A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[feistychick]

Feisty....Coco is the perfect name for her!   She's so pretty!  I love her coloring.

I was out of town from Thursday till Monday.  Daisy is making great advances in growing new feathers!  She even jumped up on the arm of my chair to be petted.  She wasn't letting me pet her for awhile.

Yay for Daisy - almost back in feathers! You'll have to post a picture of her new feathers once she's grown in. I bet she'll look different with fresh feathers. I wish the boys would molt - their tail and wing feathers are looking really rough from all their strutting lol.

I'm actually really liking Coco's color, she has both light and dark patches - I have no idea how to describe it. It's kind of interesting that she's not solid brown. I know she's not a pure chocolate coloring and I'm curious what mix she came from. I believe they have lavendar, chocolate and slate toms, so no clue who her papa was....

 

[duluthralphie]

Isn't it fun trying to figure out who the parents are?

 

[memphis]

Feisty...who are you breeding her too? One of the Bourbon Boys or Turkulus?

 

[memphis]

Ralphie...how are Andy and Lucky doing out in their new digs?

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie...how are Andy and Lucky doing out in their new digs?

Andy is doing good, but going kind of feral out in the shed. He is not the loving chick he was.


Lucky is doing fine, I have been exploring his parentage. We ( read I) thought he was a BA something cross. That does not seem to be the case. He has a Pea Comb. The only thing that has a Pea Comb are my EE. He is also showing barring, the only barred birds I have are rainbows and a Barred rock. Lucky has the body of a meat bird. He is packing on the ounces compared to his hatch mates. He is nearly 3 times the size of the creamers and creamettes.

We have kind of decided Sven the rapist, son of Ole the rapist, is his father. That would account for his dark legs, the dark color and the white wing tips. His mother being a rainbow would account for his barring, which I believe will be single barring, and his size. The thought from the Minnesota thread is he is a cockerel. Which means Lucky is not going to be Lucky as I have no need for a cross breed mutt rooster. Unless he becomes a good looking EE he is headed to a soup kettle.

 

[feistychick]

Feisty...who are you breeding her too?  One of the Bourbon Boys or Turkulus?

I'm thinking that I won't breed Turkules at all - I'm concerned about his aggressive behavior that he's been displaying and I think temperament can be passed along. The bourbon boys are pretty sweet all the time - not lap turkeys anymore, but easy to handle if I need to hold or move them. If I let them breed this year, I think it will be one of the bourbons. Maybe it would give me a clue about what color Coco's papa was - seeing what kind of poults she has lol. I know her mom is a chocolate. Kind of like a backwards puzzle

 

[duluthralphie]

I'm thinking that I won't breed Turkules at all - I'm concerned about his aggressive behavior that he's been displaying and I think temperament can be passed along. The bourbon boys are pretty sweet all the time - not lap turkeys anymore, but easy to handle if I need to hold or move them. If I let them breed this year, I think it will be one of the bourbons. Maybe it would give me a clue about what color Coco's papa was - seeing what kind of poults she has lol. I know her mom is a chocolate. Kind of like a backwards puzzle

I think that is a good idea!

Turkleles does not deserve the right to breed. I personally like my tolerants better than having lappers. A lapper can be a pain in the rear demanding to be held and all. With my tolerants, JJ and Ethel I can hold them when I want, they do not fight it, but they still have a certain level of respect and I do not have to worry about them considering me a turkey and the trying to dominate me.

I would love to see what Coco is....

 

[MaggieMay'sMom]

Hi All,

This is a great and informative thread. Thank you.

I am half way through this one and the 2013 and 2014 threads.

It's seems I have caught the turkey bug!

I have a few questions I am hoping you can answer.

This will be my first time raising turkeys. I have 10 Chocolates and 10 Bourbon Reds shipping on April 20th.

After realizing that they might not be ready to butcher for Thanksgiving (my DH would not be happy, seeing how I will be brooding for the first 2/3 weeks in the house. I at least need to be able to present him with a fine bird for the holidays!)

I have decided to order some BBB's. I was thinking of having them ship 7 days after my heritage birds. Will I be able to brood them together?

I am also thinking about using a few tutor chickens. These tutors will be 3 weeks older than the chicks I am getting on May 10th. I am torn, as I want to give my turkeys a great start, but I do not have room to keep the chicken tutors separate, (unless they live with the turkeys temporarily).
Do you think they would be able to free range together?

When do you think I can incorporate them into one group? I have heard at 4 months it is doable. What has been your experience ?

Thanks for your time

 

[duluthralphie]

I put mine together as soon as I can. BUT I brood them in a screened tractor so they see the other birds and the other birds see them all the time. If they can see each other before they go together it helps.

Yes, the BBB and the heritage can be raised together, I raise mine like that.

Without older turkeys watch them while they free range. Believe it or not, Turkeys tend to be an order of fries and one toy short of a happy meal.


They will imprint on you and follow you everywhere. They are luvable like a dog, but smart like a rock. Poults like to commit suicide, unless you keep them from danger. Once they become teenagers they are indestructible.

The only thing to watch when keeping them with chickens is BlackHead, but we all keep our turkeys with chickens with no problems, yet. (fingers crossed).

I feel disjointed in my typing so I am stopping, just too darn tired, worked too hard on breeding coops today.

 

[MaggieMay'sMom]

I put mine together as soon as I can. BUT I brood them in a screened tractor so they see the other birds and the other birds see them all the time. If they can see each other before they go together it helps.

Yes, the BBB and the heritage can be raised together, I raise mine like that.

Without older turkeys watch them while they free range. Believe it or not, Turkeys tend to be an order of fries and one toy short of a happy meal.


They will imprint on you and follow you everywhere. They are luvable like a dog, but smart like a rock. Poults like to commit suicide, unless you keep them from danger. Once they become teenagers they are indestructible. 

 
The only thing to watch when keeping them with chickens is BlackHead, but we all keep our turkeys with chickens with no problems, yet. (fingers crossed).

I feel disjointed in my typing so I am stopping, just too darn tired, worked too hard on breeding coops today.

Thanks.

I will just have to make it work. I really want the chicken tutors help.

They will only get a small area at first to free range and not untill the turkeys are 10 weeks, weather permiting.

I have a call into the hatchery (privett) that is suppling our local feed store to make sure they are blackhead free.

I am so exited, I can hardly wait.