First Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon- Join us! Set Day: Easter

[Arielle]

My first chick arrived over night--the turkey tudors. A white chipmunk EE. HOping for a few more to arrive today.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote:

reptile waxing

 

[ChooksChick]

I didn't go right away either! LOL

No, you're absolutely right, but I can say the big toe is fine, yet psychedelic. I still have questions about the second toe, and I'll go to the doc tomorrow if I'm not fairly certain it's fine. They can do the x-rays there easily enough. I can curl my foot without any dull ache, so I'm pretty sure it's okay- just don't ask me to tap dance.

I think I have 6 turkeys of the original 26 going, and I have one goose of 6. I have had to pitch the pea egg that was with them, and I'll probably be setting more right away.

Denny, the eggs got here in a MASHED box, placed on my porch in an amorphous blob, clearly marked FRAGILE...but I only lost 2- one was a mess, but hadn't leaked to the others, and another was pretty cracked and leaking slightly. I didn't realize it was cracked until I'd set it, and then saw it was a goner.

I've still got them all going, and hope they are going to work for me!!

Off to see how badly everything took on water in the storm last night. It was pouring!! We needed it desperately.

 

[HEChicken]

Well, the roof blew off of one of my coops yesterday afternoon, and in the process of replacing the 5' x9' thing, I managed to mash my left toes. They're a lovely shade of grey today, and I imagine they'll become more colorful over time. Fortunately, I have an incredibly poor perception of pain, so it doesn't hurt all that much. There are no crunching noises or sensations as I walk, so I'm guessing it's fine. It was a huge roof made of OSB, which is incredibly heavy. I ought to have been wearing more than sandals when attempting it, but I don't have extra shoes at the farm (it's not my house) and didn't expect to find that task awaiting me.

It was sooooooo windy here. I guess there were a couple of tornados in the general area, but none particularly near us. We didn't even get a decent amount of rain, and we NEED it!

Oh no! It has been awfully windy here the past few days. I can handle almost any weather - cold, hot, stormy, rainy, even hail. The one type of weather I really don't like is wind. Hmmmm. In retrospect I guess I'm living in the wrong state, huh? Sorry about the mishap with your toes while fixing it. I broke a couple of toes when a horse stepped on my foot when I was a kid and I didn't go to the doc either (so I guess since I didn't get an x-ray I don't know for sure the toes were broken but mother said they were and she is a registered nurse so I figured she knew what she was talking about). I'm not sure there is really much they can do about broken toes, other than splint them to the next toe over for support, which you can do yourself at home, so I'll admit I would probably skip the Dr. appt if it were just toes too, and simply keep an eye on them.

Well, I am really bummed about my poults. I really wanted RP's and not only waited a year for them to come in, but paid more for them (just eight bucks more, but still.) I am nearly positive that both of mine are MW's. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with MW's, it's just not what I wanted, not what I thought I had and not what I was excited about. The poults are both solid white. They are four weeks old and starting to sound more like guineas than chicks. I do not eat my birds, not until the zombies come, so I feel that I have raised these two for nothing. I am considering giving them away but if I get RP poults now, I will have to hire a "baby sitter" because they will be too young to turn out with the rest when I go on vacation in June. I am angry with the guy (owner) at the feed store but realize it was just a mistake. He and his wife are wonderful people and I consider them friends. His son and my oldest used to go to school together and have both slept over with the other. I guess I have MW's. Y'all tell me all the wonderful things about them so I will be excited to have them, other than how easy they are to process and how good they taste!

So sorry you didn't get what you wanted. Isn't it ironic though? What I really wanted was MW's but after failing to find them locally, and being reluctant to get shipped eggs due to the vagaries of incubating them, when I found a local guy selling RP eggs, I "settled" for them. If only you were closer - I'd happily trade you a couple of RP's (assuming that many hatch) for your MW's.....

I think I have 6 turkeys of the original 26 going

I know more would be nicer but I'm glad to hear 6 still seem to be doing okay after the mishap.

 

[debs_flock]

Warning: Rant ahead

Well, I am really bummed about my poults. I really wanted RP's and not only waited a year for them to come in, but paid more for them (just eight bucks more, but still.) I am nearly positive that both of mine are MW's. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with MW's, it's just not what I wanted, not what I thought I had and not what I was excited about. The poults are both solid white. They are four weeks old and starting to sound more like guineas than chicks. I guess I have MW's. Y'all tell me all the wonderful things about them so I will be excited to have them, other than how easy they are to process and how good they taste!

