Turkey Talk for 2014

[chknoodles]

Another thing...for a week before butchering, it is common to separate the dinner guest and provide a feed mix that is higher in calories and less protein..a "finisher" blend. When we've done this with chickens., we've brought them into the garage and put them in a wire dog kennel to restrict how much exercise they get, the meat seems to be much more tender because it adds a little fat and the bird is much calmer being removed from a dog kennel then chased around the pen on butchering day. There is a "wives tale" that if you stress a bird, their meat will be tough.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Heritage birds do not grow as fast as Broad Breasted.  But at 27 weeks, you should have some fairly big birds, but nothing as big as a 25 pounder.  Heritage birds don't reach full maturity until age 2, not that you can't butcher before that.  We have a bronze who will be 2 this Spring and he probably weighs about 27 lbs right now.  I have read that that flavor is well worth the wait if you raise Heritage to butcher.

I just did a young heritage tom for Christmas diner. He hatched around late May/early June. I didn't do anything special with him. He free ranged with my other birds right up until the night before butcher. He was actually the smallest of his hatch mates, almost 1/3 smaller than the biggest. I kept the biggest boy for a breeder & my son kept the other. He still dressed out around 14 pounds skinned. He was plenty to feed 3 of us with leftovers. He was around 20 pounds live. The big boy is already bigger than my breeder tom who was a year old in July. The 2 of them need to be separated soon. They are starting to compete & strut for the girls. The funny thing is, the young boy is leading the older boy around in the strut fest parade.

 

[chknoodles]

Yep, I know you can butcher early and still have quite a bit of meat...but if you are looking for the traditional "barely fits in my oven" size bird, you have to wait a bit. However, my husband asked me if I'd picked up one of our Narri's lately and I said "no"..he tells me that those boys are getting pretty heavy...probably in the 25-30 lb or more arena and they are about 10 months old..of course, they come from a show line of exceptionally large birds and they are still eating like it's their last meal.

 

[Sueg4332]

My turkey is laying eggs I put 4 in the bator around the 28 th of December. She has since laid 7 more. It is about every other day she lays. I am in California Central part cold and rainy. Would you let her try to hatch this time of year???? She is coming 2 years old and has hatch one time before

 

[chickadoodles]

My turkey is laying eggs I put 4 in the bator around the 28 th of December. She has since laid 7 more. It is about every other day she lays. I am in California Central part cold and rainy. Would you let her try to hatch this time of year???? She is coming 2 years old and has hatch one time before

If she wanted to. At 2 she should do great.

 

[chknoodles]

I would let her sit if you are positive they are fertile eggs AND you have her in some sort of shelter..otherwise the hatching poults might not do well since it will be cold and drafty before they can fully feather out.

 

[chicken pickin]

Hello All,

Due to a layoff in my household its come to the point we now need to downsize the amount of animals we have and unfortunately we need to sell off our entire flock of Bourbon Red turkeys.

If there is anyone here on BYC interested in them and are in the New Hampshire area you are welcome to send me a PM for more information or pictures etc. Also my flocks are NH NPIP Certified.

 

[BullChick]

Hello All,

Due to a layoff in my household its come to the point we now need to downsize the amount of animals we have and unfortunately we need to sell off our entire flock of Bourbon Red turkeys.

If there is anyone here on BYC interested in them and are in the New Hampshire area you are welcome to send me a PM for more information or pictures etc. Also my flocks are NH NPIP Certified.

Well, that stinks!

 

[chickadoodles]

Hello All,

Due to a layoff in my household its come to the point we now need to downsize the amount of animals we have and unfortunately we need to sell off our entire flock of Bourbon Red turkeys.

If there is anyone here on BYC interested in them and are in the New Hampshire area you are welcome to send me a PM for more information or pictures etc. Also my flocks are NH NPIP Certified.

x2 that does stink.

 

[TurnipTruck]

Does anyone have tips on integrating new adult birds with my flock?

I'll be replacing my tom with a new tom and hen.