A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[feedman77]

it's 29 here now. light misty freezing rain/snow mix.

had a day all planned to work on coops and spend some time outside. but has been on hold with busted sewer pipe. 4.5 hours later it's fixed. got time outside just not what i wanted to do.

getting ready to go work on pens now.

so memphis: no pics of bourbons yet.

 

[Finnie]

Well, sad morning here . Coco seemed fine last night and was dead this morning when I went to let them out. Her prolapse seemed to be healing, but I'm guessing there was something more going on inside. Dang.

I'm sorry about Cocoa. She was a nice bird.

 

[memphis]

Fiesty, I'm bummed. Not what I wanted to hear. So sorry.

R2elk, I love the buried water bucket technique! I remember the first time you described it thinking that was the coolest thing!

 

[feedman77]

Bourbon hen #1

Hen # 2

tom.

a hen that has been around for a couple months. didn't save any black poults so not sure where she came from. when she first showed up skittish as all get out. I can get close somewhat now.

the birds must know weather is gonna be rough some headed into roost at 230.

 

[R2elk]

A hen that has been around for a couple months. didn't save any black poults so not sure where she came from. when she first showed up skittish as all get out. I can get close somewhat now.

The birds must know weather is gonna be rough some headed into roost at 2:30.

I could be wrong but she looks like a Red Bronze to me. Perhaps one of your Bourbon Red toms had a fling with a passing wild hen.

 

[R2elk]

Feisty, I'm bummed. Not what I wanted to hear. So sorry.

R2elk, I love the buried water bucket technique! I remember the first time you described it thinking that was the coolest thing!

Thanks. Just have to remember to dig it up from time to time to replenish with fresh manure. Once the composting has completed it stops producing heat.

 

[feedman77]

I could be wrong but she looks like a Red Bronze to me.  Perhaps one of your Bourbon Red toms had a fling with a passing wild hen.

There were 2 wild hens and a tom that visited several days last spring. My toms did their best to impress the wild ladies

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I could be wrong but she looks like a Red Bronze to me.  Perhaps one of your Bourbon Red toms had a fling with a passing wild hen.

I was thinking this exact same thing. Definitely looks a lot like Sweet Pea. She's bourbon red x eastern wild...red bronze

 

[feedman77]

that hen stays in the pen now but she can come and go as she pleases.

she stays mostly so I guess she likes the food and company.

not sure what I'll do with her if she hangs out til breeding season.

 

[R2elk]

that hen stays in the pen now but she can come and go as she pleases.

she stays mostly so I guess she likes the food and company.

not sure what I'll do with her if she hangs out til breeding season.

Part of what you do should depend on your local G&F laws. Here I had a wild hen that came in for 7 years in a row. She came and left freely. Once my toms would breed her, she would go down in the field and lay a batch and hatch them out and leave.

Our G&F laws stipulate that all game animals belong to the state and that any turkeys that have any wild turkey in them are considered wild turkeys and therefore belong to the state. The only method that I could have used to prevent her from romancing my toms would have been to keep them in a covered pen that she couldn't get into and that they could not get out of. If she had come around in the fall, I could have bought a turkey license and invited her to dinner.

Here a G&F permit is required to have any wild or part wild turkeys and they must be kept in a G&F inspected pen that prevents them from escaping. Some states are more lax than others but almost all states have laws regarding possession of wild turkeys and whether or not permits are required.

One person here complained to the G&F about the wild turkeys coming in and eating all the food they put out for their turkeys. Th G&F response was that they could get rid of their turkeys because the wild turkeys were allowed to do whatever they wanted.