A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

Hey I'm impressed on of us figured out the Porter color calculator! Been debating the idea of getting a tom for my two girls. My big fear is they will hatch a bunch of babies & I would get too attached to get rid of any!!

I've heard rumors of turkeys wandering off looking for a mate. Do I need to worry about this with my hens this spring??

The thing to do if you hatch poults is to hurry up and sell them as day old poults so you never have a chance to get attached to them. The other benefit of selling as day olds is that you don't wind up with a lot of money in feeding them.

A lot depends on your neighborhood. Where I live a wild turkey hen has come in for the past 7 years to get bred by whatever tom I have at the time. She then goes down in my field and lays and hatches a clutch of poults, leaves with any survivors and returns the next spring to do it all over again.

If you can hear toms gobbling in the distance in the spring it could entice your hens to try to go to the toms.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

My poults were "helping" me in the garden today (I know it's a giant weed patch but it'll be different next year with raised boxes)

Of course, Adam took his "rightful" place on my lap while I was busy lol. I love that bird!

 

[memphis]

Thanks R2elk. I'm not anywhere they will hear a tom...they are city girls. Hopefully they won't decide to hit the town! Hey...maybe Ralphie will send Penguin down for spring break with two wild & crazy hens!!

Love the story about the hen coming in each year. That's pretty cool. I bet there are all kinds of interesting looking birds running around out there.

And I LOVE gardening with my birds. Aurora, looks like you all were having a great day!

 

[duluthralphie]

I had some friends that went turkey hunting on the back 40 this spring.

They were calling turkeys back there,.. And Ethel showed up at there blind. They took pictures.

 

[memphis]

 

[feistychick]

My poults were "helping" me in the garden today (I know it's a giant weed patch but it'll be different next year with raised boxes)

I love it! Mine hasn't figured out how to "help" yet - thank goodness. He just watches so far and sticks close by. Yours are really pretty birds!

 

[feistychick]

I had some friends that went turkey hunting on the back 40 this spring.

They were calling turkeys back there,.. And Ethel showed up at there blind.   They took pictures. 

Didn't get quite what they were looking for - but they can be assured that their call is working fine

 

[memphis]

Anybody have suggestions about what to plant in my yard that the turkeys would like to forage on? I always sow rye in the fall. What do turkeys like to nibble on??

 

[chickadoodles]

Anybody have suggestions about what to plant in my yard that the turkeys would like to forage on? I always sow rye in the fall. What do turkeys like to nibble on??

Memphis here is one of the threads I could think of but there are several that suggest all kinds of plants, crops, and sprouts.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/742018/what-do-you-grow-to-feed-the-chickens

 

[charmedbaker]

Good morning everyone! So sorry I've been MIA for a while. Family stuff.
I've read up on the last few days:
Glad Penguin is OK!
Since I only have the one Tom turkey I won't worry about genes and hatching eggs.
Love the pics and videos.
Am a little jealous my kids can't come out of their yard yet. Gotta get rid of the stick tight fleas before they can come out so the dogs don't get infested.
My kids all run to me for food, but dash away if I try to hold them. They assume they are in for a bath or Vaseline treatment and run.
Um, how big/tall will this turkey get?
He can see the top of the work table about waist high.