A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Eric Exley]

i just got my order of baby turkeys from porter's in the mail yesterday, and all 15 (plus the 1 extra) are all doing well... they sent a list of the varieties they sent me, the list shows
2 Bronze
3 Harvest Gold
3 Narragansett
4 Red Bronze
1 Silver Auburn
2 Silver Dapple
And 1 in the crossbreed catagory called a Rusty Black

they are doing great (they were asleep when i checked on them before posting this), i also have 8 chicks that are from a white Dúccle rooster, and a black bantam cochin/silkie cross hen (of course the hen, and rooster are carrying hidden genes as the chicks are coming out as reds, porcelian, blue, splash, buff laced, and a few more colors I am unsure of currently), and then i have guinea eggs due to hatch this weekend (the person i bought the eggs from said they could be any of these 4 colors: Pearl grey, Royal purple, Pied, and Lavender), with all of these chicks to care for, this will be my biggest brood in over 3 years

 

[memphis]

Aww...too cute! Good luck with all the babies!!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Boy....Romeo is a handsome hunk 'o turkey!! Hes really matured into a looker. Is he still friendly??

Oh yes, he's still a lover He also makes sure the other boys are calm and respectful anytime we're in there

 

[CindyinSD]

My turkeys have access to the coop during the daytime. At night they are all out on their roosts in all types of weather including -30°F and/or snowstorms. They do fine.

I’m really more worried about predators and defection to the wild. Have you ever had any of yours go native, R2?

 

[Molpet]

My turkeys have access to the coop during the daytime. At night they are all out on their roosts in all types of weather including -30°F and/or snowstorms. They do fine.

Are they in a predator proof run?
I think I remember you don't have a top on the turkey run.
I have some roosting in trees, so far so good.

 

[R2elk]

I’m really more worried about predators and defection to the wild. Have you ever had any of yours go native, R2?

I am proactive when it comes to predators. There are always traps set and predators are removed as soon as they show up. The 2"x4"x6' welded wire perimeter fence has helped. I have not had to shoot any dogs since I put the fence up.

I have had annual visits by wild turkey hens but have not had any of my turkeys go native.

 

[Molpet]

i just got my order of baby turkeys from porter's in the mail yesterday, and all 15 (plus the 1 extra) are all doing well... they sent a list of the varieties they sent me, the list shows
2 Bronze
3 Harvest Gold
3 Narragansett
4 Red Bronze
1 Silver Auburn
2 Silver Dapple
And 1 in the crossbreed catagory called a Rusty Black

they are doing great (they were asleep when i checked on them before posting this), i also have 8 chicks that are from a white Dúccle rooster, and a black bantam cochin/silkie cross hen (of course the hen, and rooster are carrying hidden genes as the chicks are coming out as reds, porcelian, blue, splash, buff laced, and a few more colors I am unsure of currently), and then i have guinea eggs due to hatch this weekend (the person i bought the eggs from said they could be any of these 4 colors: Pearl grey, Royal purple, Pied, and Lavender), with all of these chicks to care for, this will be my biggest brood in over 3 years

 

[CindyinSD]

I put plywood up four feet on mine and it seems to work well. I had four pens setup inside, but they've pretty much demolished all the fencing.

LOL... Figures. What did you use for fencing materials? I have mine in poultry netting for protection. They can easily fly out but I give them very large paddocks and they seldom bother... If they do, they pace back and forth meeping to be let back in. Hey... I could set up the e-netting inside the greenhouse. I’ll bet that would work. Worth a try...

 

[R2elk]

Are they in a predator proof run?
I think I remember you don't have a top on the turkey run.
I have some roosting in trees, so far so good.

The run is not predator proof but does have flight netting above the roost area. It really does deter owls. One time only I had an owl get in under the flight netting when it was going after a cottontail. It totally freaked out trying to get out from under the flight netting. Of course I don't let the young ones spend the night on the roost until they are big enough to not be an owl attractant.

 

[CindyinSD]

I am proactive when it comes to predators. There are always traps set and predators are removed as soon as they show up. The 2"x4"x6' welded wire perimeter fence has helped. I have not had to shoot any dogs since I put the fence up.

I have had annual visits by wild turkey hens but have not had any of my turkeys go native.

I’d love to protect our place with a woven wire perimeter but it’d be a lot of fencing and would be damaged badly any time one of the USFS’s beetle trees fell on it. I’d be more likely to do a hot wire along the top only... same problem, plus it wouldn’t do much for shorties like coyotes. (Though after the third one this year bit the dust we haven’t seen more for quite some time.)