Turkey Talk for 2014

[Arielle]

As of now I have 4 out of 6 poults hatched but don't see pips on the last 2. End of day 26. I think my half degree drop in temp and lowered humidity in the incubator was to late to help this group much before I had to put them in the hatcher. Hopefully next weeks group will not hatch as early and loose more weight/ dehydrate more. I have now started weighing all the turkey eggs and will mark the air cell size when I set them. Do they need to drop 16% from their fresh laid weight or the weight they were when start incubation? I weighed a few tonight and was surprised to see in a week in a wine frig set at 58 degrees some have already lost almost 10 grams.
I usually gather and store for 7-10 to set eggs every week to week and a half.

Perhaps with the late change you were able to save a few!! Good job.

 

[BullChick]

Thanksgiving and Dinner.

 

[Arielle]

I am reposting this as I"m sure peoplewill be aksing. THis was put together by Celie.

Not to change the subject, but we are often asked, how to tell the sex of turkey poults and young adults. These are the facts I believe to be true and if anyone would care to contribute to the list, please do. If I have something wrong, please correct me, since I do not want to spread incorrect information. This seams to be the number one question asked on the turkey threads !

1. All colored feathered turkey hens will have lighter edging on the breast features and toms will have darker edging.
2. Males will weigh more than females hatched at the same time and this will become more apparent as they grow older.
3. Toms will have thicker legs than hens.
4. Both can have beards, but toms will grow longer.
5. Toms have longer thicker snoods as they reach maturity.
6. Toms Chronicles will be bigger than hens and the heads and necks will be a darker red.
7. Toms will be bald, while hens will develop a thin line of feathers up the back of their heads.
8. If you can hold the bird on your lap, laying on it's back, at any age, if it holds it's feet up close to it's back, it is probably a hen, because it is a defensive position for a tom or a rooster, too,(for that , matter) to extend one or both legs. This, I find works from day old chicks or poults, with 94 degree accuracy.
9. Both will display when young, but by the age of sexual maturity, only toms gobble.

This year I have done my own research on how to tell the sex of very young poults and chicks before they are old enough for the above! I have used a couple hundred poults to test as I hatched out Holland White, Midget White and A few Bourbon Red Poults this year, with 94% accuracy!
10. If you can hold the bird on your lap, laying on it's back, at any age, if it holds it's feet up close to it's back, it is probably a hen. If it extends it's legs or even just one leg, you probably have a tom. This, I find works with day old chicks and poults and seams to be based of their natural defensive posture of male vs female responses in these birds. I thought someone else might benefit from my findings, too, so I thought I would share.


Arielle, this is the experiment I spoke to you about last winter, before I had enough research done to support my suspicions. Hope it helps!

 

[Reyvaughn]

Might be weather related.

As for the feed: I feed gamebird and it has plenty of calcium in it for turkeys laying everyday. Unless this bag you are currently using is having a problem. You can feed oyster shell on the side and see if production picks up. In my chicken hens if they lack calcium the egg shell is very soft but they keep laying.

Since I have a mixed flock of all ages, I feed one feed. I am currently using Dumor's 20% Chick Starter/Grower. I supplement everyone with calcium because of this. Maybe it's the cheap-skate in me or just allergic to anything hard to do, I keep it simple and feed one type of feed. Yeah, I know turkeys should have slightly higher protein. So far I haven't had issues and last year I was only feeding 16% protein.

 

[yinepu]

My current hatch in Incubator #1:



5 two day old abandoned kittens.. currently being hand raised

 

[austinbndr28]

I am reposting this as I"m sure peoplewill be aksing. THis was put together by Celie.

Not to change the subject, but we are often asked, how to tell the sex of turkey poults and young adults. These are the facts I believe to be true and if anyone would care to contribute to the list, please do. If I have something wrong, please correct me, since I do not want to spread incorrect information. This seams to be the number one question asked on the turkey threads !

1. All colored feathered turkey hens will have lighter edging on the breast features and toms will have darker edging.
2. Males will weigh more than females hatched at the same time and this will become more apparent as they grow older.
3. Toms will have thicker legs than hens.
4. Both can have beards, but toms will grow longer.
5. Toms have longer thicker snoods as they reach maturity.
6. Toms Chronicles will be bigger than hens and the heads and necks will be a darker red.
7. Toms will be bald, while hens will develop a thin line of feathers up the back of their heads.
8. If you can hold the bird on your lap, laying on it's back, at any age, if it holds it's feet up close to it's back, it is probably a hen, because it is a defensive position for a tom or a rooster, too,(for that , matter) to extend one or both legs. This, I find works from day old chicks or poults, with 94 degree accuracy.
9. Both will display when young, but by the age of sexual maturity, only toms gobble.

This year I have done my own research on how to tell the sex of very young poults and chicks before they are old enough for the above! I have used a couple hundred poults to test as I hatched out Holland White, Midget White and A few Bourbon Red Poults this year, with 94% accuracy!
10. If you can hold the bird on your lap, laying on it's back, at any age, if it holds it's feet up close to it's back, it is probably a hen. If it extends it's legs or even just one leg, you probably have a tom. This, I find works with day old chicks and poults and seams to be based of their natural defensive posture of male vs female responses in these birds. I thought someone else might benefit from my findings, too, so I thought I would share.


Arielle, this is the experiment I spoke to you about last winter, before I had enough research done to support my suspicions. Hope it helps!

The only thing I would change is "4. that toms beards are longer" which is usually true but I would add thicker because I had a hen with a 10" beard but really skinny.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I think you are doing fine. I cut the % by giving my adults corn and oats and greens( hay) -- so if they eggs are plenty hard, and they are eating 20%, all should be fine. My turkey poults get 20 or 22% depending on the brand name and do fine, even the BBW do fine on that.

I don't see the feed as a problem, imo. Maybe it is weather related then. OR sunrelated-- do they get a consistent start of day and end of day, meaning the same amt of daylight every day or a little more each day?

 

[Momhunter]

I now have 5 of the 6 turkey eggs hatched. A lot better than my first hatch of 3/6. Thanks to everyone for the helpful suggestions on incubator and hatcher adjustments for hatching turkeys.

In their brooder with a jersey giant tutor.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I think you are doing fine. I cut the % by giving my adults corn and oats and greens( hay) -- so if they eggs are plenty hard, and they are eating 20%, all should be fine. My turkey poults get 20 or 22% depending on the brand name and do fine, even the BBW do fine on that.

I don't see the feed as a problem, imo. Maybe it is weather related then. OR sunrelated-- do they get a consistent start of day and end of day, meaning the same amt of daylight every day or a little more each day?

They have a single south facing window (2'x4') and they get the 7am-7pm light. Geez, I can't wait to get the run done for them. It's either to cold, to windy, raining, snowing or we have other things we must do. Like clean all the pens last weekend...

 

[cedavid2012]

...

I started my BBB poults on FF right away.  I fed chick starter because I didn't want soy or GMO and all the game bird had both.  I supplemented to up the protein.  Mine did great.  They still eat FF broiler.
[/quotes]

Thank you to all who responded. I started my chicks on FF right away, so I will do the same with the poults. Thanks!