turkey poults

[wcah]

Iv just hatched 11 borbon red turkeys, which are now a week old. When would you sugest giving them fine oystar grit? An giving them some grass, or would it be best to give them washed lettice?

 

[chooks4life]

Fine oyster grit at any age, generally they will eat it if they need it. Grass is great for poultry, better than lettuce anyday, I'd definitely let them get grass. Cut grass can be dangerous though so better to let them pick at short grass themselves, they will break off appropriate sized pieces.

Best wishes.

 

[wcah]

I thought you werent suposed to let turkeys on grass till they were about 5 weeks old as there imune system is very week.

 

[chooks4life]

I thought you werent suposed to let turkeys on grass till they were about 5 weeks old as there imune system is very week.

Never heard that one, but I'd expect it applies to birds who come from intensive environments where they are overcrowded and raised on regularly disinfected floors so they have coddled and weak immune systems, and any pasture they are allowed to access has been overstocked.

Normally, with heritage breed or wild turkeys, they're onto grass from their first day or two of life, so one would have to question what people have done to the species to make it so weak. I always raised mine on grass from hatching onwards. If you've gotten yours from a place that raises them on dirt or concrete floors you can expect they would be quite weak, so you'd have to treat them accordingly I guess.

Best wishes.