A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[micah wotring]

welcome micah

Thank ya!

 

[duluthralphie]

Was the CLB egg in mint condition?

 

[10AcreChick]

Hello! I have been thinking about hatching a couple turkey eggs and raising them out for this winter's holidays. I need to research if Blackhead is present in my area, I know that much. But not much more! Currently only have chickens, anything else I need to think about when raising turkeys with chickens? I'm guessing they will do alright with All Flock and free ranging? I need to get all my "ducks" (sorry Ralphie) in a row before I present my idea to DH, best chance of getting the approval! Anyone have any advice? I live in Central MO. I'm hoping they will take to using the coop, or the bachelor coop I will be setting up later on for my freezer camp cockerels. How old should they be at butcher, if they aren't the "45 day" turkeys that the big plants church out? Or does that depend on breed?

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Hello! I have been thinking about hatching a couple turkey eggs and raising them out for this winter's holidays. I need to research if Blackhead is present in my area, I know that much. But not much more! Currently only have chickens, anything else I need to think about when raising turkeys with chickens? I'm guessing they will do alright with All Flock and free ranging? I need to get all my "ducks" (sorry Ralphie) in a row before I present my idea to DH, best chance of getting the approval! Anyone have any advice? I live in Central MO. I'm hoping they will take to using the coop, or the bachelor coop I will be setting up later on for my freezer camp cockerels. How old should they be at butcher, if they aren't the "45 day" turkeys that the big plants church out? Or does that depend on breed?

After you find out if blackhead is in your area, don't think too much extra about it and just go for it! Turkeys are wonderful and you may find that you love them too much to eat them lol. I feed 18% grower to my entire flock with no issues but you'll want some game bird starter to get them started. You'll also have to train or herd them in to the coop at night. They learn but if they decide that they like the trees better, you gotta get them in before it gets dark out. A heritage breed turkey takes roughly 6 months to get to a decent weight for butcher though longer makes for a bigger/fuller bird.

 

[casportpony]

I'm not quite sure how you all go about checking to see if blackhead is "in your area". I've talked to some of the 4H and FFA kids in my area, and none of them knew what I was talking about. Even CAHFS (The California Animal Health and Food Safety) doesn't know which counties it's in... I happen to know because I've seen it in my own flock, and know people in my county, and in 3 other counties around me that have had it, but none of those people have reported it CAHFS or any local agencies. So how can one know if it's in their area or not if cases are never reported?

 

[casportpony]

@10AcreChick , these are labs in your state:

Source:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

State vets:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

 

[10AcreChick]

@10AcreChick , these are labs in your state:

Source:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

State vets:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

Why thank you! Yes, the University of Missouri Extension office in my county was where I was going to ask first. It is a common source of information in these parts. Cannot find even the word Blackhead or Histomoniasis with a search on my state's conservation site. Pitiful.

 

[duluthralphie]

I think asking the USDA vet in your area or others with turkeys and maybe even on the State thread here on BYC.

I do not think it is recorded anywhere, When I talked to the State Vets and USDA vets when they did my NPIP inspection they knew of a couple cases but none close to me. Of course, I live on sand the scars the poop out of earthworms. Hence no earthworms, no blackhead.

When I got my turkeys I was not sure. There was a turkey farm 40 years ago about 3 miles from here, my uncle worked there and did not recall a case of blackhead. They did not have chickens, however, back them the turkeys basically free ranged a 40 acre pasture. I just decided to go for it and try, the worst that could happen is the turkeys die.

I know some will disagree, but I hardly ever worm here. Maybe once every year to year and a half. I just do not have them here. I use vinegar and cayenne pepper to discourage worms from staying around. I will worm this breeding season. That will be about 18 months from my last worming. I have never seen a worm in any of the birds I process. I figure processing a bird is a good way to look for worms. I could be wrong. I normally am.

 

[casportpony]

@duluthralphie , would it surprise you to know that I have 32 yearling peafowl that have never been wormed even though I have had several confirmed cases of blackhead?

 

[duluthralphie]

@duluthralphie , would it surprise you to know that I have 32 yearling peafowl that have never been wormed even though I have had several confirmed cases of blackhead?

Actually, Yea, but you just never know with those things do you. You would know way these things go more than I do. I assume their is a threshold of some number that tips the scale to more than the birds immune system can fight, but that's just a guess on my part.

Just curious what kind of soil you are on anddo you have lots of earthworms?