A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

I named my new tom Bob. He is not nearly this beautiful though. Maybe after he molts.

That is the yearling that I kept for this year. He was wet and bedraggled at the time of that pic. His daddy is more handsome and bigger.

 

[duluthralphie]

i bought 4 poults to raise for meat along with straight run chicken dual purpose chicks...and the turkeys are so cool. they’re so docile and sweet that now i want some turkeys for eggs and as pets. i know nothing about turkeys but what would you recommend for a breed of turkey? i don’t free range in the sense of no fences but they have a run that’s a couple acres.

Turkeys really don’t care about fences.

They are meant for lessor birds like dux and chickens.

 

[Bantambird]

i bought 4 poults to raise for meat along with straight run chicken dual purpose chicks...and the turkeys are so cool. they’re so docile and sweet that now i want some turkeys for eggs and as pets. i know nothing about turkeys but what would you recommend for a breed of turkey? i don’t free range in the sense of no fences but they have a run that’s a couple acres.

Turkey varieties have similar dispositions, really, but there is a big difference between heritage body types and broad breasted body types. If you want pet turkeys, this works best with turkey hens. Getting snuggly with the young jakes can backfire if he decides that humans are turkeys and starts treating you like a turkey! Hens and jennies are just fine to make pets, however. They are wonderful lap turkeys and can be snuggly hand warmers in the winter. Broad breasted turkeys, due to intensive breeding in the meat industry (to their detriment, I say) generally have tons of growth problems. They get big so fast that often their bones can't keep up. THey can snap an ankle pretty fast even jumping down a foot. Generally broad breasted turkeys go downhill once they have reached the target butchering age. Industry standard has them set for slaughter starting at 4 months of age, because consumer markets these days want trim, lower fat carcasses and turkeys start putting on their under skin fat layer around 5 to 6 months old. Many broad breasted turkeys do not make it to their first birthday.
On the other hand, heritage type turkeys share many characteristics with their wild brethren in shape and demeanor. They require lots of space to be happy, and hens can fly pretty well, considering they are, on average, between 10-15 lbs for the average heritage hen. Mine tap dance across my hay barn roof pretty often, and once i caught one on my house roof, which is an old split level house. Heritage turkeys kept too close together in confinement will pick and possibly kill each other and any birds with them, so be sure you have the space. 2 acres sounds quite reasonable for a small flock of heritage turkeys. Once you have them established and they know where to stay at night, they should always come back home. they tend to stay best as long as you keep food and water, but hens love leaving to go make their nests somewhere they feel safe. This can include just about anywhere a turkey hen can fit, as long as you can't see it.
There are plenty more things about turkeys to say, but this is my contrtibution!
good luck with the turkeys!

 

[Finnie]

That is the yearling that I kept for this year. He was wet and bedraggled at the time of that pic. His daddy is more handsome and bigger.

Ha ha! My poor guy can’t even compare to wet and bedraggled! He is dry and bedraggled.

But I’m happy to report that the wounds on his snood and head have healed.

 

[Bantambird]

Some dude in Georgia bagged a tom with EIGHT BEARDS!
I'm thinking how his chest must have been absolutely crowded with beards.

 

[R2elk]

Some dude in Georgia bagged a tom with EIGHT BEARDS!
I'm thinking how his chest must have been absolutely crowded with beards.

I moved 33 viable eggs to the hatcher last night. All of the Blue Slate eggs were viable.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I have bug eyed babies in the hatcher crashing around!

 

[Huntmaster]

Hatching a mixed batched 4 tri colored penciled palms, 3 sweetgrass, 1 red palm, hatched. 3 more sweetgrass, 4 penciled blue palms, 2 tri colored penciled palms, and 2 more red palms pipped waiting for them to zip out. Started 24 and 3 where early quitters not sure what other 2 are doing did not candle before putting them all in hatcher. Those 2 have not pipped yet. Still have time today is a day early 28 days is in morning around 10:00

 

[duluthralphie]

Hatching a mixed batched 4 tri colored penciled palms, 3 sweetgrass, 1 red palm, hatched. 3 more sweetgrass, 4 penciled blue palms, 2 tri colored penciled palms, and 2 more red palms pipped waiting for them to zip out. Started 24 and 3 where early quitters not sure what other 2 are doing did not candle before putting them all in hatcher. Those 2 have not pipped yet. Still have time today is a day early 28 days is in morning around 10:00

How do you know these are what your going to get?

 

[Huntmaster]

24 more eggs in incubator. 12 from Fall fire tom, Sweetgrass hen, to produce Fall Fire and Sweetgrass Poults. 12 from Black Winged Bronze Tom, Sweetgrass Hen, to produce Cornish Palms Poults. Plus 6 broody hens sitting on nests.