turkey polts on farm

The hatchery split our shipments this year. While we had ordered our turkey polts to be delivered in late April, one shipment was delayed, and just received this week. They ship via the US Mail, Express Delivery. Here, Homer introduces them to their brooder, the surface covered with heavy weight paper (they will eat any other flooring material and not do well) and then feed all over. The red bell shaped thing is a waterer, weighted to refill as they drink from it.

After a while, the polts get bolder and begin to explore, and peck at every little thing they see. They will eat anything at all, stationary or mobile. They eat shiny things, flat things, round things..anything they can get to. Here they are exploring their brooder, which is a secure cage inside our fenced property, as every predator likes tender young turkey.

And a photo of them in the box, just before being released into the brooder..

and after a few weeks in the brooder the amount of heat is gradually reduced, and they are ready to take on the great outdoors. Here Homer transfers them from his home built cart into his Homer built moveable pen: