A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[CindyinSD]

BTW, it’s so amazing the difference in size. The BBWs are a month older, but at least ten times the size. DH wants to keep them all.

We did have delicious smoked chicken today though, and he didn’t feel bad about eating it. Maybe he’ll be happy with (some of) the pretty turkeys and not feel too bad about the funny, sweet white ones. Maybe I will, too...

I got 30 CX meat birds last Friday, so they’re a little over a week old. They’re really different from the Color Yield (Ranger-type) ones I had last. They were very playful with each other, but these chicks just hang out on one side of the brooder unless they’re eating or drinking. I dunno...

 

[duluthralphie]

Both of my poults are doing the horizontal tail flair. No tails up yet.
Hmmmmm.......

That could be only because of the absence of a male role model to teacher them manliness.

 

[memphis]

Maybe right Ralphie! Betcha Daisy taught them the tail flair! She is their only adult turkey roll model.

 

[FredsGobblers]

Well ok, it is hard to lurk on this thread every day when it gets quiet here.
So here is a pic of what I have left of the 6-8 week old group after sales. I have 3 brooder boxes with other age groups going and will be locking down more to hatch soon.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Mine have been done laying for well over a month now, though I do push them to start laying pretty early in the year.

I definitely have 2 boys in the penciled group. One will be Thanksgiving dinner for sure but the other is too pretty. He may actually go to a swap. I'm reluctant to let any of the penciled go though. I don't want local competition yet lol. I'm fairly certain that most of the penciled ones that I kept this year are hens. I should have a nice breeding group next year

 

[Bantambird]

Whelp, I went this spring to make sure my kids could have market birds because they only want bb Turks for market... Apparently now I was informed that I had to include a picture mailed in to the office along with the online only fair entry form. So we are disqualified. Why they want pics of market animals 2 months before finishing is beyond me, but I was very confused about this as this is absolutely the first time I have ever heard about market birds having pictures done outside of fair. I guess I'm out of luck again this year for market birds. I've yet to accomplish getting a market bird into the local fair at all.
So I guess we will have 2 BBB birds after fair.

 

[aliciaplus3]

Whelp, I went this spring to make sure my kids could have market birds because they only want bb Turks for market... Apparently now I was informed that I had to include a picture mailed in to the office along with the online only fair entry form. So we are disqualified. Why they want pics of market animals 2 months before finishing is beyond me, but I was very confused about this as this is absolutely the first time I have ever heard about market birds having pictures done outside of fair. I guess I'm out of luck again this year for market birds. I've yet to accomplish getting a market bird into the local fair at all.
So I guess we will have 2 BBB birds after fair.

We took s few birds in the open class last year and I was Very disappointed in how things were handled. This year I allowed my kids to enter as 4h partisipatiants so far we got their entries in a day ahead of the cutoff. We will see if this year we do better. My DD was insistent on taking heritage turkeys for the market class... our fair only asks that they be born after Jan 1st no weight restrictions, I have told her not to expect to place. She should be allowed to sell but we will see

 

[FredsGobblers]

My egg laying is starting to slow down. Only 30 eggs for the past week (7 hens). I am going to set one more batch of eggs then done. I am saving from just 2 hens hoping to get another, what I think was, bronze gray. I lost the only one I had to a fox. Fixed the weak spot in pen so I am hoping no more problems.
@Auroradream26 I so want the pencil gene in my flock. I have all the others (excluding the recessive slate and spotting).

 

[FredsGobblers]

Here is the one I lost and am hoping to hatch another

 

[OneMountainAcres]

My egg laying is starting to slow down. Only 30 eggs for the past week (7 hens). I am going to set one more batch of eggs then done. I am saving from just 2 hens hoping to get another, what I think was, bronze gray. I lost the only one I had to a fox. Fixed the weak spot in pen so I am hoping no more problems.
@Auroradream26 I so want the pencil gene in my flock. I have all the others (excluding the recessive slate and spotting).

It's too bad you're so far away :/ This young Tom is gorgeous! But he's full sibling to most of the penciled so Phil will have the honors of breeding them next spring.

Here is the one I lost and am hoping to hatch anotherView attachment 1832971

Aww, sorry you lost it. It was very pretty!