A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[feistychick]

Ah huh It will!! really.

I don't believe it for a second! Um....who currently has a house turkey?

 

[feistychick]

I got brave today and finally let my poults out to free range for the first time for about an hour. Of course I was right there, closely supervising the entire time lol.


@SilkieSensation, here are the 3 from you. In guessing they're around 13 weeks old now. Cupid has proven himself to be a he add he's the first one to gobble (and the only one so far)


And I'm done photo bombing lol. They had a good time out foraging today and Adam even spotted a hawk and warned everyone. I'm just to nervous to let them out for long that I may never get them back lol.

Love the pics! I just started letting mine free range too (supervised). It's a blast to watch them explore. I'm too nervous to leave mine out (it's 16 weeks) when I'm not around, so it's a few hours of exploring when I get home from work

 

[duluthralphie]

It is midnight, and I finally get to go to bed. The little guy refused to sleep in his incubator/hatcher so I had to hold him and let him snuggle into my palm for comfort.

This is getting to be a chore caring for him!

 

[SilkieSensation]

Fargo is such a fun town. 
My dad lived there for quite a while.  He grew up in Mandan though, so it was better than that!  I am not a city kid, so I was a bored kid during the summer until we went to the lake!

Ralph, looks to me like your DW is smiling at the only child there.... DON'T sell it if she loves it!  I don't think she will fall for anymore incubator shenanigans if you break her heart again like with Princess Di.

I would also keep tom #2 Feedman. 

Feisty- I put my poults outside around 3 weeks (not that I am an expert, my hubs wanted them out of the house).  The weather was miserable and I was really worried about them.  But they certainly faired better than chickens would have! 
I also have a heating pad that I use instead of a heat lamp for them outside.  I built them a special coop out of the top of our dog kennel (the big plastic kind), and put it in the chicken run.  The heating pad I have has an override button for the auto off.  It worked beautifully!  If they were cold, they went back in and snuggled on the heating pad and blankets. 
I guess my point of adding my 2 cents is that as long as you have a safe dry warm place for them, they will be okay.

I have a "guest of honor" question.  What do you feed them, if anything different, leading up to the butcher? 
I am thinking Dinner will be heading off to freezer camp before November.  Mostly because it could be beautiful weather, it could be below freezing and snowing.  I don't want to process in cold weather EVER again.
Do they need to rest a few days like chickens?  I would imagine so.

I put mine back on high protein chick feed (26%) for the last week or 2 to pack on weight fast. As for resting after butcher, I brine mine for 24-48 hrs before cooking or freezing.
Brine recipe
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 Bay leaves
2-4 cloves Fresh or 2 tsp jar garlic minced
Other seasonings as desired
Enough water to completely cover bird
Place in fridge 24-48 hrs
Rinse lightly before cooking if desired.

Hopefully in 2 weeks gonna order a plucking machine for the guest birds. I hate plucking and usually get frustrated and skin them.

Does any one have any experience with a plucker
For turkeys. Are they as good as advertised.

Figure I raised them all from babies might as well do the entire process right.

I have hand plucked turkey before. I don't own a plucker so have only used 1 once. I usually just skin my chickens but I do a bunch of those at once. Hand plucking just 1-2 birds isn't too bad. Just make sure you get them scalded well but without the water being too hot. 150-160F...not boiling!

I got brave today and finally let my poults out to free range for the first time for about an hour. Of course I was right there, closely supervising the entire time lol.

@SilkieSensation, here are the 3 from you. In guessing they're around 13 weeks old now. Cupid has proven himself to be a he add he's the first one to gobble (and the only one so far)

Angel

Cupid

Pebbles

Then off course is my handsome Adam I think about 14 weeks old now.

And I'm done photo bombing lol. They had a good time out foraging today and Adam even spotted a hawk and warned everyone. I'm just to nervous to let them out for long that I may never get them back lol.

My signal sux & pix aren't loading. I'll hafta try to look again later.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Finally loaded. You got a blue slate, a rusty slate & a bronze. Lookin good!

 

[feedman77]

So ralphie has ur new poult let you put him down and got used to brooder yet.

Or is he a new snuggle turkey.

Eveyone been real quiet today.

 

[duluthralphie]

My wife held him for 2 hours watching TV. "Cookie" Likes to watch TV is what she told me.........

I am afraid "Cookie" is here to stay. Unless I can get rid of her fast while she is at work..

 

[feistychick]

My wife held him for 2 hours watching TV.  "Cookie" Likes to watch TV is what she told me.........

I am afraid "Cookie" is here to stay. Unless I can get rid of her fast while she is at work..

You don't want to get rid of "Cookie"..... you've got it named and everything!

 

[memphis]

Throw in the towel ralphie. It has a name and gets to watch it's favorite TV shows...I think your window of opportunity to rehome is closed. But on the bright side....everyone needs a lap turkey!

 

[duluthralphie]

I am not giving up on it leaving us yet.

After all how long could she be upset with me if "cookie" finds a good family that needs a turkey to make it complete.