A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[copper2]

Perhaps someone here could help a newbie to turkeys to identify what we have. Heres the facts, i will try to be as clear as possible:
1.We purchased 6 poults from big R, 3 weeks ago
2. Straight run. Mixed breeds, same bin, store had no idea to breed. "We get what they send us"
3. Called Privett, they were hatchery choice and the do not record what is sent.
4. Five appeared to be "bronze", one was best guess chocolate
5. The chocolate was weak and lethargic from time of purchase and died within 24 hours
6. The bronze: two quite small, two fairly big, one in the middle.noticable by first week. All similar markings
7. At week 3, largest is not as active and inquisitive, very little flight attempts, feathers are " messy", and very bare along the sides of the body, and is Big. Seems idk, torpid? Maybe? Eats/drinks/sleeps as usual for the group
8. Mid sized poult has same wild type feather pattern but lighter base? Color . began displaying today, totally cracked us up lol, chest bumps all others.
9. Two smallest have had consistant growth and in all respects appear to be doing great.
10. Brooder began at 99-100 degrees, slowly tapering heat based on behavior.
11. Feeding game bird starter after 1 week of flock raiser as the store was out. They wouldnt eat the dry crumbles do we wet it to mash, worked great! Slowly decreasing the water content to transition to dry food. Clean water at all times, marbles included.
12. Brooder changed daily started on old towels we had been saving for this. Changed to lg shavings at abt 2 weeks.
Sorry for the novel, but we have fallen completely under the spell of these little guys, and we want to make sure we are doing everything we can to help them thrive, but mostly i need to know if i have broad breasted or standard.... If broad some how i must distance myself, knowing they will be dinner.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, i appeciate your help!

If they are broad breasted bronze don't be hasty in DINNER apartment you can keep them lean, make them free range everything and feed them little, and start when they're young. They're too young to tell

 

[cluckylady812]

Ok thank you! We are hoping for healthy birds, only two were dinner plans. I was concerned bbb were like cornish x. We just did those and i much prefer my hens lol. We have fallen in love with these guys, just didnt want to be heartbroken. Thank you for the reply!

 

[duluthralphie]

Ok thank you! We are hoping for healthy birds, only two were dinner plans. I was concerned bbb were like cornish x. We just did those and i much prefer my hens lol. We have fallen in love with these guys, just didnt want to be heartbroken. Thank you for the reply!

BBB are like Cornish crosses!

They can both be raised to have longer and healthier lives. When raised properly, not the way the hatcher wants you to, or the way Tyson Foods raises them, they are sweet luvable birds, that forage, run, play and fight like any other chicken,

There is nothing wrong with CX's! There is something wrong with the way most people raise them. They are animals, like dogs, the actions of the owner control the outcome of what kind of animal you are going to get more than genetics do.


I recently WON an all expense paid trip to Australia from BYC for this article on raising.CX's. Of course, BYC is claiming I did not win a trip to OZ, but a gift card to the BYC store...We are currently in negotiations over whether I get first class airfare or stuff......

Here is the link, Please read it, the BBB and the CX's deserve a few seconds to change your idea about them..



https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-large-table-birds





Not meaning to be so in your face, I just really like the little fat guys and gals!

 

[feedman77]

My cheeping in egg made it into the world.

3 day ahead of time.

A little palm.

 

[feedman77]

My turkey brooder is empty. Placed an ad sold all my babies in 1 sale.

That's a good/bad note.

Because my may 5th hatch has started.

I have 3 hatched. 2 zipping and 6 more pipped. So I could possibly have 9 out by the morning.

There are 17 in the hatcher. 21 still in the bator that looked like they needed another couple days.

So I'll filler back up.

My weekend schedule at work has shifted so I can start hitting bird auctions. This weekend.

Heard some prices from a sale last weekend. Turkey pairs not matched were bringing 125.00 a pair.

Maybe I need to sell a few.

I now have 7 broody hens. Have got to do some pen switching tomorrow.

