Wild Turkeys hatched!

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I know you arent using your real name and all on here, and I would have done the same myself (but then I raise 3 species of wild turkeys too) But be careful what you say on public forums, to be honest, what you have done it not "improper" as you said, it is highly illegal and if the DNR finds out you have them, they will crucify you.
Again, I personally I am not, but feel you should at least know what the outcome of this can be, fines into the $1000's depending on what State you are in, and in some cases jail time. I'm sure it wouldnt be that severe for a rescue situation, and by the birds you did they right thing, but by Law,....well they dont see it that way. When cases like this occur, they prefer you to call them, they will take injured or abandoned wildlife to rehab centers, fix them up in a condition as to where they can be released back into the wild if their health permits. But by law, you arent allowed to take into your personal care any form of wildlife, for any reason, life or death, doesnt matter, cold, but that's the law.

Now on a lighter note, you did great by hatching all 6! A++ there. For any poult, keep them very warm for the first 6-8 weeks. General rule is 95 degrees the first week, lowered by 5 per week till you are down to 75 or so. Also keep them sheltered and dry, if they get wet, they die like flys.
Clean water and food is a must, high protein for the first 4-6 weeks then lower it to about 18% or so after that, if you feed them hi pro feed all the time, they are prone to getting spraddle leg, they grow faster than their skeletal structure can handle basically.
Do not give them sugar water, after about 2 days of that they will have the runs. That is only for emergencies usually with shipped in birds. Instead get a vitamin/mineral supplement for drinking water, most feed and seed stores or Tractor Supply Stores will have all these.
I always brood mine til they are 16 weeks old or better before I put them on the ground. If you think one may be catching a bug, a good oxytetracycline based antibiotic usually will get most anything, also available at the same places.

Aside from all this, they are fairly easy to raise, if you get them past the first week or two, usually you have it made.

By the way, what strain are they? And just dont tell anyone you have them for God's sake, would hate to see you get in trouble over trying to save them

 

[fire1ok]

Well I cannot guarantee that they will survive no matter how long you keep them, but I can tell you the wild adult birds I have came from parents that were raised from an egg in an incubator. Now two generations later having been in a pen for two generations they are still as wild as if you caught them and put them in a pen yesterday. You dont have to tell them they are wild, and if you keep them a year you still wont have to tell them they are wild. My birds were hatched in an incubator over a year ago and if my pen were left open today I would never see my birds again. The main thing I would be concerned with is them becoming dependant on a feeder instead of eating grasses and insects. I have some little 4' X 8' pens that are 2.5' tall. They are lite and easy to drag so I can move them every day. Once they learn to find seeds, eat grass and chase bugs they will be ready to go.



I am sorry for encouraging this, but in my state it is legal as long as you are licensed and keep all the correct documents and records. I honestly thought it was legal everywhere as long as you bought your birds legally. I personally would never dream of robbing a nest, but I would never leave eggs to rot if the nest was destroyed by a mowing machine either. Everyone has their own beliefs and veiwpoints.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
Nope, in about 1/2 the states it's illegal to own them period, captive raised or not, some require a DNR permit, some nothing, each state is different on captive raised ones, but they are all the same on taking them from wild nest, illegal, never heard of any permit allowing that in any state. And yep, it take 4-6 generation of captive breeding to get the wild nature out of them

 

[OmaBird]

When I was much younger I use to find protected injured birds or babies and rehab them. I would just call and inform them what I was doing. To be honest they did not want to take the birds from me until I had already paid for vets and did all the TLC myself. Sometimes they would call me and ask if I needed more time than the time I was given.

 

[crtrlovr]

You mentioned one or two of the little guys have mildly deformed feet. If the foot is trying to curl inward (like club foot in humans) you might try making a "boot" by taping the foot to a small piece of stiff cardboard (like a cereal box, poster board, or something firm but not really thick). Leave it on for a few days to help the foot shape to a more natural position. Of course, if it gets wet or nasty, change it!

Legalities aside, I commend you for saving those babies. Given the choice of certain death or helping save a life, I'll choose saving the life every time.