A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[feedman77]

Hey everyone! Can I join? It's my first year with turkeys and my poults are growing SO fast! I'm absolutely in love with them

welcome.

Turkeys are a blast. So much better than my chickens.

 

[feedman77]

Well my hens have been laying hit and miss.

But I left 5 eggs in a nest yesterday. When I went out tonight to put them up there were 14 eggs in the nest.

So every hen I have left laid an egg today.

The last poult I hatched will be a week old tomorrow. Was outta my slate pen. But came brown and yellow.

Figured out its out of my chocolate hen and my black slate cross tom. She will avoid my other toms but if he comes around she lays down everytime.

If the flip on there back trick works its a tom cause he kicks like crazy.

He's a little lonely only one to hatch. But if all goes well he should have playmates sunday.

 

[duluthralphie]

It is amazing how the colors vary on the turkeys!

Penguin should not be the colors he is, by the date he hatched and the eggs he came from. BUT he is and he is a cutie. I have some red spotted ones but those are JJ and Ethels Babies.

The turkeys are happy again to be free ranging. JJ might regain some feathers on his chest now. Him and the lavender tom stood and fought through the fence wearing the feathers off. Last night the other Tom was ( we really need to name him) was settling in against the shed for the night, it appeared. JJ saw this and went over an made him move, driving him to the "roosting" area and harassed him until he roosted like he was suppose to.

JJ is constantly "bothering" the other tom, He chases and tries to pick fights with him all day. JJ had better watch out the other Tom is larger than JJ by about 6 inches now. Of Course, JJ as loving as he is to us, is kind of a butthead to the roosters also, He is constantly pushing them until they fight. You would think the chickens and turkeys would have 2 different pecking orders but it appears they are all in the same order. Weird.

I call him a he because of his actions. Everyone of my turkeys kick and fight when I turn them over. They all look alike to me (sex wise). Penguin has went to sitting as high in the brooder as he can. I use a large stock tank for his age group with a "net" over the top of it. He has managed to jump on top of the feeders and waterers to survey his kingdom.


It appears I only have 5 guinea keets from a the eggs I have tried to hatch. I am disappointed about them. Ethel has been missing for a couple days again. With my weasel problems I am worried about her being broody now. I will be relieved when she shows up with her brood.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Days 25 on have been bad for me too this year. It seems the last few days I lose them,  It is frustrating, when I do egg-topsides I find nearly hatchable  chicks ( spell check did not like that word)

Sounds like suffocation from lack of oxygen. Open all vents, lower temp 1-2 degrees & keep humidity below 70% during hatch. Higher humidity plus high temps causes lower oxygen levels in the air. The babies can't get enough oxygen & suffocate trying to hatch.

 

[duluthralphie]

Sounds like suffocation from lack of oxygen. Open all vents, lower temp 1-2 degrees & keep humidity below 70% during hatch. Higher humidity plus high temps causes lower oxygen levels in the air. The babies can't get enough oxygen & suffocate trying to hatch.

I have all vents open. I try to keep between 60-70 and actually end up lower than 60 most the time.

I run my hatcher at 98.4 just because the thermostat wafer is so touchy it either runs there or 102... (cheap thing) I have a fan in everything, and I have had a problem with dry hatches and needing to peel off the shrink wrapping.

It could be lack of O2 but I doubt it.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Sounds like suffocation from lack of oxygen. Open all vents, lower temp 1-2 degrees

I have all vents open. I try to keep between 60-70 and actually end up lower than 60 most the time.

I run my hatcher at 98.4 just because the thermostat wafer is so touchy it either runs there or 102... (cheap thing)   I have a fan in everything, and I have had a problem with dry hatches and needing to peel off the shrink wrapping.

It could be lack of O2 but I doubt it.

Hmmmmm, you have me stumped then.

 

[feedman77]

Woke up this morning to 5 of my eggs with external pips.

Out of the 11 that went to lockdown. I candled yesterday. Just cause early hatches had me bothered. 10 showed good movement.

So maybe my earlier hatching misfortunes are behind me with this batch.

With another batch that's in I had my first egg that was a stinker.

It didn't explode but man it was smelly. Got it out and all is well again.

 

[chickadoodles]

Sounds great be patient.

 

[feedman77]

Sounds great be patient. 

Thank you.

I am but this is the hard part.

Temp holding 99 and humidity is 62.

 

[duluthralphie]

Woke up this morning to 5 of my eggs with external pips.

Out of the 11 that went to lockdown. I candled yesterday. Just cause early hatches had me bothered. 10 showed good movement.

So maybe my earlier hatching misfortunes are behind me with this batch.

With another batch that's in I had my first egg that was a stinker.

It didn't explode but man it was smelly. Got it out and all is well again.

Sounds like your in for a great fathers day...

good luck on the hatch and remember PICTURES are required here.