A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Goronson Chicks]

OMG Fiesty! You can send me that cute little guy right in the middle of the picture displaying anytime! They've grown so much since the last we saw pics!
Turkules has a girlfriend....Turkules has a girlfriend! !

Goronson....go to the Porters Heritage Turkey site. He has this GREAT calculator that allows you to enter the breed (color) of mom & dad turkeys and it tells you what color varieties they would produce. That may help you decide what color girls (yes I said girlS) you might want. I think Tommy would fall in love with any hen you brought home!

Feisty and Memphis,
Thank you for the advice. Someone on this thread seemed to indicate that their Tom got crotchety with them once he had a girl. Is that common? He's very sweet right now.
Goronson

 

[duluthralphie]

Goronson, Or you could do what I do and ask R2Elk. I get confused on the calculator. what color babies do you want?

If you want to travel halfway across the country I could spare a hen. Maybe instead of a girlfriend your turkey just needs a buddy. I can spare lots of them. I will be going out shortly to look at my birds, I have not seen them in 11 days, they were in bed when I got home last night. I can see if my DW killed that little A-H Penguin.

 

[Goronson Chicks]

Goronson, Or you could do what I do and ask R2Elk. I get confused on the calculator. what color babies do you want?

If you want to travel halfway across the country I could spare a hen. Maybe instead of a girlfriend your turkey just needs a buddy. I can spare lots of them. I will be going out shortly to look at my birds, I have not seen them in 11 days, they were in bed when I got home last night. I can see if my DW killed that little A-H Penguin.

Hi Ralphie,
I am looking more for temperament than with the potential color offspring, although I think that calculator is really cool. I'd like a calm, sweet hen for him because they will have to live inside our big chicken run (that's where Tommy resides now) and not pick on our chickens.

I put up fencing at first and as he got used to the Cream Legbars he didn't bother them as much. Our Marans birds and our original flock are still sectioned off from him. The Marans are much slower and easier going than the Legbars, who are quick moving- Marans are easier to get picked on. Tommy has a pretty big beak which could easily damage a skull.

Any advice on temperament? Thank you!

 

[duluthralphie]

Hi Ralphie,
I am looking more for temperament than with the potential color offspring, although I think that calculator is really cool. I'd like a calm, sweet hen for him because they will have to live inside our big chicken run (that's where Tommy resides now) and not pick on our chickens.

I put up fencing at first and as he got used to the Cream Legbars he didn't bother them as much. Our Marans birds and our original flock are still sectioned off from him. The Marans are much slower and easier going than the Legbars, who are quick moving- Marans are easier to get picked on. Tommy has a pretty big beak which could easily damage a skull.

Any advice on temperament? Thank you!

I have all my turkeys and most chickens together. I have not had a problem. Temperament is kind of a crap shoot. They all have such different personalities. The only real butt hole turkey we have is Penguin. I think my DW spoiled him too much. If he wasn't her favorite and so darn cute, I would invite him to thanksgiving dinner.

Having Penguin for dinner could upset the Mrs a tad.

I keep my creamettes separate from my other birds. They are kind of high strung.

 

[Goronson Chicks]

I have all my turkeys and most chickens together. I have not had a problem. Temperament is kind of a crap shoot. They all have such different personalities. The only real butt hole turkey we have is Penguin. I think my DW spoiled him too much. If he wasn't her favorite and so darn cute, I would invite him to thanksgiving dinner.

Having Penguin for dinner could upset the Mrs a tad.

I keep my creamettes separate from my other birds. They are kind of high strung.

I'll hope then that I get a nice calm girl.

 

[holm25]

The other day my tom was breeding my only 6 month old hen and then yesterday she laid an egg!!!

 

[dheltzel]

So much for the hens waiting until the longer days of spring, huh!

I'm getting 3 eggs a day from my 4 young Midget White hens (out of 6 that hatched last Feb/March). The other 2 are co-broodies on 17 eggs that are due to hatch in 2 weeks. I candled a few and they are developing. I've had lots of broody chickens hatch and raise chicks, but this is my first time with turkeys.

Are 2 hens likely to do ok with the chicks when they hatch, or will there be fighting/jealousy?
It's starting to get cold here, is a first time turkey momma likely to keep all the babies warm and fed, or should I remove and hand rear some of them (if a lot hatch) ?

 

[chicapee]

The other day my tom was breeding my only 6 month old hen and then yesterday she laid an egg!!!

How exciting my 3 babies are only 4 months old, so I don't expect any eggs until spring.

 

[holm25]

And my second turkey egg I have ever gotten!!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Holm, I am thinking you messed up when your turkeys were younger and instilled some real psych problems into them. It will take years of therapy for them to live normal productive turkey lives!