because it's the best thing offered anywhere near here. What we've been feeding for over a decade now primarily, though, is the Volhard Natural Diet. Let me tell you, it's right up your alley. You can make it from scratch, which is the best thing, because you can change up protein sources, change herbs with the seasons, and just adjust it fluidly to fit your needs.

You can also buy "NDF" dehydrated mixes for the AM and PM meals (two separate meals to follow food-combining principles), so you just add fresh yogurt/kefir in the morning, and fresh raw meat in the evening, OR, right now, we're testing the new "NDF2" mix, which combines everything into one meal, and all you add is water and ground meat.
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Here's what the mix looks like:
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It's an amazing diet, and has 30+ years of clinical testing behind it before it was ever released to the public in the book "The Holistic Guide For A Healthy Dog" by Wendy Volhard.
 
When I was packing turkeys in and out, I put 5 of them in a box, covered it with a towel, and carried 'em out. You could probably split up your 13 and move them thataway (if you have a strong back!). Mine moved out of the house at 5-6 weeks, so hopefully yours can move out soon anyway. They did OK with no supplemental heat, and I'm in a cool climate (temps in the 50's at night).
 
I am going to check in to that diet. My little Rhett suddenly looks far too skinny to me. He has been wormed etc. Just looks skinny. Might be because we shaved him. I have started feeding him 2 extra times in the day with a small snack. Abby can be food aggressive and I am wondering if lately she has been taking his food.
 

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