Bronze-Breasted Turkey ?

[mangled]

We have a bronze-breast hen that's just over a year old. She was given to me by a woman of freecycle and I've actually become quite attached to her.

She's quite large, and I'm noticing more and more that she's laying and panting on the warmer days, especially towards the end of the day. Is it possible to keep them long-term or will I have to process her eventually? She free-ranges with the chickens and eats the chicken feed I throw down. There's no way of stopping her unless I pen her, and I really hate to do that. I think the fact that she's free ranged and gets a lot of walking done every day is what keeps her mobile.

There have been a couple times she's been down through the day and I've separated her to withhold feed so she could be processed, but then she's been up and feisty again the next day.

While I do like her a lot, I'm not into seeing her suffer and my husband has no problem processing her for me, if need be. While we don't make a habit out of eating our chickens, she is a meat animal and will not go to waste.


Blessings-
Em

 

[MissTurkey4]

I have had the Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys as pets a few times. Some have lived to be 6 years old. Free range is great since it keep them slimmer with exercise. Give her a kiddy pool to wade in to keep her cool. If you can, reduce her feed some to control her weight. No corn or scratch that makes them fat.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I think the fact that when you lock her up and withold feed she gets better is a tell tale sign that she needs a diet. I have found that ACV in the water seems to keep my large birds cooler, also like some one said low flat pans of cool water to walk through.

 

[R.M. Hens]

Quote:
What is ACV? I feel for my birds in this Louisiana heat. Trying everything I can to get them some relief.

 

[Hoss1975]

R.M. Hens :

Quote:
What is ACV? I feel for my birds in this Louisiana heat. Trying everything I can to get them some relief.

It's apple cider vinegar.​

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

yes, Apple Cider Vinegar. I really am not one for "home cures" or for listening to a lot of hype that can't be backed up by more than "so and so said" But I have noticed that my birds do seem more comfortable in the heat when I put ACV in their water. Other than that shady bushes seem to be my birds favorite cool spot. I often run the hose on the lawn to let them walk in too.

 

[R.M. Hens]

Thanks for the suggestion. How much ACV should I put per gallon of water?

 

[crj]

I have standard/heritage bronze turkeys. It has been hot for them. I have several buckets around the yard that the hens will stand in. I will spray the hose for the tom. A nice mist he does enjoy and so do the hens.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

is the turkey in question a bronze - as in breed/color or a broad breasted bronze? broad breasted turkeys don't live long if free fed, or fed alot - they are like the cornish broiler meat birds - you have to pasture raise them so they don't pack on too much weight and eat themselves to death.

I say make sure your hen eats minimum amounts of 'bag feed' and let her pasture graze most of the time.

 

[mangled]

She is a broad-breasted bronze, essentially a meat turkey.

She's really slowing down and my husband is going to process her on his next weekend off. I'm kind of bummed about it, but she is a meat bird, so we have to do what we have to do.

Blessings-
Em