Dusting

[Turkeyrangler]

Okay, my poults are 11 days old. I had them on paper toils until day 8 with pine shavings underneath. I took the toils out 2 days ago. Tonight sitting at my computer I hear a huge ruckus in the brooder. A huge Rubbermaid tote I use as a brooder. All the poults discovered how to dust bathe tonight everybody is having a great time in the shavings, flopped down, fluffed up and spazing in the pine shavings. For just a second I though everyone was dying, then I remembered watching wild bird dusting close to my turkey blind when I hunt. They have completely enjoyed themselves and I'm pretty happy that they are content enough to do this. VERY, VERY COOL. Raising turkeys seems to be kinda addicting..lol.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Yes it is, turkeys are something else.

Steve

 

[Turkeyrangler]

I had no idea that when friend bought me 6 turkey eggs a little over a month ago that it would be a lifestyle changing event. My wife has always had an issue with raising poultry..RATS was her reply every time I brought it up. After hatching these poults she is all in on the entire idea of keeping some fowl. It helps that one comes right to her in the brooder and is more than happy to snuggle with her. We are screwed....lol.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

When they look at you with those big eyes it's usually all over.

Steve

 

[the simple life]

I am really loving the poults I have now.
Now that they are older I have been letting them out to run around the yard while I am working out there and they follow me everywhere I go.
Its funny to watch 16 turkeys following me all over the place or the ones who aren't paying attention and look up and realize they are left behind and start running to catch up.

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Quote:
Yeah. she is all about the big eyes, the putting, calling for her when she is out of sight, and I have a 6 year old Chinese Sharpei who wants to get in the brooder and hang with the poults. He is hell on wheels with strangers, but he is a huge baby for anything smaller than him. He is and will be a great guard dog for these poults. The other night I forgot to close the spare bedroom door where I keep the poults. In the morning when I got up I saw the door open and expected the worst since he is a large sharpei and can easily get into the brooder. Instead I find him laying next to the brooder sleeping and not very happy that I disturbed him. I even got a little growl when I got close. The poults have nothing to fear with big boy watching over them.

 

[Turkeyrangler]

A couple more things. Tonight they discovered grit and scratching. I put some fine grit in a jar lid last night which soon filled with pine shavings. Tonight one of them uncovered it and it was like "DUDE, CHECK THIS STUFF OUT!!" and when it got lost in the shavings,everyone had to start scratching to get to the grit. and we have the usual purring and putting going on in there. I finally figured out the they used a lot of turkey sounds in Jurassic Park as some of the audio effects. Same sounds that these little guys make. Again, VERY, VERY COOL. We are hooked.

 

[OmaBird]

Quote:
I make a whistle sound like a turkey call to mine at a young age. This seems to train them to come to me when they get older. It is so funny when my get across my yard and I call them. I have 5 acres for them but I don't like them going near my far fence line. If I see them wondering to far, I can call and they all come running. Some get into the air to b line it to me. My young ones already come to my call. I have been leaving them outside durring the day. At night I call them and they will come to me so I can put them all to bed.

 

[thaiturkey]

Turkeyrangler, it's great to read about someone else going through the same as us. Turkeys are amazing creatures and ours teach us something every day. We have to remind ourselves from time to time that we should be in control, not them!

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Quote:
We have a menagerie of sorts here. Our Pot Bellied Pig has lived in the house for 13 years. Much more well behaved than the dogs BTW. I learned long ago, I've never been in charge...