A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[holm25]

Congrats!!! Its so cute!!

 

[memphis]

You could try contacting the breeder if you like her line. I never breed a ***** before she's two. Two is the earliest age you can do an OFA on hips & elbows. So I want all health tests done before any breeding. By the time they are two, they are usually deep into a show/competition career. So I try to squeeze in that first litter before she's 4. The point being, if the ***** is going to have any "difficulties" having a litter, I want it to be when she's young and her chances of recovery are good. Just keep her age in mind.

 

[memphis]

Turkey molting is continuing here. Annie's new red feathers are so dark compared to the older faded ones. And Daisy's head feathers are steel blue with white tips. Just beautiful! I need to get pictures. Just waiting for those wing & tail feathers!

 

[holm25]

Do turkeys molt as hard as chickens?? My tom only molts his tail and wings. He has never really lost alot of feathers..

 

[OneMountainAcres]

You could try contacting the breeder if you like her line. I never breed a ***** before she's two. Two is the earliest age you can do an OFA on hips & elbows. So I want all health tests done before any breeding. By the time they are two, they are usually deep into a show/competition career. So I try to squeeze in that first litter before she's 4. The point being, if the ***** is going to have any "difficulties" having a litter, I want it to be when she's young and her chances of recovery are good. Just keep her age in mind.

When my Siberian was young, I had every intention of breeding her. Id started the process of learning to show and took her to a few. I learned a lot about showing, breeding, OFAs, and CERTs. I was planning to get her certifications done once she turned 2. Then I got pregnant and couldn't afford to do anything. I waited until she was almost 5 and then had her fixed. I didn't want to risk her getting tumors or having issues. She's 11 now and still a crazy nut who drives me up the wall every day lol.

 

[feistychick]

My turkeys haven't molted yet - I can't wait until they do, I just want to see them looking all fresh and dark! The naked turkey pics that I'll be able to get will also be fun

Ralph - those creamettes are out to get you, hopefully their babies sell well to make the bodily harm worthwhile

I think we'll have a little house chick for awhile - it's too cold for it to be outside alone. Hoping she's healthy and can handle being an "only chick"!

 

[holm25]

Your DH is going to fall in love now!! He is mom now so when he does yard work she will be right there with him!!

 

[R2elk]

Do turkeys molt as hard as chickens?? My tom only molts his tail and wings. He has never really lost alot of feathers..

Some do but in my opinion, most don't. It is easy to notice the loss and replacement of wing and tail feathers while not noticing the loss and replacement of the rest of the feathers, but they do molt all of their feathers including your tom.

One way to prove this to yourself is to use an indelible marker on some of his feathers that you think never molt and eventually you will see those feathers disappear.

 

[holm25]

Yeah. I figured they just lose them and grow them back at the same pace...

 

[memphis]

Annie had a pretty "hard molt". She lost a lot of feathers at once. Since the new feathers are so dark it's easy to see the difference. Since Daisy is such a lapper I've been able to watch all the little pin feathers on her head & neck develop. Her little snoop is all fuzzy & white. She has a lot of tiny, tiny feathers on her face. Annie doesn't have those tiny feathers on her face. Since Daisy is a slate, I've noticed her black splashes are different this year. Guess that's one bennifit to her being in my lap a lot. I can sort through her feathers to see the new ones coming in. I'm enjoying these turkeys way too much!