# Don't know that I will be doing turkeys again.



## Pearce Pastures (Apr 12, 2013)

So I decided that I would try out turkeys this year in addition to our meat chicks.  They are pricey and I just got four of them.  I thought all would be well, read a bunch, got things set up with a heat lamp, poultry starter and all.  The first day, one died.  no reason at all, not cold or hot or anything, just gone.  Then today, DH went out to change today's' water and two had JUMPED out of the box and must have gotten to cold.  This box is pretty tall and I would never have thought they could get out of it (and it is inside of a wire pen so nothing pulled them out).  We now have one lone female poult   I am so disheartened and now I am not sure what to do with her because I would imagine she needs a companion like other animals do.  We have meat chicks but they eat different starters and I am not sure about putting a poult in with chicks.  Any ideas?


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## Southern by choice (Apr 12, 2013)

yes, poults are very sensitive. I do not sell mine until they are 3-4 weeks old at the youngest.
I prefer 6 weeks. They are fragile. I am telling you this so you don't think you did something wrong. 
Mine fair rather well usually because they are heritage breeds.... BUT they are not the brightest birds when young either.
Sorry you lost them, I know it is still heartbreaking.

The single poult will be fine. I personally would not mix the poult with your chicks. We never do this... once they free range they still stay very separate. Turkeys tend to kill chicks. Out Tom kills chicks that he does not recognize as being part of his territory. If it is a chicken/chick that is known in his territory he is fine and very protective... if not it is dead.

Also Turkeys are extremely susceptible to poultry illnesses, on the other hand it will tell you if you have something going on. One reason we keep turkeys is they are the first warning if you have something going on in your flock.


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## Bridgemoof (Apr 12, 2013)

Sorry about the poults Pearce. We have had very bad luck with turkey poults. I've bought them at 1 day old, 6 weeks of age and older and still they have died.  I somehow amazingly have two full grown turkeys now and don't know how they even made it. But now the hen is laying eggs so we just put the turkey eggs in the incubator today. Don't know how we'll manage when they are hatched, as they do seem prone to all kinds of problems that the chickens elude.  I believe that the turkeys can pick up diseases in the environment that the chickens can't but can be carriers of.  Good luck with your remaining turkey, and maybe you'll get lucky and find one that is older to be its buddy when yours grows up.


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## GLENMAR (Apr 12, 2013)

I started out with 6 last year. 2 died before I moved them outside.
I raised 4. Two were hens and 2 were toms. One tom became Thanksgiving.
Of my remaining trio, my hen is on 15 eggs now. I really hope some of them hatch.


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## BrownSheep (Apr 12, 2013)

I've actually had better luck with my meat birds than with my heritage chicks. I also raised the meat birds with my chicks. 
The only time my turkeys are agressive to my chickens is while eating even then it's just a peck. One of my hens hates my roosters and will attack them, but the roosters generally instigate it. 

Make certain that she keeps eating. Poults are dummies and will occasionally forget what to eat.


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## Pearce Pastures (Apr 12, 2013)

Thank you all.  I hope she makes it and will just keep her separate still and keep babying her. Feeling just a little sad about it.  They were so personable and would come right to me.


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## Gevshiba (Apr 12, 2013)

Lurker here.  Thought I'd chime in on turkeys.  I raised 5 last year for the first time.  They were 7 weeks when I got them.  This year, I got 15 day olds.  I also picked up 5 chicks to help teach them to eat and drink.  The hatchery sent 4 chicks with the poults, so I have 9 chicks too!  My poults are 9 days old now and they are starting to fly already.  Definately need a top on the brooder.  You can contact your ag extension office to see if there is Blackhead in your area.  If not, you should be ok with keeping them together.  Just as a prophylactic, I feed a ton of cayenne/red pepper flakes, garlic and oregano.  Don't give up, they're worth the effort!


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## Canadiannee (Apr 12, 2013)

Don't feel bad Pearce... I'm one of the ones who's never had good luck with turkey poults neither... oddly enough, I have no problem raising chickens, ducks, quail and pheasants from day olds, but I'll tell you, had I started my flock and fowl with turkeys, I would of quit the "egg" right off the bat! The gentleman who owns the big barn we lease, raised 100 turkey's per year... he's always said they were extremely fickle birds to raise (not to let their adult size fool you) and that his success in raising them for many years was due to purchasing  4 or 6 week olds, and keeping them in a round wall brooder (there's a built in brooder in the top of the barn designed for turkey poults.

Watching his last lot grow up and loading them onto the trailer to be processed at Christmas had almost convinced me to try again, lol, but your thread has reminded me of the heartache I felt with the losses the few times I tried. I think for holiday dinner's I'm going to switch to goose! (I have better luck with them!)


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## ragdollcatlady (Apr 12, 2013)

I know that there are very good reasons, biological safety reasons, to keep them separate from chickens, but I raise them together with chicks (the same size) to teach the turkeys to eat and go to bed at night. They always grow well and even my broad breasted ( I prefer to raise heritage)  will roost 4 feet off the ground or more every night. They are very friendly and I do enjoy turkeys. Amelia isn't particularly bright and while she will hatch and raise a whole clutch, I have to confine her or she tries to take them over a fence that is just bad news. 

I would give your baby at least one friend, maybe a meat chicken or two ( terminal animals so they won't keep anything in your egg laying flock) and they will keep her company .... or find her another turkey friend. I would maybe try next year with more than you really want to raise. Extras can be sold or kept in the freezer until you are ready for them. I enjoy them enough that I would encourage you to try again. ( One thing I don't do is wear anything shiny or sparkly around them, they eat the sparkles  )


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## elevan (Apr 13, 2013)

Sorry about your turkeys Pearce  

I had a bad go the first time around too but decided to try again.  Three times is my motto, if it doesn't work by then it's not meant to be.


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## Pearce Pastures (Apr 13, 2013)

Sigh!    The other baby died.


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## elevan (Apr 13, 2013)




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## Southern by choice (Apr 13, 2013)

Sorry Pearce


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## Southern by choice (Apr 13, 2013)

Sorry Pearce


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## promiseacres (Apr 13, 2013)

that sucks


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## Pearce Pastures (Apr 13, 2013)

Well, that was a sharp learning curve.  I may try again someday with a revised setup for them and might look for some older than these.  Thanks again for the advice and hugs.


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## Canadiannee (Apr 13, 2013)

Sorry Pearce... had hopes you'd have the one survivor! You'd think birds that look as intimidating as a turkey would be exceptionally hardy and easy to raise... what a misconception! 

BIG hug to you!


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