A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[JRNash]

I tried deep frying one. All wing and proboscis

 

[Mortlach]

got got 2 bronzes, a royal palm, a sweet grass, 3 bourbon reds, and 2 blacks (spanish) this spring. Unfortunately, my wife named them all and declared them "pettin" not "Eatin" Turkeys. So what am I to do with them? can i hatch the eggs and sell?

 

[Mortlach]

i want to get 1 or 2 silkies for brooders. none were available locally this spring, and i didnt want to do a 6 min order from local store.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralph my dislike of cats exceeds your dislike of webbed feet

I am not a huge cat fan, however, if it is a choice between rodents or cats, I take cats. These are great cats, I seldom if ever touch them, they never touch me or want to be touched. They take my measly offerings of milk and food in exchange for killing rodents..

What could be better?

 

[duluthralphie]

got got 2 bronzes, a royal palm, a sweet grass, 3 bourbon reds, and 2 blacks (spanish) this spring. Unfortunately, my wife named them all and declared them "pettin" not "Eatin" Turkeys. So what am I to do with them? can i hatch the eggs and sell?

You can pet them,,,,

You can eat the eggs, hatch the eggs, and tell your wife that one is getting sickly we better eat it now...


I sold some poults to a guy tonight that needed replacements...His last turkeys found a new way to commit suicide.... I think it a very creative way...


They flew into the hog pen and the hog ate them,,,,

 

[Bluechick2u]

got got 2 bronzes, a royal palm, a sweet grass, 3 bourbon reds, and 2 blacks (spanish) this spring. Unfortunately, my wife named them all and declared them "pettin" not "Eatin" Turkeys. So what am I to do with them? can i hatch the eggs and sell?

If they get old enough to hatch eggs, the mixed breed offspring can still be delicious once they get big enough.

 

[Finnisher]

WMD for rats. One that makes them flee for their furry lives. One so atrocious they tell their furry brethren who grab their furry friends and head NORTH

Have you tried a bucket trap? There's a stick with peanut butter on top of a bucket with water, the stick spins, so when they try to eat the peanut butter they fall in and drown. Haven't tried it myself but heard good things about it.

 

[Bantambird]

I spoke with the local farm agency, the forestry department, another agricultural dept, and the wildlife folks this morning. (these are the numbers I was given as I was shuffled to the next agency) This is what I was told or what is in their research documents.

Farm agency had no idea about the blackhead disease, but gave me the number to someone else - who is currently out of town. So waiting on a callback.

The wildlife agency said that blackhead had only been found twice (2 wild turkeys) a couple years ago, but had no reports of incidences regarding any domestic poultry issues and was not considered to be a health issue for turkeys in this area.

She also told me about the reintroduction projects and the info is readily available online. The Fisher or Fisher Cat were reintroduced in WV next to the Maryland border starting in 1969 with 23 fishers from New Hampshire. Pennsylvania reintroduced Fishers starting with 30 animals in 1979 and then followed up in 1994-1998 with another 190 animals.

Today in Western MD, Fishers are present in enough numbers that hunters are now allowed to "bag" two, either by firearm and bow hunting or traps and must have a Furbearer permit. Fisher numbers are increasing rapidly and have spread from Garrett Co to Frederick Co, MD, not counting the increasing numbers in WV and PA. One article from the Maryland DNR said the average numbers have been approx. 280 otters and 52 Fishers taken "legally" each year for the past five years. They assume the numbers are higher if taking into account the number of Fishers taken illegally by hunters or farmers. (duh!)

The Fisher's diet consists of berries and fruits from shrubs and trees and considered to be an important mammalian seed spreader. They also eat insects, lizards, snakes, birds, shrews, moles, mice, squirrels, porcupines and other small mammals and there is evidence of predation on white-tailed deer. (!!!) They competently forage for food in both the tree canopy and on the forest floor. They have 1-6 kits once a year, breeding in March/April but the embryos do not attach until the following Jan/Feb with gestation lasting 40 days. Their dens are usually found in tree cavities 30-40 feet high (I though this was interesting).

She also stated that regular chicken wire or netting would not be a deterrent if the Fisher was after chickens or other fowl. They are extremely strong and have razor sharp claws. Some reports say females only weigh 4-9 lbs with the male being much larger at 15 pounds. According to some educational videos and articles, the males often reach 20-30 lbs. Females are typically 30-37 inches long with the males reaching a length of 48 inches long.

She did say that she did not think fishers would actively target a chicken coop (and apparently she has not watched the videos!) and that I stood a bigger chance of running into a bear (been there, done that, have the video).

Personally, I know these folks are trained to not speak about anything alarming - like the fishers being big hunters for birds or any easy meal. Just like DNR claims Eastern Cougars are extinct - BUT it's illegal to shoot one........righttt.
#flashpointobsessedwithfishers

This makes me a little happier that I live in a treeless prairie. Except, of course, the ones we planted.

 

[BantyChooks]

You can pet them,,,,

You can eat the eggs, hatch the eggs, and tell your wife that one is getting sickly we better eat it now...


I sold some poults to a guy tonight that needed replacements...His last turkeys found a new way to commit suicide.... I think it a very creative way...


They flew into the hog pen and the hog ate them,,,,

Neighbours chooks tried that.

 

[memphis]

Mortlach...they make great pets.

Ralph....the hog pen...OMG!