A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[memphis]

And speaking of curious, over opinionated turkey hens...here is Annie supervising my repairs on a sprinkler. She had to hop up on the trash can to see properly.

 

[rjohns39]

I'm just posting this picture because I think it's cute. Here's two of my loves sharing a drink. Thank you Cesar Milan for the dog training on your show!


View attachment 1106993

Thanks for posting this pic... Made my day a bit better. My girl who used to fly out of the pasture to be wherever I was, perch on my shoulder and coo when petted was lost today and she's the spitting image of your girl. She was one of my best breed birds.

 

[memphis]

Aww....sorry about that rjohns. Tough...

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Thanks for posting this pic... Made my day a bit better. My girl who used to fly out of the pasture to be wherever I was, perch on my shoulder and coo when petted was lost today and she's the spitting image of your girl. She was one of my best breed birds.

I'm so sorry

 

[Finnie]

I had seperated the little boy yesterday because of swelling while we were at auction. He has bruises from slamming his head into the side of cage! The swelling was a lot lower but now he looks like he got into a fist fight. This one is definitely higher strung then all of my others.

I was wondering if maybe he was in pain, and that's why he's been acting so weird (spinning, cage banging, killing roosters, getting mad at any bird that comes near him). Someone mentioned looking inside his mouth. Maybe he's got a splinter of something lodged somewhere. That could cause pain and swelling.

I'm just posting this picture because I think it's cute. Here's two of my loves sharing a drink. Thank you Cesar Milan for the dog training on your show!


View attachment 1106993

This is one of those instances where I wish we could hit the like button multiple times!!

Thanks for posting this pic... Made my day a bit better. My girl who used to fly out of the pasture to be wherever I was, perch on my shoulder and coo when petted was lost today and she's the spitting image of your girl. She was one of my best breed birds.

Aw, I'm so sorry. Is she lost dead or lost missing? If missing, maybe she will return.

 

[Finnie]

@Flashpoint Your poults are about the same age as mine. This is the phase when they are at their most annoying! I sold three of my Dingleberries yesterday, and I must say, bedtime was easier last night, chore time was easier this morning, and the two I have left still acted up but it was much less noticeable than having a group of 5 doing it!

Now my group of 5 week olds (6 of them) is old enough to free range. It's like starting all over. Little tiny hoodlums in the making! But they are fun to watch as they explore their world and figure stuff out. They discovered the top of the chicken coop already. But they did it from outside the netting cover over the pen instead of inside. So they sank down and could walk on the shingles, but couldn't figure how to get back to the ground. I guess my netting is too saggy. I had to walk under the netting and bounce them out over the sides of the pen.
This would make more sense with a picture. Here is one that shows how the netting goes over the chicken coop:

 

[Finnie]

Here are some pictures of the poults free ranging.

 

[Flashpoint]

@Flashpoint Your poults are about the same age as mine. This is the phase when they are at their most annoying! I sold three of my Dingleberries yesterday, and I must say, bedtime was easier last night, chore time was easier this morning, and the two I have left still acted up but it was much less noticeable than having a group of 5 doing it!

Now my group of 5 week olds (6 of them) is old enough to free range. It's like starting all over. Little tiny hoodlums in the making! But they are fun to watch as they explore their world and figure stuff out. They discovered the top of the chicken coop already. But they did it from outside the netting cover over the pen instead of inside. So they sank down and could walk on the shingles, but couldn't figure how to get back to the ground. I guess my netting is too saggy. I had to walk under the netting and bounce them out over the sides of the pen.
This would make more sense with a picture. Here is one that shows how the netting goes over the chicken coop:
View attachment 1107350

LOL - I guess mine are not annoying so much as just being busybodies.

I know what you mean about the netting. I just covered their pen that they have to be in (when I am not home or at night) last week. I think the pen is approx 12 x 15, and I put an old metal swing frame inside in the middle. It makes my netting just taut enough for them to walk on, but it's not springboard tight. (so far - who knows how much it will stretch by the end of winter). When Goldie flew up there today, I took my net and boosted her off.

Later Brandie was up on the shed roof, and I took the net and "encouraged" her to get down. She paced for a few minutes and you could see her thinking whether to just fly down or find an easier way. She ended up hopping down on one of the outside pens, to a large kennel cage, to the ground.

Then all four sauntered over to the dog kennel where I had made a platform on top for the turkeys, and sat there for a couple of hours - probably complaining that I won't let them have ANY fun.


I want a couple more, but will probably wait until spring to get them. I want to get a few different colors. I now know of two people who raise and sell poults locally, just not sure I want to get into that again at the moment. I did reduce my chicken and duck flocks so I could get more. Down to only 16 hens, 2 roosters, 4 duck hens, plus 3 of the neighbor's ducks who won't go home! I will have to help them again - 3rd time in 3 weeks...

 

[Flashpoint]

Here are some pictures of the poults free ranging.

View attachment 1107351 View attachment 1107352 View attachment 1107354

I want a white poult like yours, for certain! Even if it's a hooligan!

Edited to add: I would have answered earlier, but it started sprinkling and my internet conked out that quick. Now on my hotspot, but think I will give it up and go to bed now since it's 1:03 am.

 

[Finnie]

Well in my experience, once they grow up, they are a lot easier. Especially the adult toms. They just want to stay on the ground and strut all the time!