A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Molpet]

I have a few extra jakes that made it into this year because they just weren't quite big enough for Thanksgiving of Christmas dinner. They are about the right sized for Easter dinner, though. I did have a jake start choking when I was throwing out feed yesterday, he was stumbling and trying to cough, I spotted him and started firmly patting his back and he didn't run or respond by paying much attention to me, so I ran my hand gently massaging his esophagus and helped him work the feed down and he realized at that time that I WAS TOUCHING HIM! He started freaking out as soon as he was done choking and he nearly wing punched me in the eye trying to flee. Talk about ungrateful!

Yes those wings are deadly

 

[KF0002]

Update on the 5 painted/grizzled cross poults I kept.

This jake is looking like he is going to be a grizzled black.

Chocolate painted/grizzled jennie? I'm thinking more grizzled maybe. More color = grizzled, more white = painted is how it goes I reckon. Pardon the white jake. He's a little dirty looking from all the rain we've had.

Left barred rusty chocolate jennie, right mottled chocolate jennie.

The barred rusty chocolate is the most shy in the bunch but they are all pretty tame.

 These were all sired by a painted black split chocolate tom. The mother to most of these I'm assuming is a rusty black hen split grizzled.

 

[KF0002]

I have been told my black/grey looking jake could be a silver dapple. Silver dapples are Bb cg/c nn (n-). Interesting, and makes sense that it is split white considering the white jake I have.

My chocolate painted had been confirmed to be a chocolate painted.

 

[KF0002]

 Grizzled chocolate painted I meant. ***

 

[Huntmaster]

Was finally able to get all nest boxes/houses cleaned/bedded and ready. I will put the fake eggs in within next few days one in each nest spot. Still only the 2 Fall Fire sisters look to have breeding signs still haven't seen anything yet. I have them 2 sisters and 1 other Fall Fire hen in with my Red Sweetgrass Tom and 2 Red Sweetgrass hens to give me my Fall Fire and Red Sweetgrass poults for this year.

 

[KF0002]

Was finally able to get all nest boxes/houses cleaned/bedded and ready. I will put the fake eggs in within next few days one in each nest spot. Still only the 2 Fall Fire sisters look to have breeding signs still haven't seen anything yet. I have them 2 sisters and 1 other Fall Fire hen in with my Red Sweetgrass Tom and 2 Red Sweetgrass hens to give me my Fall Fire and Red Sweetgrass poults for this year.

Hopefully you start getting eggs soon! Spring is in the air definitely at my house too.

Do you find that your turkey hens all prefer to lay in nest boxes? Some of mine just lay in random places on the ground in the pens.

I look forward to seeing all the poult pictures once everyone gets to hatching in full swing. I have a small batch of eggs due on Sunday.

 

[Huntmaster]

I use large dog houses in all my breeding pens for nesting. They all use them keeps eggs clean and good dry out of weather for hen nesting. also keeps toms out of nests.

 

[Huntmaster]

a few breeding pen's

 

[Huntmaster]

Hopefully you start getting eggs soon! Spring is in the air definitely at my house too.

Do you find that your turkey hens all prefer to lay in nest boxes? Some of mine just lay in random places on the ground in the pens.

I look forward to seeing all the poult pictures once everyone gets to hatching in full swing. I have a small batch of eggs due on Sunday.

I don't see eggs here until mid-March, last year was the earliest I ever have gotten eggs and that was 1st week of March a week earlier than usal.

 

[KF0002]

I don't see eggs here until mid-March, last year was the earliest I ever have gotten eggs and that was 1st week of March a week earlier than usal.

My semi penciled palm and blue sweetgrass hens have been laying for a couple weeks now and are laying everyday to every other day. They aren't under any artificial lights or near any light sources. I set some of their eggs on Sunday. I have the semi penciled harvest gold (b1b1 Rr Pnpn) in with them so hoping for some nice poults from that pen. Some possibilities are tiger bronze and blue red phoenix to name a few. I can't wait!