A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

Is there a way to tell the difference? From what I read Lilacs are kind of rare. I would hate to butcher a rare bird.

I believe that the easiest way to differentiate them is to check the newly hatched poult color.

http://www.porterturkeys.com/lilac.htm

http://www.porterturkeys.com/variouscolorcombos.htm

I suspect that a self blue rusty slate would have a newly hatched poult that is a lighter version of the rusty slate poult.

I also think that the tail feathers of a lilac are not as dark as those of a rusty slate but your question is best answered by Mr. Porter. There is a contact button on the main page. They also have a turkey genetic group that is good at these answers.

 

[feistychick]

Genetics are so interesting. I keep going back to the calculator and plugging in my Slate & Bourbon Red with different toms. Possibilities are endless! But honestly I thing if I get a tom it will be a Slate. I hate just having the two hens. If something were to happen to one I can just picture a crying upset lonely hen. So....that's my excuse for adding another turkey!

It sounds like the perfect excuse to get another turkey

I'm getting another bourbon red hen near the end of the month to start improving my hen/tom ratio a bit. DH has an aquaintance with about 50 bourbon reds, and we'll buy a girl that's about the same age as Turkules. Then I'm going to talk to a couple that lives a few miles from here to see if I can re-home one of my boys to their flock They are such sweet, personable boys that I want to try to home somewhere that they will be kept as a pet or breeding tom, not as food (I'll keep them and build more pens if I can't find a good home).

 

[memphis]

Fiesty....if we lived any closer i'd take one of the boys! Turkules is going to love having another girlfriend!

 

[feistychick]

Fiesty....if we lived any closer i'd take one of the boys!  Turkules is going to love having another girlfriend!

Turkules doesn't know what to do with the girlfriend he has right now lol, but I figure that she'll be hiding once all the boys get a bit older. Time to level the playing field a little bit I wish I could move one of the little boys to live with your girls - but I don't think they travel all that well

 

[memphis]

If we lived closer I'd for sure take one of the boys. But your right, I'd hate to ship one. I'm still undecided about getting a tom or another hen. I'll have this winter to sort that out in my mind.

 

[feistychick]

This week has been weird with the birds, they are still getting used to being separated. Every night this week, when I get home from work, I've had to go retrieve someone that has escaped their run to go visit their old "friends". I swear I have a bunch of Houdinis..... It has been a different bird every day, sigh. They can get out, but have not figured out how to get back in when they are done galavanting.

 

[duluthralphie]

A true Story.

Once upon a time, in early November, a husband and wife were enjoying the unusually warm fall weather, to build a roosting coop for their turkeys. The turkeys spent hours with the couple. jumping into the trees and climbing above them. Everyone had a good day.

As the day progressed the weather turned colder and the skies darker. That stupid daylight savings time was in place so the people could not work as late as they wanted. It was fast getting dark, when the husband said, "where are all the turkeys?" as they were not with the couple anymore.

The wife said " I dunno', not being as bright as the husband.

The husband noticed the turkeys by the coop. most had already put themselves to bed. They went early because of the impending cold weather and darkness. There were about 5-6 not in the coop and on their roosts. One of them, a rusty black with a nasty attitude was far away from the group. The rusty black turkey was named Penguin by the gullible wife, because she thought he was cute. She did not realize the cuteness was all an act to be a monster.

The husband thought to himself, "Wonder what that little PITA is up to now?". He is obviously trying to avoid going to bed and will rile up the whole flock if left to his own. The Husband had Penguins number and had him all figured out.

The wife happen to see penguin and went to run him into the coop. She caught up to him and started talking nicely to Penguin,

:"Oh Penguin, your so cute. You really should go to bed now, I can't believe how sweet you are."

This irritated the man, he just wanted the PITA ran into his coop and the door locked on penguin.

The man mentioned in a sweet manner, "could you speed that little ******* up?".

The wife took offense at this and said " do not call Penguin a *******! He is a sweet young turkey."
She them slowed down and walked even slower with Penguin to the coop. It took a good 20 minutes to travel 100 feet.

The husband then understood why Penguin was such a hoodlum. He had an enabler in his life.

 

[feistychick]

Ralph - your wife clearly understands the adorable Mr Penguin better than you do

 

[duluthralphie]

Penguin is a manipulative bird and has my enabling wife wrapped around his spurs.

 

[memphis]

Penguin just wanted his moma to tuck him in!