Turkeys are here!

[DCS]

Hi all,

So after reading this forum for a few months, I made the decision to take the proverbial turkey plunge and placed my order with Welp back in February or March. Well, the little gobblers arrived yesterday, and are settling in nicely. I got 6 Bourbon Reds, 6 midget whites and 6 BBB (although I only ordered 4, they threw in 2 extras)

I had some week-old sex-links and 2 week old barred rocks/australorps to show the lil guys the ropes. The chickens tend to pile into this adorable sleeping heap, and a couple of the midget whites infiltrated the pile. The rest of the turkeys clumped together under the heat lamp.

So far, I can only find 24% starter, but there is another feed shop I want to check that might have 28 or 30%.

I'm working on a large turkey pen, that will be roughly 25 x 40', but the thing I most wonder about is how much shelter these guys need. I am in Central Florida, so snow isn't really an issue. The pen walls will be about 7' high, but I'm planning netting or something over the top. There are a few trees in the pen, and it is adjacent to the chicken coop; it will double as a chicken run and the turkeys will have access to the coop, but I hear they don't tend to use coops unless groomed to do so. Thoughts?

And of course, some pics of the babies.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

The only time ours go in the chicken houses is to lay eggs, They prefer to roost outside. For our roosts I just went back in the woods and cut down a small pine tree about 6 inches in diameter and we have that about 4 feet off the ground. The only problem I can see you having in FL is the same as ours here, hurricaines and tropical storms. You will need someplace secure to lock them in thru those.

Do you have Southern States feed stores in FL? They carry a 28% game bird starter which is what we use.

Steve in NC

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Good looking poults you got there.

As far as the shelter goes you'll need to have a place where they can get out of the sun (shade). For the most part turkeys will be able to take care of their own needs, but you would need a secure place to lock them up in bad storms that you guys get. Far as the rains and what not they will more then likely just hang out in a tree or what ever you provide them with and sleep right thru it.

 

[DCS]

I guess our saving grace is that we are about as far inland as one could be, so no storm surge, but you're right about the storms.

The pop door to the coop is only about 13"x13", which I am guessing won't be big enough for a fully grown Bourbon Red to squeeze through... much less the BBB (but they might not "make it" to storm season, if you get my meaning.) I suppose I could just cut a larger door in the side of the coop... food for thought.

Speaking of food, I went to 2 more feed stores, and nothing higher than 20% there. They can order me something higher, they think... any particular brand better? I'm using the Dumor 24% now, because it's the highest I can find. (Alternatives being Nutrena and Purina GrowNStart)

Thanks!
Danielle

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Ask them, they can order it. Most every feed brands has high protein gamebird feeds.

 

[DCS]

The first place's idea of high protein gamebird feed was 17% (a grower).

I'll call Monday and see about special ordering.

On a different note, one of the BRs vents was getting pecked by the others. The brooder is pretty big, so I don't think it's a space issue. I couldn't tell if it was just raw or actually bleeding, so he got a squirt of Blue Kote and seems to be hanging with the bigger chickens now. (He's the only turkey in the pile of barred rocks- it's kind of cute. Apparently he feels safe there.)

Will keep a close eye on him. The kote did seem to deter the others- they just looked at it like their little bird brains couldn't process it, but didn't peck.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
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I once put a turkey poult in with 25 Auracana chicks, and the turkey was too passive for them -- they were always running him over etc., so I took the turkey out. They have slightly different personalities. I dont' think the opposite ration would have the same problem -- where there are lots of turkey poults and just a one or two chicks.

 

[DCS]

Well, at the moment, it's 18 turkeys, 4 barred rocks, 2 australorps, 3 RIR, 3 sex-links, and 2 BOs (I think). The rocks and the australorps are a big bigger than the others, but so far, so good. I figure I can expand the brooder a great deal when needed because of design to give them all plenty of room... the chickens won't be able to join the rest of the flock until they're a lot bigger anyway. Turkeys will just go outside into their pen.

And little picked-on guy is running around acting fine today. Yay for Blue Kote!

 

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
I made a pretty big hole for my Turkey side when I built the house and on other side for chickens I made a smaller hole.. I can't remember the exact size of the smaller hole, but you don't have to get carried way size of it..

The turkeys have no problem getting thru the smaller hole...

I wish I hadn't made the other hole as big now...

 

[Bornacentury2L8]

Man! If my DW could read my mind right now she would kill me! Beautiful poults!