Turning Poults Loose

[bee_pipes]

Hey Deberosa!

I have 4 poults, coming up on two months old at the beginning of July. I'd like to turn them loose to graze, but don't know how I can get them back. The chickens hang around for scratch - they expect scratch in the afternoon/evening before being locked up for the night. Turkeys don't seem to be that crazy about scratch, but really go nuts over clover. How in the devil do you get them back from grazing on clover? Maybe it's over management, but I'd feel a lot better if I can have them safely locked up for the night. Plus, will eventually come the day wen two of them are headed for the freezer, so I will need to be able to get my hands on them.

Do alfalfa cubes hold any attraction for turkeys? I know it's kind of rich, but used sparingly, like scratch, does it work? What do you do?

Regards,
Pat

[bee_pipes]

Thanks - I think there's some good suggestions there I can use.

Regards,
Pat

[bookwormom]

so you have been keeping them up and they know what the inside of their coop is, namely home. Ours did not run away, but had to be coaxed a little to go into new quarters after their old stall got too crowded. I would not worry but keep an eye on them for a couple of days, turkeys are a bit on the dumb side, but so nice. we keep feeders and water inside, that is an extra incentive, if one should be needed.

[bee_pipes]

Yeah, same arrangement - feeders and waterers inside. Yesterday afternoon we put them in with the adult chickens and gave them all scratch. So far, so good - no major adjustments to pecking order. Chickens peck at them occasionally out of curiosity, but didn't see fit to put them in their place. They are not that much smaller than the full grown hens right now.

Today was their first day to graze. They hung around the chicken house and pens, dusted themselves, and enjoyed the grass. There was a rain so we put the chickens up early. The poults were chased back into the pen and ate scratch with the rest of the chickens. So far I have seen them drink and eat, so they are learning where the food and water is, and see the pen and house as shelter, so all is going well. In another week or two they will never remember the hootch they grew up in.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/poults_grazing.jpg
poults and bantam playmate being intorduced to creek

We have two dogs that need to be trained for the new poultry. Seems like they have to be retrained for every new bird, so we keep a watchful eye on them. Usually when you see the new poultry grazing around the dogs and the dogs don't notice, you can count on them being accepted as part of the scenery and no longer new.

Regards,
Pat