A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Bantambird]

Ablyn thinks he is a doggy. Or a human.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks for the wet rag suggestion (I think was Duluthralphie). Was having trouble getting humidity up past 60% when started lockdown and now it’s been staying at 74-76% for 24 hours without any additional water.

So right now the poults are orienting themselves in the eggs and preparing to break free? They’re mid day 26. I ask because 2-3 eggs are slightly moved from where they were at yesterday when I set everyone even in rows for lockdown. No earthquakes I know of!

Back when I was learning about incubation, one of the hints that I read and use is to place the eggs so that they are touching each other. The theory behind this is that they can communicate with each other and that it encourages them all to try to hatch around the same time.

When I am having a good hatch, the poults hatch on day 27. This is also mentioned in Porter's hatching tips.

When you candled the eggs prior to placing them in lockdown you should have seen at least some that were internally pipped. Those are the ones that will hatch first.

 

[PolarBerry]

I didn’t candle them all right before lockdown. A few days before they were mostly dark blobs with good air cells. Had family visiting so was busy on lockdown day. But I’ve read up on Porters page and have them at 77-80% humidity and 98.5F temp. I *think* I heard one or two making a noise but may have been the chickens in the brooder in the next room scratching around.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I am on pins and needles I have 9 turkey eggs and 5 chicken in lockdown.....

 

[PolarBerry]

Tomorrow is day 27 so we’ll see! Have heard at least one tapping away and have seen a few eggs do a random wobble. Fingers crossed for a successful hatch since I have people waiting for babies!!

 

[TurkeyTimes]

Beings this is a new thread, I figure we need some pictures.


This first picture is JJ. I bought him thinking he was a slate blue, that's what the people I bought him from said. He had hardly any feathers when I got him and he was living in the city under a persons deck in about 18 inches of rotting manure.


The turkey in the below picture is Ethel, I got her with JJ last spring. She also was not in good condition. I got a second hen with them, Myrtle, she only lived about 3 weeks once I got them. I felt so sorry for them when I got them. They have become great pets. They are like dogs, they follow me everywhere. They let me pick them up and pet them. Ethel talks to us until we pick her up, She will go to sleep in my arms or on my lap when I pet and groom her.

The chickens with her are "turkens" These are chickens I bought last year to keep her happy when she wanted to go broody. she thinks they are hers and they still think of her as Mom. Last fall Ethel hatched 5 poults on her own in the woods. She was gone for most of a month, I would see her every day or two in the yard, but could not find her nest. When the babies hatched and she brought them to the yard, the Delaware turken, saw Ethel and ran to greet her Mom. Mom had new babies and ran the poor turken off.

It was heartbreaking to see the poor chicken sulk away. My DW and I both saw it and thought it was one of the saddest things ever. Poor turken!


They are back together now though, (The 5 poults became Eagle snacks)












The next picture is of my Blues. I have another hen but she is in a nest box at the time of the picture. The nest boxes are those round cut off cardboard barrels. They seem to like them. As you can see the Jake/tom is a self blue, two of the hens are self blues and the other is a splash, not a great splash but a splash.

Beautiful! can you post some more pictures of JJ? He's so gorgeous! I really want to find a tom of similar coloring and marking.

 

[R2elk]

Beautiful! can you post some more pictures of JJ? He's so gorgeous! I really want to find a tom of similar coloring and marking.

JJ was a Rusty Slate. You can make Rusty Slates by breeding a Bourbon Red and a Blue Slate together. That pairing will produce half Rusty Slates and half Rusty Blacks.

 

[duluthralphie]

Beautiful! can you post some more pictures of JJ? He's so gorgeous! I really want to find a tom of similar coloring and marking.

JJ is no longer with us.

 

[TurkeyTimes]

JJ is no longer with us.

I am sorry to hear that, didn't really look at the date of the post.

 

[PolarBerry]

Pip!?!?! On 3 so far.