 

[cluckylady812]

Duluthralphie ...I may not have been very clear. I loved the cross, and we will do more, but i enjoy the heritage breeds. I love watching the developement with out the intense human tinkering that can lead to so much suffering. I enjoy knowing that they can not only live, but thrive for years, without constant monitoring. We raised them so as to eliminate the factory farming link in our food, i did not raise them like tyson thank you very much.
I read the Entire! Thread of " first cornish cross, so excited", every page! I took all the guidance and advice i could and ww had great success, the majority of the information came from your posts.
Our goal with the turks is to have a healthy sustainable flock, capable of producing healthy offspring. We raise all our animals with the needs and happiness foremost. I dont see the point if trying to undo the years if selective breeding of meat birds, i would rather start with heritage and breed for my goals.
Congratulations on your accolades, i know tgey are earned with work and dedication, but perhaps it would be of greater benefit to more people to share the wealth of knowledge in a less aggressive manner. Especially without pursuing information on how someone may have done things.
Thank you for your feed back. I appreciate your time.

 

[gander007]

My 10 day old turkeys are much larger then my 3 day old Russian Orloff chicks but they did teach the chicks to eat and drink very fast so it is turkey starter for all

 

[duluthralphie]

Duluthralphie ...I may not have been very clear. I loved the cross, and we will do more, but i enjoy the heritage breeds. I love watching the developement with out the intense human tinkering that can lead to so much suffering. I enjoy knowing that they can not only live, but thrive for years, without constant monitoring. We raised them so as to eliminate the factory farming link in our food, i did not raise them like tyson thank you very much.
I read the Entire! Thread of " first cornish cross, so excited", every page! I took all the guidance and advice i could and ww had great success, the majority of the information came from your posts.
Our goal with the turks is to have a healthy sustainable flock, capable of producing healthy offspring. We raise all our animals with the needs and happiness foremost. I dont see the point if trying to undo the years if selective breeding of meat birds, i would rather start with heritage and breed for my goals.
Congratulations on your accolades, i know tgey are earned with work and dedication, but perhaps it would be of greater benefit to more people to share the wealth of knowledge in a less aggressive manner. Especially without pursuing information on how someone may have done things.
Thank you for your feed back. I appreciate your time.

I am sorry, I did not mean to be aggressive. I am very passionate about CX's and BB's, I did not mean to imply you raised them like Tyson. Sorry if that is how you read it.

I am saying that is how the hatcheries and feed manufacturers expect us to raise them. I am simply offering an alternative..

I wish you luck on making them sustainable, I am not having any luck with my CX's. Until I get a sustainable Broiler of some kind I am not going to attempt a BB or reasonable sub for one. I hope you get them so I can just follow your lead. It has been heartbreaking with the Toads. I get excited because something is working only to have it not work.




I was reacting to this post"


Ok thank you! We are hoping for healthy birds, only two were dinner plans. I was concerned bbb were like cornish x. We just did those and i much prefer my hens lol. We have fallen in love with these guys, just didnt want to be heartbroken. Thank you for the reply!




I read that as you not being very happy or liking CX's very much. I as you know love them and am major champion of CX rights and equal rights. I will try to be less aggressive if you try to be a little less defensive, we might actually communicate then.

 

[dgibson0604]

my gobbler bread my hen twice yesterday

i want some turkey poults.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I am sorry, I did not mean to be aggressive.  I am very passionate about CX's and BB's,  I did not mean to imply you raised them like Tyson. Sorry if that is how you read it.

 I am saying that is how the hatcheries and feed manufacturers expect us to raise them. I am simply offering an alternative..

I wish you luck on making them sustainable, I am not having any luck with my CX's. Until I get a sustainable Broiler of some kind I am not going to attempt a BB or reasonable sub for one.   I hope you get them so I can just follow your lead. It has been heartbreaking with the Toads.   I get excited because something is working only to have it not work.




I was reacting to this post"


Ok thank you! We are hoping for healthy birds, only two were dinner plans. I was concerned bbb were like cornish x. We just did those and i much prefer my hens lol. We have fallen in love with these guys, just didnt want to be heartbroken. Thank you for the reply!




I read that as you not being very happy or liking CX's very much. I as you know love them and am major champion of CX rights and equal rights.   I will try to be less aggressive if you try to be a little less defensive, we might actually communicate then.

Speaking of Cornish X, we're raising our first group of them right now. Just 7 of them since they were $1 each at tsc and i was curious about them. I kicked their messy butts out of the coop yesterday to free range for the first time. They got so much exercise and had the time of their lives lol

And just for the cuteness factor, my Ana and her babies She has 2 lavender ameraucana chicks and 4 olive eggers.