BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[hellbender]

I well try... I am busy setting up the MicroHatchery... You would not belive how hard it is to find a used commerical incubators! commerical incubators are just not replaced often and get used for 30 years.

I have breeding flock coming in next month ( you don't want to know how much that cost me...) and I have to build them a new facility (it's gonna be 8 X 32 so that's not tooo much work), I have to try and locate a used commerical incubator (my search has been fruitless thus far).

But I well pop in

Good! We are still using a home-made incubator that my Pap bought (used) from a well known commercial hatchery. He bought it in 1959. That's getting your money's worth! It can be a little labor intensive but it 'works' and while we never get 100% hatches, we do get into the high 80s and low 90s%. It will handle 410 large eggs but we usually work with 350 or a bit fewer.

Good luck finding one. You might call around to the big hatcheries...you might get a bargain.

 

[hellbender]

The quote thingy is not cooperating today.....bah.
@Haida I love your enthusiasm! and it sounds like turkey's are a good fit for you~ I like to eat turkey as well but I'm not so sure about growing them as of yet....I will stick to my chicken plan for now. BUT, @Arielle I noticed you peddle your Sweetgrass eggs, lol, and scribbled you down in my big bad notebook of people/things/prices/sizes/measurements to remember
They seem to add another layer of management if kept along with chickens.

Taking your leave, are you?

M

No...It's absolute. No doubt about it. I'm just a bit obtuse for this forum and I know it.

 

[hellbender]

Thanks for the welcome. I see you type in bold print. Is that because you are the thread starter? I have not even seen turkens, except in pictures. We are getting rid of our last turkeys soon and I don't think I want to have anything around that reminds me of them. We have 8 lorps left and they are going too. We are going to start all over with a new breed when we get moved.

It's easier for me to say I got used to typing in bold print. Anyone can and I've noticed that quite a few folks do. If you like bold print...go for it.

 

[call ducks]

Quote: Yah I have one that can old 400 eggs, but that won't even hold a weeks worth of eggs! I need an incubator that can hold over 1500 if I want to have one setter and one hatcher for all three weeks, however this would exclude any heritage setting

 

[armorfirelady]

No...It's absolute. No doubt about it. I'm just a bit obtuse for this forum and I know it.

I am sorry to read that you are leaving. I have always enjoyed the knowledge you shared & your humor.

 

[Arielle]

I have a few turkeys too-- well, more than a few. lol. I've had BBW and now the heritage: bourbon reds, narrigansetts, auburns and sweetgrass. Love having a turkey dinner anytime I want, and not wait for THanksgiving. MEat wise I like duck and turkey better than chicken-- it is richer in flavor. My lines are gentle and no problems with attack as I hear from some people. I have kids to think of, my boys can just about carry a full grown tom. I have about 20 grown turkeys here.

The wild bronze frequently stop by-- a hen most recently walks thru the yard and flew into the front yard, and out again. A couple males come to harass my males in a pen out in the woods. We abutting hunting land, so the wild turkeys come with the teriitory literally. lol

. Curious, slower moving, not stupid as they find good roosts and can avoid the coyote , usually. TUrkeys are just different than chickens

Exactly! I want to be able to have turkey as much as I want--not just for thanksgiving!

Yeah, I've never had an aggressive tom either, so I've been wondering if its hereditary or if it's a how-they-were-raised thing... only time will tell, I think! The only thing my toms have gotten angry about was each other, lol. The turkeys don't even mind my dog and cats when they come into the pen with us, but they're pretty laid back, too.

I've only seen a wild turkey here once, but she flew off when she saw us. A few fields over, though, its a different story, I see them almost every morning.

Do you have a lot of hybrids running around, or do you keep the lines pure? Also, I think Auburns are so pretty!
I tried a few mixed breed just because, and for "hybrids" they don't grow that much faster than a purebred. I keep the BR pure and the Sweetgrass pure. But honestly my freezer doesn't care which they are. For simplicity one turkey breed is enough.

Turkey roast going in oven for dinner for tonight, and tomoorw night and the next!! lol

Quote: THe turkeys do add another layer, you are right. I don't have to worry about combs freezing, or be concerned about too cold a winter or if it is raining. All the pens and equpment need to be bigger than a chicken though. lol Same goes for the muscovy ducks. Cold rain is NOT a problem for the ducks.

Good to keep a notebook!!

 

[colburg]

Quote:
I well try... I am busy setting up the MicroHatchery... You would not belive how hard it is to find a used commerical incubators! commerical incubators are just not replaced often and get used for 30 years.

I have breeding flock coming in next month ( you don't want to know how much that cost me...) and I have to build them a new facility (it's gonna be 8 X 32 so that's not tooo much work), I have to try and locate a used commerical incubator (my search has been fruitless thus far).

But I well pop in

I just found a working 1,100 egg incubator in a town only 1 hour away. They want $600 for it. I'm trying to talk my wife into it, though I don't know why. That's just way too many for us to hatch at once.

 

[call ducks]

Quote:

I well try... I am busy setting up the MicroHatchery... You would not belive how hard it is to find a used commerical incubators! commerical incubators are just not replaced often and get used for 30 years.



I have breeding flock coming in next month ( you don't want to know how much that cost me...) and I have to build them a new facility (it's gonna be 8 X 32 so that's not tooo much work), I have to try and locate a used commerical incubator (my search has been fruitless thus far).



But I well pop in



I just found a working 1,100 egg incubator in a town only 1 hour away. They want $600 for it. I'm trying to talk my wife into it, though I don't know why. That's just way too many for us to hatch at once.

If it's a red wood incubator get it! I love mine, needs a lot of TLC but it looks good and would make a great conversation peace!

 

[colburg]

Here's the link. Looks like it needs a bit of TLC too, but if it works it may be worth it.

http://roswell.craigslist.org/grd/4448984550.html

 

[Turk Raphael]

Maybe I can get some help here. We are looking for information about Buckeyes but can't seem to get straight answers. I subscribed to the Buckeye thread and got two PM. One advised me to contact a well known breeder and gave me contact information. Before I had time to call them, I got another PM telling me that they had a pretty good idea who the other person was pushing me toward and that I should stay away from them because they had ugly, non-laying chickens even though they had gotten the stock from some other very well known breeder.

We are looking for chickens to eat and that will provide us with a relatively good amount of eggs. We first considered the dark cornish but figured the egg production might be lower than we wanted so the Buckeyes started looking pretty good.

Is there any place to get facts about a breed without the he said-she said?