A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[OneMountainAcres]

I may not want to deal with the poopy mess that are ducks, but I would still like to have some geese. They are just so delicious, and goose grease(lard) makes the very best roasted root vegetables you've ever had, among other things. I don't like waterfowl eggs though. Never understood why people eat them, I can't get over the wierd rubber aftertaste flavor. I learned as a kid to handle geese like snakes, if you manage to grab them just behind the head gently but firmly, they won't be able to do much besides squirm. Barring wing punching, I guess, but that's solved easily enough, it's the head that hurts. Goose bites hurt!

Goose bites DO hurt but I'm so glad that my boys are sweet Sunshine and Lollipop view us as their flock and the only bites we usually get are "love" bites (Sunshine can get a little... Excited ... In the spring)

DS and Lollipop

Someone left the screen porch door open again!

My niece giving Lollipop a snack

For you that sell hatching eggs, what do you do about people that jump to the assumption if an egg does not develop it was not fertile?

A woman bought dozen turkey eggs. I gave her 14. They were all 4 days or less in age. I just got a text saying only 7 were fertile. I know my Toms. There is no way a hen was not bred. multiple times in the last month.

The weather was not freezing the eggs were brought in daily.

I I only had a few non-starters in my last batch, maybe 7-8, that is the batch I hatched 25, I think I started with 38. I have 6 quitters non-hatchers.

I told her to come get another dozen, she wants to wait until this batch hatches......Geez.... I released all my hens yesterday to free range and make their own nest.

I told her I have the eggs now but may not in 2 weeks...

Also she picked them up on the 16th. Today is the 25th...Way too early to tell for sure...

If I'm having good results in my eggs, I let them know and that. Usually, it's understood that once they leave my hands everything is on them. If I'm having issues also, I either don't sell the eggs or replace them free but people know in advance if they're not doing well for me and I sell them cheaper.

 

[rjohns39]

Ralphie I'm beyond words. I quit candling before day 14 as it was driving me nuts. I can't tell you how many times I counted one as a dud on day 7 that was great on day 14.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie I'm beyond words. I quit candling before day 14 as it was driving me nuts. I can't tell you how many times I counted one as a dud on day 7 that was great on day 14.

I agree..

I am also amazed how people see nothing developing and think it is unfertilized. They do not realize some many things can stop and embryo before it even starts. Being shaken, a virus or bacteria, too high temps and who knows what else.

She texted back now saying she broke them all open and they were not fertilized, I doubt she knows what a fertilized versus unfertilized looks like..

In addition, I have had the hens with just one tom in a pen for months now. I know what that Tom does when he is bored..So do the hens!

She is hatching in a foamie, so who knows what the temps are and where. It looks like a cheapie by the picture, I doubt it has a fan.

If hatching was 100% I would be rich on my hatches! I think it was R2Elk that said buying hatched chicks is cheaper than buying shipped eggs. While these were not shipped they were driven 40 miles in a car with 3 kids....

Oh well.

 

[memphis]

I had a goose when I was a kid. It attacked everyone but me. I loved it. Unfortunately it attacked my dad one too many times. That was a sad day......

Ralph....what a hassle. All over eggs. R2elk is right.

 

[memphis]

Bantambird...not a duck egg fan either. But love my turkey eggs!

How are everyone's poults doing?? Ralphie...any lappers in the latest bunch?? You need that special turkey! Aurora, how many penciled are you hording?

Are most people buying heritage breeds for food or pets? I wish there was a bigger pet market for turkeys....

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Bantambird...not a duck egg fan either. But love my turkey eggs!

How are everyone's poults doing?? Ralphie...any lappers in the latest bunch?? You need that special turkey! Aurora, how many penciled are you hording?

Are most people buying heritage breeds for food or pets? I wish there was a bigger pet market for turkeys....

8 definite penciled. There's 1 reddish one that I'm not positive if it's semi penciled or not. I'll grow it out a little and see what it turns in to.

 

[Molpet]

She texted back now saying she broke them all open and they were not fertilized, I doubt she knows what a fertilized versus unfertilized looks like..

I read that when they have been incubated the bullseye goes away.. I never looked... is this true?

 

[duluthralphie]

I read that when they have been incubated the bullseye goes away.. I never looked... is this true?

No idea....Never looked either, nor cared enough to look.

 

[rjohns39]

No idea....Never looked either, nor cared enough to look.

Last thing I want to do after 30 days is open a shell

 

[memphis]

Aurora...you've got a nice pile of penciled poults!

Out front letting the girls graze. Lone jogger running down the street. Annie took off and jogged next to her until I could catch up. Then of course Daisy had to fly to meet us. Not sure what possessed her. I'm thinking it was her bright pink shoes. Grateful it was one of the neighbors who knows the girls. She thought it was funny. She thought she had a new running partner for awhile.