A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[duluthralphie]

Watch it Ralph, once upon a time I used to have geese.

But you learned by that experience, I even owned geese for one 6 week period, before I paid people to take them away.

 

[memphis]

Ralph....I think that baby Sussex just wants to be tucked in at night. How cute is that?

R2elk...geese....who knew!!

 

[duluthralphie]

When my Buff Orp was broody for like 2 months, she got really skinny too. I fed her cooked eggs everyday and topped them with mealworms garnishes

because I was really worried that she'd starve (she was so bony). She wolfed them down in like 2 minutes flat, so it was easy enough to feed her while I was standing there to keep the others out of it. I don't know if that could help with Pebbles protein intake until she finally gets off the darn nest? Poor girl!

do not say this!!

I have both my PC hens broody right now. I am having a terrible time with them and I need their eggs!

I have one in gitmo and I have no idea what to do with the other.


I do have a broody turkey though, I would look and see how many eggs she has, but I am afraid to look under her.

 

[memphis]

I had a goose when I was a kid. Loved that goose. Problem was the goose didn't love anyone but me. It would run everyone out of the area. Actually cornered my sister on the back porch and terrorized her. Needless to say, the goose had to find a different home. She was a mess though. Lots of goose poop!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralph....I think that baby Sussex just wants to be tucked in at night. How cute is that?

R2elk...geese....who knew!!

That was my thought too, who would guess are resident turkey guru would have owned a goose!

 

[memphis]

You know....I thought maybe Annie was thinking about going broody. She was circling a bush one afternoon for hours. Sort of thought she was looking for the perfect nesting spot. But she gave it up. So no broody behavior yet from either hen. I believe the only way Daisy would go broody is if its on my lap. Spoiled bird!

So Ralph...your not going to let your broody stay on the nest? Your going to suit up and fight her for the eggs? Can you have someone video it for us?

 

[holm25]

U need the right kind of land for geese! Mine arent messy at all. The coop is more dry now than when I had just chickens! I dont water in my coop though. But still!

 

[memphis]

I'm sure your right Holm. My goose had full range of our backyard.

 

[duluthralphie]

You know....I thought maybe Annie was thinking about going broody. She was circling a bush one afternoon for hours. Sort of thought she was looking for the perfect nesting spot. But she gave it up. So no broody behavior yet from either hen. I believe the only way Daisy would go broody is if its on my lap. Spoiled bird!

So Ralph...your not going to let your broody stay on the nest? Your going to suit up and fight her for the eggs? Can you have someone video it for us?

Nope she can have her eggs!

I am not going through that fight again. I am thinking she only has a few eggs though. She has been on it for 2 days. If I catch her off it I might change eggs with her, giver her a dozen and throw hers into the incubator and guess on a hatch date.

 

[gevshiba]

I lost a hen last year that wouldn't leave the nest. I tried giving her chicken eggs, but they kept smashing them. I didn't have a tom, so no fertile turkey eggs. After I lost her, I started putting a bowl of food in the corner of the nest box. I'd give lettuce and other goodies that had a lot of water content. I sat a small waterer just outside the nest boxes.

This year I want them to set, but not until we move them to the other place. I have 4 broody, now. My nest boxes are in my inner coop, which opens into an outer coop that has a wire front. All it has is some roosts. That opens into my run. I've started lifting each hen off the nest in the evening and shooing them outside. Then, while they run out for a drink and pit stop, I get the chickens in the inner coop and shut them in. I prop the turkey boxes up against the wall and lay the tops (dog houses) inside so they can't get in. That way, if not all the hens are outside, they can (and sometimes do) only stuff themselves in chicken boxes. The broodies then have to sleep with the tom in the outer coop. In the morning, they run out to eat before heading back to the nests. I fix the boxes so they can lay. They still spend a lot of time on the nest, but I know they are eating and drinking.