Rant clear

I read somewhere (I forget where, but I surfed there from BYC) that midget white are fairly rare and endangered as a breed. It asked, if you are breeding MW, please continue or they will be lost to extinction. Here's a section on MW from the ALBC

***********************************************
Midget White Turkey

The Midget White turkey was created in the early 1960s by Dr. J. Robert Smyth at the University of Massachusetts. It was developed to meet an anticipated demand for a small version of the broad breasted turkey. Since this market did not develop as predicted, the Midget White never become widely popular.
Soon after the development of the Midget White, the University of Massachusetts had to reduce its poultry holdings. The Midget White turkeys were dispersed. Dr. Bernie Wentworth, a former graduate student of Dr. Smyth’s, never forgot these turkeys. Much to his surprise, Dr. Wentworth, who had taken a position on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, found some of these turkeys, with University of Massachusett’s wing bands in the flock of a backyard fancier. These birds were added to the University of Wisconsin’s poultry program, which continued to refine and then fix the standard for the Midget White variety we know today. Dr. Wentworth is largely credited in preventing the breed’s extinction. As Dr. Wentworth prepared to retire in the late 1990’s, the university decided to disperse the flock. Some were passed to poultry hobbyists, but the majority of the flock was sent to the USDA poultry facility in Beltsville, Maryland. The Beltsville flock was dispersed in April of 2005 and the remaining birds were distributed to poultry enthusiasts located in the eastern US. The survival of this breed now lies completely in the hands of private individuals. It is important to note that the Midget White turkey does not have any genetic relationship to the Beltsville White and that the two breeds are distinct and should be managed separately.
The Midget White, with its broad breast, has the appearance of a miniature of the commercial Broad Breasted White turkey. This quality provides the variety with good meat production and makes the Midget White a fine table fowl. The variety was developed from a cross of a commercial Broad Breasted White turkey and an exhibition Royal Palm. Midget White toms average 13 lbs., hens average 8 lbs. In Wisconsin, the birds were selected for higher egg production, fertility, and hatchability. The hens laid an average of 60-80 large eggs per year, weighing only three to five grams less than those of the broad breasted white turkey. Hatchability was 75-80%.
When breeding Midget White turkeys, care should be taken in the selection of breeding stock to retain the small size of the breed. Once the young turkeys are well feathered they have the ability to fly, so care must be taken to prevent escape. Adult Midget Whites are less likely to take flight as they get heavier. These diminutive turkeys are unusually friendly and will approach people and pets without much concern.

******************************************************

I have two MW eggs in my incubator for the hatch, along with two RP. I'm hoping I get pairs.

Deb

How's all that for a sell job on the breed?

 

[Lotsapaints]

I know my shipped egg percentage has been horrible this year due to mashed boxes and plain rough handling..that's why I wrap my eggs the way I do. Last year I tried foam and had more mashed eggs than ever and my double boxed eggs this year even had cracked eggs......I just pray when I mail

I candled last night and have 10 left still trying to find a good deal on a hatcher since one of mine is not working right must not be holding the temps right and I really don't like hatching in my sportsman because it's stuffed. My broody turkey hatched 2 poults and was just not a great mom she wanted them to start flying at 3 days....so I put them in with the others and she's happy flying around where she wants to go. I have another broody turkey so I'm going to move her and see how she does last year I tried to break her and that never worked.

 

[Melissa Rose]

Found this little fella in my goose coop tonight

i think he's dreaming if he thinks he can suck down an entire goose egg

 

[yinepu]

Found this little fella in my goose coop tonight

i think he's dreaming if he thinks he can suck down an entire goose egg

PRETTY!!!!

Our's got eaten by a fox last fall.. we still miss her
She was our yard snake.. had been with us for years... got along with everyone.. kept the rodent population in check and we paid her with a few eggs.. it was a very workable relationship for us
Even our cats didn't mind her.. our mailman walked up on the cats and snake cuddling in the sun one day.. he was shocked the cats didn't kill her and the snake didn't mind the cats

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Found this little fella in my goose coop tonight

i think he's dreaming if he thinks he can suck down an entire goose egg

Is that a diamondback? BF just said he'd take the shotgun to it, and lose the eggs and have to rebuild that part of the coop and nest boxes, but it'd be worth it. He just countered with... or a flame thrower.

 

[yinepu]

Is that a diamondback? BF just said he'd take the shotgun to it, and lose the eggs and have to rebuild that part of the coop and nest boxes, but it'd be worth it. He just countered with... or a flame thrower.

nope.. it's a Texas rat snake

lol.. i make pets out of them.. pretty sweet natured once they realize you're not gonna hurt tham