5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[Penny Hen]

I'm the other way around hehe. As much as my DH isn't into poultry, he'd probably jump at the idea of raising our own Thanksgiving dinner. I, on the other hand, am a softy with a very weak stomach, and just thinking about killing something I've raised or seeing these pics makes me well up. I do want turkeys very much, but only as pets. Looks like I'll be buying my dinner from stores the rest of my life. On another only-minutely-related note, my DH came home from work last night toting a carton of store-bought eggs! After I'd just told him earlier on the phone a couple of the girls were laying (infertile) eggs for me again! Now I have a dozen store-bought plus my own half-dozen..looks like I'll be doing a lot of baking for Thanksgiving. He got a stern earful about buying grocery eggs when we have over 50 chickens.

Try some Royal Palm Turkeys then. They are smaller and showy (white and black feathers) and the eggs fetch a good price as hatching eggs.

 

[ronott1]

I'm the other way around hehe. As much as my DH isn't into poultry, he'd probably jump at the idea of raising our own Thanksgiving dinner. I, on the other hand, am a softy with a very weak stomach, and just thinking about killing something I've raised or seeing these pics makes me well up. I do want turkeys very much, but only as pets. Looks like I'll be buying my dinner from stores the rest of my life. On another only-minutely-related note, my DH came home from work last night toting a carton of store-bought eggs! After I'd just told him earlier on the phone a couple of the girls were laying (infertile) eggs for me again! Now I have a dozen store-bought plus my own half-dozen..looks like I'll be doing a lot of baking for Thanksgiving. He got a stern earful about buying grocery eggs when we have over 50 chickens.

You may change your mind in a couple of years about processing some of yours.

Are you hatching with us?

I may have missed adding you to the list of participants.

 

[Penny Hen]

Turkeys are very hard to not To get attached to. We got eggs to hatch for this thanksgiving. Cranberries is sitting outside as we speak with 3 girls and we are eating torched rib roast for thanksgiving.
Ron is a hatching god never believe him!!
I had trouble with shipped hatching turkey eggs. I started boring a hole in the top for air once they were internally pipped a n d keeping it really moist.

I was told to put marbles in their feed to get them to eat. Turkeys key on motion and the light refraction simulates this and makes them peck at their crumble. Marbles in the water of any chicks/poults can keep them from getting wet and chilled or drowning

 

[ronott1]

I was told to put marbles in their feed to get them to eat. Turkeys key on motion and the light refraction simulates this and makes them peck at their crumble. Marbles in the water of any chicks/poults can keep them from getting wet and chilled or drowning

That helps. The Chick tutors will also help the move back under the heat. They really are very helpless at first sometimes.

 

[Kalalyn21]

Quote:
I think they are beautiful, but I have a soft spot for mille coloring. I dont know anything about showing but hope when my son is of age that he will want to show chickens for 4h.

 

[chiqita]

Or put their food and water in shiny pie or muffin metal pans. I have tiny candy tins for making candy I put water in the first few days. They can't drown too small. They do knock it over but not a big deal.
Once they hatch they are usually ok as long as you don't put them on dirt till they are older. But some never learn to eat.

 

[Penny Hen]

DH is being gruff about me hatching chickens yet (I haven't yet finished the pen remodel).

So I am thinking of some button quail because I have a 20 gallon aquarium and a 2x3 foot wooden box I can cover too if I can find some corturnix or snowflake bobs. They aren't chickens after all!

 

[Penny Hen]

I need that book! Love eggs. Off to look for it on Amazon....

If you don't find it let me know. I found it deep in an box of books from the '70s while cleaning my basement out. It is just a folded stapled book. I can check the details for you.

 

[Penny Hen]

Quote:
I've been eyeballing them myself but I don' think I will be able to afford them for this hatch. I like their fluffy plumpness as well as their color but I am only an amateur at judging chickens. I can spot a healthy chicken easy but matching their type is another matter. These look healthy and well feathered.

 

[msladyhawke]

If you don't find it let me know. I found it deep in an box of books from the '70s while cleaning my basement out. It is just a folded stapled book. I can check the details for you.

Ok thanks!!! Quail are fun, and very cute.