A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

Because it is 15 degrees with a 40 MPH wind and I would freeze to death.

They run and follow me all day but at bedtime they become bellybuttons.

Today's low was -27°F at 7:00 AM. The high today so far was -5°F around 1:20 PM. There wasn't any wind all day until about an hour ago. After dark it had gotten down to -12°F and with the wind the temp is back up to -5°F. Our high for the day is going to be at midnight tonight and it looks like it will finally get above zero. If I remember correctly the weather forecast is calling for above freezing temperatures Saturday.

All the birds spent the day in the coop although it was a sunny day. The turkeys are outside on their roosts again tonight.

 

[memphis]

Morning R2elk...currently 26 here south of the Mason Dixon. Was worried about my turkeys until I read your post. Now...not so much! Now I'm just going to worry about you staying warm! Geez! Seriously....I have no idea how you would even dress to go out in weather like that! I'm such a winter whimp! Trying to embrace our "cold" weather here, and after about 15 minutes of embracing it I have to run into the house to warm up. After reading about your turkeys roosting in weather like that I guess I can remove Daisy's leggings and neck scarf! I'll cancel the custom fleece jacket I ordered for her to....

 

[duluthralphie]

It is 8 degrees right now.

I wish I could let my turkeys roost outside but owls, eagle and who knows what else would eat them. They are not large enough yet. Close though. JJ sat out for a couple years, but beings I have him going in I am going to keep him going in.

 

[memphis]

I have to admit, I think the turkeys love the colder weather. Goofballs....

 

[R2elk]

It is 8 degrees right now.

I wish I could let my turkeys roost outside but owls, eagle and who knows what else would eat them. They are not large enough yet. Close though. JJ sat out for a couple years, but beings I have him going in I am going to keep him going in.

I have flight netting above where the turkeys roost. I only ever had one owl get under the flight netting and it ended up so terrified that it wasn't funny. The rest of the "run" is not covered.

There is no reason to fear eagles at night since they are a daytime only hunter. I don't know why the coons have not bothered them at night unless it is because there is so much other stuff to mess with. I also am pro active by removing predators before they can do any harm. I keep a large live trap baited with an egg set all year long.

It never did make it above zero yesterday with a high of -3°F about 20 minutes before midnight. It is currently -8°F this fine sunny morning.

 

[R2elk]

I have to admit, I think the turkeys love the colder weather. Goofballs....

I have a shaded area set up for the turkeys. Even on a cold winter day they will stay in its shade whenever the sun is shining brightly. They take cold much better than heat.

 

[duluthralphie]

R2Elk, I did not mean eagles at night, I meant in the early morning.

When they stayed in the Guinea Gulag last year I had a net over them, One bird lost his head to an owl, I found her lying in the ground headless. I doubt the owl could get through the net but must have pushed it down enough when it hit the net to get to its head. Most likely a lucky catch by the owl that had to be scared Poopless when it hit the net.

If I let them stay outside they are so dumb they sit on fence rails, roof tops and in trees. Trees is ok with me, as this time of year we have few raccoon around, (summer it would bother me). Coop roofs and rails are just dumb places for them to roost. I just sleep better knowing I have them locked inside a coop and run.

We are headed below zero in next few days. I am not looking forward to it. We have a couple days before we go under. Sunday we should have a high in the 20s that will feel good.

 

[memphis]

Honestly R2elk, I do worry much more about all my animals in the heat down here rather than our whimpy winters.

 

[memphis]

Although, I thought the girls would look darling in little fleece jackets.

...with matching leggings.....

 

[duluthralphie]

Although, I thought the girls would look darling in little fleece jackets.

...with matching leggings.....

You know that's just SICK