I'm am so incredibly frusterated right now. First of all I had 4 of the 20 turkeys die within the first 24 hours and now that everyone was doing okay they have decided to feather pick each other to near death. I have 3 that had their behinds pecked at over night, now their behinds are all bloody and injured, I don't know if they will make it.

I have separated the injured 3 from the others. I have given the remaining ones wood chips as bedding so they have something to pick at and occupy them, they were on wire mesh. I give them grass a couple of times a day for something to peck at and eat. I'm planning on going to the Home Depot store and see about getting an infra red light so it is darker in their cage at night. However, when I looked the other day the bulbs were 250 watts and my heat lamp says not to put anything bigger than 150 watt in it. So I guess I'll need some kind of new light fixture.

What else can I do to prevent feather picking and injuries among the baby turkeys?

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), April 13, 2002

Answers

Get a head of cabbage and cut a chunk of it and put it in with the turkeys.It gives them something to peck on and usually keeps them from pecking each other.

-- SM Steve (unreal@msn.com), April 13, 2002.

If you are not using a good high protein start of atleast 20% or better. Low protein will start canniablism and feather picking in any poultry. Using a red colored light will help alot.

-- George Darby (gardenalways@yahoo.com), April 13, 2002.

Anita -

If the 250 bulb is not doable, get the 25 watt red bulbs. Might mean you need to hook up a few more than you now have, but it works. I used 2 in reflectors and it worked great.

The purpose of the red bulbs is it creates a red "wash" over everything. Make any blood that might be present un-noticable to the chicks. Hope this helps!!

-- dottie - in E Shore (mother-ducker@webtv.net), April 13, 2002.

Crowding will also cause some pecking, but George & Dottie hit the biggest things to check listen to them. I hate not being able to anwser first.

-- bergy (bbergbower@hotmail.com), April 13, 2002.

I picked up a new reflector that WILL hold a 250 watt bulb and also managed to find a 125 watt infra red bulb at the farm supply store. So I plan to use my new reflector and infra red heat bulb at night to hopefully cut down on picking.

The poults also seem to entertain themselves a lot with the wood chips, bathing in them, pecking at it, stealing bit of wood chips from each other.

I also raised their food and water up a bit so their little butt holes aren't so obvious to everyone if they don't have to bend down as much to eat and drink.

The injured 4 are in a separate cage. They have sore little bloody butts. I clean their butts every couple of hours and reapply the iodine (which I have also read will help prevent more picking as they don't like the taste of it).

Any other helpful hints or advise is welcome. Thanks bunches.

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), April 13, 2002.

I put marbles in with my turkeys, it gives them something to play with.

-- kathy in NE Ohio (kathy0801@msn.com), April 13, 2002.

sounds to me like the reason your turkeys arepicking at the others behinds is because your turkeys have whats known as a rectal prolapse, or blowout. most common cause is from them piling on top of each to keep warm. take the birds that have bloody behinds away from the others quickly or they will actually pick them to death. you may be able to save some of them, but don't get your hopes up. hope all works out for you.

-- kathy in southeast ohio (katelyn_123us@yahoo.com), April 13, 2002.

We have chickens amd use a spray called BluKote on any bird that has peck wounds. It is a wound spray that uses gentian violet as a coloring. You will find it in either the cattle or horse area of your feed store. It helps the wound heal and colors the wound so it will not attract more pecking. Practice spraying it first because you don't want to spray the vent itself, just the area around it. The color will fade with time so you might have to re-spray the area if hasn't completely healed.

Give your poults another feeder & water and space them as far apart as possible. More space would also be nice. If you can change to a infrared bulb that would be best. Not only are the wounds hidden by the red light, the (visible) light itself is less intense. Reducing the amount of light is always indicated when there is aggression in the brooder.

-- Dash (forthechix@yahoo.com), April 13, 2002.