My husband and I were given a wild turkey egg that had been rescued from a nest that had been run over. I put the egg in the incubator where my quail eggs had just finshed hatching. The egg finally hatched today. I need ANY and ALL information that would be helpful in raising this bird, (temp. that he needs to be kept, what kind of food to feed, how to get him to drink from a waterer, etc.) Please help!!

-- Tara Albritton (sweetara74@yahoo.com), May 11, 2001

Answers

My neighbors did the same thing last year .I am sorry to say it did not work well .They feed turkey grain i beleive .As soon as possible i would put in a outside pen to eat the food it would normally eat along with grain .Plenty of bugs and grass.I would also cook some eggs and mush them up for them to eat .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), May 12, 2001.

Turkey poults aren't all that much more difficult to raise than chicks. Take his little beak and dip it in the water so he knows what it is and where it is and feed a good chick starter. I usually scatter some around on the bottom of the box first because they just kind of peck all over at first. Then I put it in a little jar lid. If you take a light bulb and put it in a desk type lamp (if you don't have one of the hover type lights) and suspend it over his box it should keep him warm enough. If he spreads his wings out and breaths hard, he is too warm. If he is really cheeping loudly, he is too cold. Hope that helps for a start.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), May 12, 2001.

Thanks Patti and Diane for the information. He seems to be doing fine for the time being. I am keeping him in an aquarium with 2 clamp lights above it for heat. He seems to be pecking at the feed and he is finally drinking from his waterer. Thanks

-- Tara (sweetara74@yahoo.com), May 12, 2001.

make sure the turkey is kept warm, clean water, clean food. but then again, he's wild. so he might be hardier than commercial breeds. i had 15 poults, only 6 lived to adulthood. probably our lack of experience as well. all the best,

-- jeannie (mmp@theofficenet.com), May 12, 2001.

The only problem I've had with turkey chicks is drowning. I learned the hard way that they can't seem to get out of water over about a half inch deep. As they grow, I increase the size of the water container. I lost two in the horse trough when they were old enough to get outside.

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), May 12, 2001.

Seeing as you hatched him out, he has imprinted on you - that is, he thinks that you are his mommy, and has no natural fear of humans - so he can never be released into the wild. Don't know the game laws in your state, but in most states, it's illegal to keep a wild game bird in captivity without special permits. Sorry to be a wet blanket on the fun of hatching out a baby turkey, but contact a wildlife rehabilitator for info on what to do - they may be able to put you in contact with a place that can keep him throughout his natural life. In the meantime, the above info is viable - add a bit of brewer's yeast and a drop of bird vitamins.

Good luck, and hope the little guy makes it.

Judi

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), May 13, 2001.

Everything I have ever read about turkeys says to keep them in wire cages above ground, so the bottom of the cage is clean. Apparently they will not do good on soiled ground, they aren't very bright. Steve and I ordered some wild turkeys from McMurrys a few years ago, and we did loose some of them. Don't know why. They get sinus infections easy too, and I had to inject the orange antibiodic (normally put in the water) into their cheeks. It worked. I don't remember what we fed them, ask the feed store what would be best for baby turkeys.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), May 14, 2001.

We have wild turkey in the yard. I bought them last year as hatchlings. (Our state requires a gamebird pass to transport wild turkey and there is a breeder in the area.) I have a tom and two hens. I keep them in a large dog kennel that I move daily. I have netting over the top so they cann't fly out.

We have 20 eggs in the incubator right now. One thing I would suggest is to get them gamebird starter. It is 22% protein. It also has all the minerals that they will need. After they get about 8 weeks old I put them on chicken feed.

-- Tom S. (trdsshepard@yahoo.com), May 14, 2001.