The difference in the turkey pen.......

[momma's chickens]

I posted pics of my Royal Palm turkeys on here two days ago and asked for help regarding their gender. To find out they were all male and so I called the gentleman I got them from and he told me he had hens available for $20 a piece. My dh and I decided to go get two because I have came this far with all the turkeys. He also told me he would take a tom and $30 which was terrific with me as I don't four and that still leaves me one to butcher.

We put the girls in the pen at 11:30 last night in the dark and this morning when I went out to feed it was apparant that the other three were truly toms. They were strutting around and gobbling and acting like male turkeys. It was so comical and so worth the two trips. I love my turkeys!

 

[onthespot]

didn't see your other thread, but those toms will start to fight over the ladies soon. Sometimes for hours. It can get quite brutal. You may want to keep the girls and boys separate, or choose the keeper boy and put him with the two ladies and pen the two for food separately until Thanksgiving rolls around.

 

[momma's chickens]

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Okay thanks I am going to remove the tom that is for sure dinner today but the gentleman told me that two toms and two hens would be okay as I should keep two in case one doesn't work-out. I was only going to keep one tom until he told me that. What is everybody opinion?

 

[OmaBird]

I keep lots of extra toms. I would never just keep one. My breeding pen usually works better with a extra Tom. A example my Blue palm is shy and low on the pecking order. If I put a young tom in with him he gets competive and will breed. I can't put him with a dominate older Tom for breeding. By himself he does nothing. I have never had a problem with fertility but it could happen. You could also lose a Tom from a preditor.

 

[momma's chickens]

Thank you - so it would be okay to remove the one tom today and then keep the two toms and two hens together? I really hope so because I am not set-up yet to keep the two toms seperate plus I don't want one turkey by itself.

I have learned so much on this turkey forum, THANK YOU!

 

[OmaBird]

You can keep them together. They will fight cause they are dumb stupid young boys. In the spring they will fight too. They normal will not have a fatal fight. Its almost like they like it. Just set a chair out and watch them. Don't break it up. They will just keep fighting. When they are older (2 years) they won't fight as much.

 

[momma's chickens]

Thank you so when I get home from work I will pick the one that is now named Thanksgiving and get him seperated and leave the other four alone.

Any tips on what to look for when picking breeding toms besides the color?

 

[Lagerdogger]

Make sure you breed for meat as well as color. Feel the keel and don't eat your meatiest bird. That way you will likely have more meatier birds later. If you eat your best one and breed the skinny ones, you'could end up will milk-cow steaks.

 

[momma's chickens]

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Oh thank you! That is an excellent point. I will look for color and size of breast.

 

[Surehatch]

Quote:
colour is critical for sales