A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Molpet]

Since the leaders appoint the judges, good luck trying to fight it. Obama Care was illegal too but the judges upheld it.

So was social security and Medicare

 

[Flashpoint]

Everytime I turn on the TV, there's Dr. Fauci. They are going to wear out that old man.

One of my neighbors asked if turkeys can get the virus. I had Daisy out for a graze. She heard him. And she's been bugging me ever since. Sounds like all of our regulars here have avoided it so far. Worry about Aurora & Holm....dealing with the public. No word on when we are lifting shut downs here. Although they are rolling out plans. I don't get why the tattoo parlors will be opening. And there are tons of folks making more staying home vs working.

Yup and some folks who have yet to get a penny. My son is an independent contractor hauling most loads out of the port in Baltimore. Which is open but barely. No ships coming in like normal, people off work with the virus - and he's only getting 2-3 short loads a week - not the amount he normally gets - like 2-3 loads a day. 3 kids, a wife, pets, rent, big rig payment, other vehicle payments and of course utilities, etc. He's worried he might lose a whole lot more than just "pay".

 

[memphis]

Ralphie...my favorite WW1 pilot was Werner Voss. Followed by MV Richthofen. Most of these guys didn't last 2 weeks. They pretty much flew toothpicks & canvas. Its amazing.

 

[R2elk]

R2elk! Babies everywhere!! So cool!

Where the hens were fighting over the nest yesterday, I tossed another fake egg about 3 feet away. Now there are two hens sitting on two different nests to lay their eggs today.

Sweetgrass poult #5 has arrived. It was fully zipped when I went to get the brooder ready. It is out now and not even close to the egg it hatched from.

 

[Jedwards]

Figured maybe I'd hop on here since I'm still somewhat new to the turkey scene. We've always had at least a turkey or two hanging with the chicken flock while growing up. Since I moved out last year I mostly started over with the "flock" as my mother grew too attached to most of my birds for me to take them with ha ha. I left behind a handsome rusty black tom that guards his flock.

My earliest memory of turkeys was the broad breasted ones we raised and ate. Then one day two wild turkey poults were standing in the drive way that grew up into two mean toms and stayed for a few years, then 2 two royal palm toms who lived to old ripe ages, 12 yrs old I think on the one?? At this point I tried for 2 years with poults and each time lost them all but 1 each time, to what I think was blackhead. Fast forward to last year got a 8 heritage poults of all colors and ended up losing 2 to an eagle. Narragansett is my favorite so it was especially bitter watching a bald eagle kill and make off with a Narragansett hen. We ended up with a slate tom, a bourbon tom (who was recently rehomed), a black hen, a Narragansett hen, and two other hens I can't ID even with help from Porter's site (one is a bow legged naragansett variant and the other is a brown mottled looking type).

I collected eggs this year and was able to set 29 eggs and used the "Grimm method" of hatching turkeys eggs which I read on here. Upon the first candling they all looked ok minus 3 that looked like early quitters. Then as Murphy's Law goes, on day 22 we lost power as it always happens when I try to incubate. Luckily the generator was on within half an hour. I think this may have effected them though as when I candled before lock down it looked like there were at least 6 more that were no longer viable. Fast forward to hatch, only 9 ended up hatching with the most upsetting part that there were at least 10 eggs left with with fully formed chicks. I'm not sure what went wrong, but I have a gut feeling I may have had the humidity too high (80% as it suggested on the Grimm thread) as the last 2 hatched were unable to dry in the incubator even left in there for over 12 hours. Out of the 9 poults, 2 didn't make it, one never looked good and the other looked like it choked on bedding?? last time for pine shavings I think. I also put some chicken eggs in the incubator on day 7 for a simultaneous hatch-out, they also did poorly with 4/12 chicken eggs hatching. I was expecting a lot of neat colored poults but didn't understand the turkey genetics at the time. After reading up on other threads and Porter's it makes more sense now. There were 3 black, 4 brown, and 2 bourbon looking poults.

Coincidentally, after collecting eggs for the incubator the turkeys kept laying and 3/4 hens went broody on an unknown number of eggs. All 3 hens kind of piled up on one communal nest and juggle eggs. This doesn't seem to be ideal as there was some breakage along the way so I will try to prevent it next year. When one hen gets up, the others quick steal her eggs and nestle them under themselves. But, against all odds and bad luck, the eggs started hatching today, 2 brown and 1 black poult so far. I knew I'd have to take/separate newly hatched poults away as our chickens are savages and I think they would kill the poults as they've done with other previous hatches of chicks. Next year the turkeys will be getting a separate pen, it's just not on the cards this year as my girlfriend got 2 goats and their pen took up the easy available space and a lot of time! ha ha

I learned a lot so far and am looking forward to expanding our flock! I wouldn't mind getting rid of most of the chickens and just keeping all turkeys

 

[R2elk]

#6 is out and is a Tri-Color Mottled Black.

 

[R2elk]

#6 is out and is a Tri-Color Mottled Black.

Oops, #6 is a Rose Comb Legbar pullet and not a turkey.

 

[memphis]

Marigold was following me around the garden this afternoon. Just had to pick her up & carry her around a bit. She's so cuddly! Has really soft feathers on her head & neck. Made the rest of the birds a bit jealous. Her little beard continues to grow. I will admit....can't carry her around for long. She's big. Takes to arms to hold her. Shes heavy, but the problem is her size, not the weight. Finally sat down with her. Which only allowed Daisy to pull her tail & she jumped down. Daisy doesn't allow the other birds in my lap. I have to sneak around if I want to hold one. Daisy has me trained!!

 

[memphis]

One of the neighbors walked down the drive to chat. All the girls came up to the fence to check her out. She had to admit they are a pretty bunch. Shes the only person I know who thinks they have cute heads. Nice to hear that occasionally.

 

[R2elk]

The hatch is progressing. There are now 10 Sweetgrass poults and two Rose Comb Legbar pullets.