A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[duluthralphie]

We had a microburst a few days ago and I ran out in it because I knew the poults would be roosting up high on the fence. Sure enough, the torrential downpour had knocked them down and they were all huddled in the dark, in the rain. I managed to get all of them into the truck topper so nobody died, but man was everything wet! Not even my armpits escaped the rain.

The weird weather has been hard on the birds.

 

[memphis]

Ralph...couldn't agree more. We've had a rough summer.

R2elk...i sure hope you send in some turkey pics to the calendar folks! Your photos are amazing!

 

[memphis]

Such a cutie!

 

[Feathyr]

Awww, look at that little face! She's a cutie, memphis.

I have a question: are beards hereditary in turkey hens? One of my BR hens has a beard, and one of this year's poult hens is growing one as well which makes me think they're related.

 

[R2elk]

Awww, look at that little face! She's a cutie, memphis.

I have a question: are beards hereditary in turkey hens? One of my BR hens has a beard, and one of this year's poult hens is growing one as well which makes me think they're related.

I suspect that they are hereditary. My oldest hen has had a beard right from the start and the hen that I kept from last year's poults also has a beard. Based on the timing of her hatch she is very likely the old hen's daughter or granddaughter.

 

[memphis]

Im going to bet its hereditary. May be a recessive gene.

 

[JRNash]

The weird weather has been hard on the birds.

Cooler temperature from all the rain and my eggs doubled

 

[duluthralphie]

I have a predator again! What I thought was rain killing Ethel's babies may not have been She lost her last 2 today.

We were not home. I am down some chickens too. I need to get the birds into breeding pens, score them and get rid of the extras. I need to keep things under cover for a month, so much for the free ranging. I am guessing hawks, eagles and coyotes. They all have young that are starting to hunt and willing to risk a shotgun or dogs for an easy meal....NOT that I would actually shoot a protected critter. but I would not be against scaring them away.

 

[memphis]

Well that sucks Ralphie. I've noticed an increase in hawk activity here too. Wish i could identify them. Some are huge, some not so big. I need to work on my hawk identification skills. Daisy is the one who sees them first. She then starts that hiigh pitch whine.

 

[duluthralphie]

I just saw one swoop low through the yard, the girls will stay locked up for awhile today.