drunk turkey hen!

[TammyP]

Can you post a pic of her??

~Tammy

 

[monty 3]

Can you post a pic of her??

~Tammy

this is ozzy!

 

[TammyP]

Sweet! The angle isn't too good to make an acurate guess but I'll say that she is a broad breasted bronze turkey hen..... aaaaaaannnnndddddd.....that is why she is walking like she is. When they get so large and heavy, they start to walk like a woman who is carrying quads in her belly.....lol

Usually, the broad breasted are the ones raised commercially for the table....on the lines of how cornish X chickens are raised for butcher..... short and fast growth, usually 4-5 months.

If you don't plan to butcher her then I would watch her food intake....if she gets too large and heavy, she won't be able to walk anymore and you'll have to butcher her.

She's a beauty......I bet she is really a friendly one too, yes? I really liked my BBB's because they were the friendliest ones I had. They'd let me pet them and follow me around and were just sweethearts..... now my bourbon reds usually let me get close enough to throw feed down but when I go to touch them, they act like I have a disease or perhaps a cattle prod/shocker in my hand. lol.

I'd say the symptoms she is having is just due to the fact that she is 'overdone'....too heavy....watch her carefully. There is another poster on here who has the BBB's and keeps them around longer too......perhaps they will chime in and give you some advice on how to get her 'trim and fit' for a longer life?

~Tammy

 

[TammyP]

Oh, I just want to say that I don't think she is sick at all.....she's finally reached her 'market weight'..... nothing to worry about except watch her food intake if you want to keep her around longer.

~Tammy

 

[monty 3]

Oh, I just want to say that I don't think she is sick at all.....she's finally reached her 'market weight'..... nothing to worry about except watch her food intake if you want to keep her around longer.

~Tammy

oh my goodness tammy that's a relief, tid bits and treats to come to a stop then!!!! (a bit like my good self then really). she is certainly not as heavy as the two that reached the table at christmas but maybe she's little bit on the daintier boned side and therefore as you say, has met her max weight. poor ozzy, maybe just a tiny bit of feed in the eve and then grazing through the day. and yes you are totally right, i don't think i even had a dog as affectionate and sweet as this turkey, she follows me round and will even come into the back of the house with me although i draw the line at pulling up a chair for her! and you should see the state she works herself into when i leave the house, i can hear her shouting at me from quite a way down the road, sorry neighbours!!! thank you for the time you have taken to help me out

 

[Frosty]

Sounds like a combo... the sitting with wings spread sounds like she wants to breed, but I agree with TammyP that she looks like a Broad Breasted Bronze. Definately encourage her to graze during the day, the exercise and lower calorie food will help her. She'll always waddle, but shouldn't get too heavy to walk. You are past the rapid growth phase so now just maintain her weight. Treats are fine as long as it's things like grapes and watermelon, try to limit the corn. You just don't want her to sit by a feeder and gorge all day without moving around. I have a 2 year old Broad Breasted White and a one year old. She's past the point where I would worry too much, you did great starting her!

 

[monty 3]

Sounds like a combo... the sitting with wings spread sounds like she wants to breed, but I agree with TammyP that she looks like a Broad Breasted Bronze. Definately encourage her to graze during the day, the exercise and lower calorie food will help her. She'll always waddle, but shouldn't get too heavy to walk. You are past the rapid growth phase so now just maintain her weight. Treats are fine as long as it's things like grapes and watermelon, try to limit the corn. You just don't want her to sit by a feeder and gorge all day without moving around. I have a 2 year old Broad Breasted White and a one year old. She's past the point where I would worry too much, you did great starting her!

oh you are all so kind to help me here, altho the ducks, chickens and ozzy have separate compounds i let them all graze together, tho not the rabbits (that's a whole new kettle of fish hahaha) and also i feed them in a big trough in the morn, so maybe i keep ozzy separate with a little dish until the others have finished breakfast and then fetch it up outta the way. today she has made every effort to move about and this eve (uk)i sat about 2m away and called her to me and she lumbered over for a snuggle. so weightwatchers for ozzy! i have been feeding them all mixed corn, maybe a different breakfast for ozzy, any suggestions?? of course when i first had her assuming she was gunna be dinner she was on high cal feed for meat, but as i say she was always scrawny so when the others 'got it' she became a part of the family so maybe a different diet is in order. thank you for your advice guys, very much appreciated

 

[Frosty]

Maybe a flock raiser feed with some oats mixed in? A bit of corn probably won't hurt her if she is getting some exercise. Sounds like she might also be self limiting on her feed intake (maybe she knew what would happen if she got fat

) She sounds like such a sweetie... You could also get her a heritage type boyfriend.

 

[SillyChicken]

was going to say the same, looks like a bb and ready for mating.. does she purr or sound like she is straining to breath when she lays down? Mine is acting the same way.

 

[monty 3]

was going to say the same, looks like a bb and ready for mating.. does she purr or sound like she is straining to breath when she lays down? Mine is acting the same way.

i would'nt say straining, but she will do a bit of panting occasionally. she has certainly become more mobile in the last few days tho has stopped hanging out with the chickens when she IS on the move. am guessing she is just hormonal and it will pass, maybe when she starts to lay she'll get a bit like her old self!