# lost another turkey :(



## daisymay (Feb 13, 2017)

down to two poults now. not sure what happened. maybe a hen pecked it on the head?. I have moved the three to the coop-run, first few days they were in there cage then i started lettting them out. they seem to stay out of the way of the chickens and sleep under the coop.i get home around 10pm from work and feed with a flashlight (fogot to get them more food in the morning), so i put a bowl under the house and one on a stump for the chickens. stayed for a bit with the flashlight then they went back to their roosting places.come out this morning(5am) and only two little turkeys came out. found the third dead under the coop, no blood or injuries that i saw. didnt have lice, new feathers coming in as they are still young. What happened? kind of died on its side, i dont think it could of got cold. they all are mostly feathered and low is 50 's now. they know where the water is and its dry under the coop. I would say about a foot and a half tall under the coop and the coop is 8 foot by 4 foot. it was the larger one too.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sorry you lost one.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Sorry you lost 1.


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## daisymay (Feb 13, 2017)

i dont think turkeys are for me... i lost so many little ones...think im sticking with chickens...


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I’m sorry. That’s hard. There’s no way to tell what happened.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I am so sorry 😞


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## Emrcornerranch (Jun 13, 2020)

I have raised like 70-80 turkeys.

Some reasons for you to mull over:
Predators. Even snakes. Perhaps there was an injury you missed. Another bird could have harmed it.

Coccidia if they are having a lot of runny poop or foamy poop. Are they skinny? This could be why.

If they are under a month old-month and a half, They could actually be too cold at a temp outside of 50 F. If they are crying a lot might be why. Does a clicking noise come from their beaks when they breathe? Could have respiratory issues from cold temps.

Poop stuck to the butt.

Could have flown into something. I have had a few suddenly die. Usually, 1 out of 10 wouldn't make it, but that includes human error. A few drowned because I didn't put rocks in a shallow dish which should be in the middle (not a corner I learned) to keep them from drowning. Two got out of the brooder and died. So, my odds are more like 1 in 15 won't make it. You could have poults from weaker parents, though. My spanish black turkeys are very vigorous. The Royal Palms seem more fragile.

If the others layed on top of the bird and crushed it. This can happen when they feel stressed or to get away from bugs.

Ate or inhaled bedding causing it to choke. Ate a screw, something metal, or something poisonous. I lost two adults who found spilled coins. The pennies killed them.

They need higher protein in their food. I feed them gamebird starter when young. You can also hardboil eggs, cut/mash the eggs, and give that to them. Make sure they have small grit to prevent sour crop.

Old food on the ground that got moldy or some bacteria.

You might want to add probiotic packets to the water or electrolyte packets. One per gallon I think? You can also add a poultry vitamin (Poultry Booster) to their food every few days. This might really help you!

They could all have an illness.


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## daisymay (Feb 13, 2017)

thank you, i dont think its cold. i slowly weaned them, took there cage to the well house(stays a good temp) with the heater, they started not going under the heater so turned that off for a few days then put them in the chicken coop , after a few days then let them out in the run. they have lots of places to hide from the chickens but it was dark so i dont know.

They are from eggs i found after my dog tried to eat the hen. so they are not an on purpose purchase. i just felt bad so put the eggs that were left in the bator. havent had turkeys before. They only cry in the evening when its getting dark and they are waiting for me to give them some feed. I started to put the two back in the cage at night thinking maybe they are not getting enough food. They are clean no bugs that i can see, poop is great. i know the wild hens start with a dozen or so poults and then in a few months only one or two are seen with the hens so i know there is a large kill rate. They defiantly dont seem too smart.

i am trying not to handle them to keep them somewhat wild. next week i was planning n letting them out to free range with the chickens by the barn so they can start eating bugs... but only on my day off as my dog is not trustworthy with birds and turkey noises seem to attract her.


