Pet turkeys

What is culling?? Thanks for ur reply I hate to give up on them. I've gotten very attached but will not get more when they're gone. I can't walk by the turkey pen without the male flying up against the fence trying to get at me. I'm really not looking forward to going in his pen when I have to fill his food container up. I use to go into his pen and do some pooper scooping to cut down on the smell but can't chance it anymore I guess time will tell. Thanks for ur comments st least I know there's nothing I did wrong

Culling is a nice way to say doing the deed to put them in your freezer. Processing is the whole job of culling and cleaning.

Ohhhhhh. Thanks for explaining. No can't say that's an option. If he keeps pulling all his feathers out he'll be a turkey pop this winter. Last winter we got down to -18 so with no feathers will make it pretty tough.

turkeylady3 said:

What is culling?? Thanks for ur reply I hate to give up on them. I've gotten very attached but will not get more when they're gone. I can't walk by the turkey pen without the male flying up against the fence trying to get at me. I'm really not looking forward to going in his pen when I have to fill his food container up. I use to go into his pen and do some pooper scooping to cut down on the smell but can't chance it anymore I guess time will tell. Thanks for ur comments st least I know there's nothing I did wrong

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Culling generally does mean killing, in the context it's most often used, but technically it just means separating and can mean rehoming, caging separately, etc. When I say culling I most often mean killing but you can interpret it any way that suits you best really, given your individual situation.

As for the smell, you can try lime, works for me, but that's in conjunction with the deep litter composting method, where the focus is on establishing healthy soil profiles which naturally controls pathogenic or harmful populations of microbes, microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, etc. When I say 'lime' I mean calcium carbonate, not any of those caustic types that will also harm the bird. The sort I refer to is the same sort that's safe to add to their feed and is labeled as such. Just sprinkle some on the poop, knocks smell out really well, for a short time, but long term control is dependent on healthy soil. If the levels of feces are overloading the bacteria etc in the soil that are responsible for digesting it and turning it into healthy soil, there will always be a stink, you need to improve the soil to control that. Which takes some months, possibly even years depending on what's been done to the soil. Can even be nigh-impossible when the soil's been abused certain ways, or if you're trying to work on concrete.

If you can't control and heal the sick soil (the stench is a sure symptom of unhealthy soil) it will eventually (probably sooner rather than later) impact on his health, quite possibly fatally. Turkeys are very sensitive when it comes to damp and unhealthy soil. And with his behavior, at this rate you're looking at risking your safety to tend to him. Really can't recommend that. They can do a shocking amount of damage in very short order.

turkeylady3 said:

Ohhhhhh. Thanks for explaining. No can't say that's an option. If he keeps pulling all his feathers out he'll be a turkey pop this winter. Last winter we got down to -18 so with no feathers will make it pretty tough.

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He's pulling out his own feathers? Is he actively feather-picking, or just rubbing them off against the mesh by brushing along it as he walks?

Best wishes.

U know I don't know if he's pulling his feathers. I don't c him. But the feathers r all over not just next to the fence where he'd be rubbing. He's attitude has really changed. I can't walk by his pen without him making a funny noise and if I get close to the fence he pecks at it.

turkeylady3 said:

U know I don't know if he's pulling his feathers. I don't c him. But the feathers r all over not just next to the fence where he'd be rubbing. He's attitude has really changed. I can't walk by his pen without him making a funny noise and if I get close to the fence he pecks at it.

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He might be moulting. Even a slight breeze can also shift feathers, so even on a day with no wind if he stretches and flaps his wings a few times, as most chickens and turkeys do at least once a day, that can shift them. His attitude is more of a concern than feather loss unless you know what's causing it is a worst case scenario. They don't tend to shift back into a better mentality once they turn, at least I've never seen it happen. Not much joy to be had in keeping him any longer, not for you or him or even the other turkeys, sorry.

Best wishes.

Thank you for reply. He's been doing that with his feathers for several months now. At one time his whole chest was bare. Now those have grown back but he's losing from somewhere. As far as getting rid if him. Well let's just say I could never b a farmer. I get attached. I know they don't make good pets I didn't know that at the time I got them but do now. I still remember when he was little and would sit on my outstretched arm. Could never put him down. When I go into his pen I go in with a broom when I need to fill his feed pan. He is separated from the 2 girls by a fence which is proby reason for behavior but his a broad breasted bronze and he's so heavy it was hurting the girls when he mounted them. He's huge. I'll have to find a way to deal with him. Never could put any animal down.

Have you heard of turkey saddles? They're a rigid frame you put over the hen when she sits to invite the male, right before he mounts, so he ends up sitting on the frame, not her. Professional breeders use them, as do many backyard non-pro breeders. Others use AI but I don't believe in using that without really decent reasons why, lol. Interfering for the sake of it, in most cases....

I understand your position. They can make good pets, you just got the luck of the draw there unfortunately. Some people don't mind aggressive turkeys, he may be kept elsewhere without being killed. Difficult situation for you to deal with, for sure.

Best wishes.

Hey people I'm a 4h leader with a delema

DACME said:

Hey people I'm a 4h leader with a delema

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Hi and

For the most replies, you're best off making your own thread with a descriptive title in the appropriate forum section.

What's your dilemma?

Best wishes.