A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[chickadoodles]

Auroradream your polish are so cute!

Ralph your SS chicks are cute.
I really like SS they are so pretty.

 

[feedman77]

Pens are done.

Hens are penned up. I have gotten 3 turkey eggs so far.

Today is supposed to be hatch day for my Bourbon eggs. No pips yet.

Not holding out much hope for this batch.

Congrats to all who have hatched chicken so for. They are really cute.

 

[memphis]

Glad to hear you got your pens up Feedman! And your girls are laying! I thought a few of those Bourbon eggs would hatch. Still keeping my fingers crossed for pips....

 

[feedman77]

I counted my turkeys several times over the winter as they freeranged. I had 12 toms 13 hens.

When I locked them up I ended up with 12 toms and 14 hens.

Somehow I gained an extra Bourbon red hen. Had 3 all winter. Had 4 when I penned them.

Don't know where she came from as no neighbors have turkeys.

Have also had my first breeding injury in a hen. Acts like a hurt leg and right side. Have her isolated. See if she get better in a few days.

 

[Futz]

I counted my turkeys several times over the winter as they freeranged. I had 12 toms 13 hens.

When I locked them up I ended up with 12 toms and 14 hens.

Somehow I gained an extra Bourbon red hen. Had 3 all winter. Had 4 when I penned them.

Don't know where she came from as no neighbors have turkeys.

Have also had my first breeding injury in a hen. Acts like a hurt leg and right side. Have her isolated. See if she get better in a few days.

I just had a breeding injury happen with my hen two days ago. It is really bad. Both 1 yo BB, white hen, bronze tom. The tom is about twice the size of her and so slow and clumsy I didn't even think they were actually breeding. I noticed her limping around a couple hours after I turned them loose so I checked her over and am glad I saw it when I did. Her right side, just over her leg and down to her tail area was tore up pretty good. The skin has been separated by about 3-4" across, with a long deep gash about 6 inches long. Amazingly I think it just missed the muscle, all I can see is fat and virtually no blood. Apparently fat boy either slid off her or was really digging in while trying to climb his way onto her.

 

[R2elk]

I counted my turkeys several times over the winter as they freeranged. I had 12 toms 13 hens.

When I locked them up I ended up with 12 toms and 14 hens.

Somehow I gained an extra Bourbon red hen. Had 3 all winter. Had 4 when I penned them.

Don't know where she came from as no neighbors have turkeys.

Have also had my first breeding injury in a hen. Acts like a hurt leg and right side. Have her isolated. See if she get better in a few days.

When they get ripped with a spur that is how they act. I assume that you checked for damage to her side right in front of the affected leg. I have found that using turkey saddles greatly reduces this type of injury. I have also found that this type of injury can lead to a permanent limp and depending on the severity of the injury it can lead to death.

 

[R2elk]

I just had a breeding injury happen with my hen two days ago. It is really bad. Both 1 yo BB, white hen, bronze tom. The tom is about twice the size of her and so slow and clumsy I didn't even think they were actually breeding. I noticed her limping around a couple hours after I turned them loose so I checked her over and am glad I saw it when I did. Her right side, just over her leg and down to her tail area was tore up pretty good. The skin has been separated by about 3-4" across, with a long deep gash about 6 inches long. Amazingly I think it just missed the muscle, all I can see is fat and virtually no blood. Apparently fat boy either slid off her or was really digging in while trying to climb his way onto her.

If you want to breed BBs, you have to either use a jake or better yet, learn artificial insemination.

 

[Futz]

Its her only wound. And while its bad, she doesn't seem to fazed by it other than a slight limp. I've got her confined to a very small area to limit movement and to keep the wound as clean as possible. He doesn't hardly have spurs yet, so I'm guessing the combination of his weight and clumsiness caused his claws to do that. There are a couple single poke holes just above the cut as well, as if from his other claws.

Initially, I didn't intend to breed BB, just the heritage bronze. I bought two that weren't supposed to be BB, hoping for a male and female, and two BB whites for eating. Well, the bronzes both ended up being BB and male, and one of the whites a female. Now after having raised four turkeys to adulthood, I am realizing I just don't have the space I need to keep the hens separate from the toms. I have decided to keep my hen since she's slimmed up and is very active, and seems to be a good layer. The tom just keeps getting bigger and is starting to have difficulty moving around, but he still manages to wander the property. I didn't really think they were breeding as she was actively avoiding him, so I didn't separate them. But now that I know they are, I'm looking to find him a new home, or send him to freezer camp with his buddies. He's such a cool turkey, but I just don't have the room to build another pen at the moment.

 

[Mini Meat]

Hey all,
I am getting my frist turkey next week

a quad of 2+ year old Burbon Reds.

They will be kept in a 6x8 Quarantine pen for about thirty days. While they are in there I will be building out the coop & run.

Question is an 8 x 10 coop with an 8 x 20 run large enough for 4 birds?

Thanks

 

[duluthralphie]

Hey all,
I am getting my frist turkey next week

a quad of 2+ year old Burbon Reds.

They will be kept in a 6x8 Quarantine pen for about thirty days. While they are in there I will be building out the coop & run.

Question is an 8 x 10 coop with an 8 x 20 run large enough for 4 birds?

Thanks

Will they be in this pen/coop all the time? Or are you talking about free ranging some?