SHIPPING AND FIRST DAY INSTRUCTIONS:


 

• Hatching and shipping: Turkey poults are hatched between Monday and Wednesday. They will be shipped out on the hatch day. Turkeys will typically spend about a day and a half in shipping. Turkey poults are packed with care and according to the weather. In low temperatures, turkeys will get a heat pack as well as more insulation to protect them from drafts and cold. We also have order minimums in place to keep turkeys warm during shipping. Although turkeys have the remaining yolk-sac to sustain them for 3-5 days, all turkey orders receive Gro Gel in their shipment to support early feeding and development.

 

• Tracking: A tracking number will not always be generated, but rest assured that live animals are pushed through the system quickly and treated differently than other shipments. If you have not received a tracking number and need updated information about your order, you can always contact us at the office.

 

• Arrival: It is a good idea to let your post office know you are expecting live poultry. When your turkey poults arrive, the post office will give you a call. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date. When they arrive, get them home quickly and try to avoid any sudden changes in temperature.

 

• Hydration: Once your baby turkeys are home, dip their beaks in their water source to encourage hydration after being in transit. You can also use poultry supplements to aid in their hydration, like StresEEZ.

 

• Observation: Turkeys require careful observation in the first week to ten days. They will need to be supervised to ensure they are eating and drinking properly. Baby turkeys are also more susceptible to cold than other poultry, so monitor their behavior in the brooder to ensure they are warm enough.

PREPARING FOR YOUR ORDER

Even if you have cared for baby chicks before, turkey babies pose some slightly different challenges and considerations. To keep your turkey poults healthy, it’s important to understand common health issues that may occur when raising turkeys.

How to Properly Care for Turkey Poults

• Turkeys are susceptible to “starve-out.” Without guidance from a mother figure, they are less likely to understand how to eat on their own. In the first few days, it is key to ensure that your poults are eating and know where their food is located.
• When raising turkeys, you can encourage them to eat by tapping at their starter feed, or adding a poultry supplement like Aquastart to encourage early feeding and hydration.
• If your poults are too cold, they will not venture far from their heat source and are less likely to eat. Make sure your brooder temperature is high enough and always use a heat lamp rather than a brooder plate, so they can have ambient heat while eating.
• Poults are likely to peck at their shavings, which can lead to an infected crop or starve-out. For the first few days or weeks, it may be beneficial to add paper towels or thin carboard sheets to the turkey brooder so they are less likely to peck at the shavings.
• We don't recommend housing baby chicks and baby turkeys together. They are susceptible to illnesses carried by baby chicks (like blackhead disease) that can make them sick. Signs of blackhead disease in turkeys include decreased appetite, exhaustion, and yellow droppings. 
• Depending on your local climate conditions, baby turkeys may need slightly higher temperatures than baby chicks and will need a more gradual reduction from heat as they get older. They take slightly longer to become fully feathered (6-8 weeks).
• Turkey poults need higher protein content in their food than baby chicks to grow properly. Aim for 26-28% protein in their starter feed before switching to a grower feed at around 8 weeks.
• The first 7-10 days of brooding is crucial to ensure your poults have a good start. Be observant of their behavior and continue to monitor their food and water intake until you are sure they're seeking it out on their own.

Housing and Brooder Space

Like all baby poultry, turkeys need to be kept in a clean, draft-free environment protected from predators. A secluded spot in a garage or barn is suitable. 

If the brooder has housed poultry before, be sure to properly sanitize it, especially if it has housed baby chicks. As mentioned previously, baby chicks can be carriers of diseases that make baby turkeys sick.

Ensure your brooder has rounded sides, as turkey poults are more likely to pile into corners and suffocate. You can add in a brooder ring or cardboard to the sides to round it out.

Use a brooder that is larger than what you think you may need, or plan to update it as they grow. Turkeys grow to be quite large will need space to accommodate their growth. For the first 6-8 weeks of their life, they will need 1.5 to 2 square feet of space per bird.

Bedding

We recommend pine shavings, as these are the safest option for day-old poultry. Make sure your bedding is dry and free of mold before placing in your brooder. Shavings that come in a paper bag rather than plastic are preferable, as they are less likely to hold moisture.
Heating

Heat lamps are preferable to brooder plates. Especially for turkeys, they will outgrow a brooder plate quickly and it does not provide enough ambient heat to keep them warm in the brooder space.

When using a heat lamp, it is always essential to follow heat lamp safety protocols to protect your poultry and your property from a fire. When properly installed, heat lamps are safe and effective.

Hang your heat lamp about 18 inches above the brooder floor, but make adjustments based on the temperature. A thermometer placed on the floor should read at least 95 degrees.

One heat lamp can handle about 35 to 50 turkeys.

0-1 week old   90-95º F
1-2 week old   85-90º F
2-3 week old   80-85º F
3-4 week old   75-80º F
4-5 week old   70-75º F
5-6 week old   Start weaning from heat lamp (above 65º F)



Watch your birds to see how they are doing. Cold turkeys will be huddled under the heat lamp, and refusing to eat or drink. If they are at a stable temperature, they should be evenly spaced throughout the brooder and eating and drinking normally.

Water

Room temperature water should be plentiful and always available. One gallon waterers are suitable for about 25 poults.

Baby turkeys will likely need help learning how to drink before being able to seek it out on their own. Gently dip each poult's beak into the water when they first arrive. 

Turkey poults are more likely to drown or become chilled if they fall into their waterer. Ensure that you’re using a waterer that is shallow enough for baby turkeys to climb out of if they do fall in. 

You can set your waterer on a wood block to prevent shavings from getting into their water. Just make sure that it is set at a height that is comfortable for them to drink. The height of your waterer will need to increase as they grow.

Turkey Poult Starter Feed

Aside from the potential to spread disease, another reason not to house baby chicks and poults together is differing nutritional needs. Baby turkeys require a higher protein content than baby chicks in their starter feed.

For starter feed, turkeys need about 26-28% protein to grow and develop properly.

You can switch to a grower feed (22% protein) around 8 weeks of age.

Turkeys are susceptible to diseases like coccidiosis. If your poults are unvaccinated, a medicated feed is recommended.

When receiving your poultry please be aware, it is important to care for your poultry, but you must also protect yourself from potentially harmful micro-organisms, germs (including salmonella) and bacteria by direct contact with poultry and livestock.

Helpful Reminders:
 

• Baby poultry have the potential to carry germs (including Salmonella) that make humans very sick, especially the young or elderly. Always wash your hands after handling your birds, and do not nuzzle, kiss, or snuggle your poultry. 
• Always supervise your children with poultry, and make sure hands are thoroughly washed after contact. Hand sanitizer is suitable if hot water and soap are not available. 
• Do not house poultry inside your home. It’s advisable to keep very young children or seniors with compromised immune systems away from poultry altogether.
• Even baby poultry that appears perfectly happy and healthy can carry Salmonella. Salmonella in most cases is mild, but it can be severe or even life threatening in certain cases.