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## Emrcornerranch (Jun 13, 2020)

daisymay said:


> thank you, i dont think its cold. i slowly weaned them, took there cage to the well house(stays a good temp) with the heater, they started not going under the heater so turned that off for a few days then put them in the chicken coop , after a few days then let them out in the run. they have lots of places to hide from the chickens but it was dark so i dont know.
> 
> They are from eggs i found after my dog tried to eat the hen. so they are not an on purpose purchase. i just felt bad so put the eggs that were left in the bator. havent had turkeys before. They only cry in the evening when its getting dark and they are waiting for me to give them some feed. I started to put the two back in the cage at night thinking maybe they are not getting enough food. They are clean no bugs that i can see, poop is great. i know the wild hens start with a dozen or so poults and then in a few months only one or two are seen with the hens so i know there is a large kill rate. They defiantly dont seem too smart.
> 
> i am trying not to handle them to keep them somewhat wild. next week i was planning n letting them out to free range with the chickens by the barn so they can start eating bugs... but only on my day off as my dog is not trustworthy with birds and turkey noises seem to attract her.


If you are trying to keep them wild, then nature might be doing its thing. The more weaker birds are probably not going to make it long term in the wild. Based on recent experiences, I have noticed racoons can kill and eat an adult tom turkey. Guessing predators pick off a lot of wild birds. I have had blood sucking gnats bothering my turkeys the past month. I can see gnats killing a lot of wild turkeys this time of year. I imagine a lot of poults get lost from their moms and can't figure out how to reunite and die that way as well.

See, I am great at hatching turkeys. Some people complain they can't hatch turkeys. Some give up raising them because they keep dying. We can be better with one type of bird than another. I have been unsuccessful with hatching ducks.  I mean, having 60 poults from the incubator and about 20 from my Royal Palm hen gave me a crash course in raising poults. Every hatch group taught me something to help keep them alive. I had one turkey (I believe a female) hatch 4 days ago from a hen that was killed a month and a half ago. It is thriving after I showed it how to eat and drink. No companion ducks hatched. I am hoping the chicken eggs will hatch in two weeks or so. I am this little one's mother. Haha. I am really raising it hands on. Maybe that is a part of it: CONSTANT human intervention and monitoring to keep them out of trouble.


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## daisymay (Feb 13, 2017)

well sadly i had my first bird kill on my property. I have grown so attached to the little cuties. I was working the last 7 days so they have been in the run/coop with the chickens. I let them out around 11am on my first day off. I come back probably around 3ish and I find a turkey crying for its buddy. comes running up to me by itself. O no!!! I look around the barn by the trees ect...nothing. All the chickens are counted for. I know my dog didnt get it which is the only positive part. 
In the evening i go searching again... finding nothing... I know its gone but I want to know who got it.
The next morning i find feathers right by the horse trailer, near my horse padock about 100 feet from the chicken coop. So... at first i thought it was a hawk but now im thinking a raccoon that hid it under the trailer until night time to eat it??? i have no idea.. 
I ended up finding a family who does 4-h and has three poults around the same size and gave them the remaining poult. 
So, My experience with turkeys is over. Sad time but at least one got to have a nice life... She sent me photos and videos of introducing it to her birds. It went so well and you couldnt even tell which one was which. i miss the cute noises those little guys made .


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sorry it didn't work out for you.


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## Emrcornerranch (Jun 13, 2020)

daisymay said:


> well sadly i had my first bird kill on my property. I have grown so attached to the little cuties. I was working the last 7 days so they have been in the run/coop with the chickens. I let them out around 11am on my first day off. I come back probably around 3ish and I find a turkey crying for its buddy. comes running up to me by itself. O no!!! I look around the barn by the trees ect...nothing. All the chickens are counted for. I know my dog didnt get it which is the only positive part.
> In the evening i go searching again... finding nothing... I know its gone but I want to know who got it.
> The next morning i find feathers right by the horse trailer, near my horse padock about 100 feet from the chicken coop. So... at first i thought it was a hawk but now im thinking a raccoon that hid it under the trailer until night time to eat it??? i have no idea..
> I ended up finding a family who does 4-h and has three poults around the same size and gave them the remaining poult.
> So, My experience with turkeys is over. Sad time but at least one got to have a nice life... She sent me photos and videos of introducing it to her birds. It went so well and you couldnt even tell which one was which. i miss the cute noises those little guys made .


Sorry to hear that. Glad it has friends now and both birds were not taken.


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

Sorry you lost 1 I’m praying


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Oh no, I am sorry.


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