First Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon- Join us! Set Day: Easter

[debs_flock]

Here are my three with a couple of their tutors. You can see how red the two toms (in the front) are compared to the hen in the back:

I like how you trained them to line up, turkeys going one way, chickens the other. Maybe they were square dancing.............turkey trot..............virginia reel...........

And Linda the hoot....................I always imitate it as more of a "whut, whut".

Deb

 

[Arielle]

Snood?

I hardly notice the small snood on my 1 year old hens; the boys? HUGE, and hangs very low . . . .

I'll leave it at that!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Snood?

I hardly notice the small snood on my 1 year old hens; the boys? HUGE, and hangs very low . . . .

I'll leave it at that!

Yes, snood.

My dementia ridden brain wouldn't come up with that word. I thought it started with an S, but once I got there I was a goner.

Thanks!

(PS: Does it wobble to and fro? Can you tie it in a knot? Can you tie it in a bow)

(PSS: Can't remember snood, but I can remember stupid stuff like the above)

 

[NotAFarm]

........not much snood....just redhead and wattles..... bumpy neck.....and that big round dark eye that says "I know I'm ugly but you'll love me anyway!"

 

[Arielle]

We remember what we remember!!! ANd YES, it wobbles to and fro ! It get in thier water and it's prone to attack by his buddies. THey fough on and off thru the spring, now back to being buds. I do wonder if anyone cuts it to keep it shorter, so much more practical!

I hardly notice the ugly heads when I'm gazing into their eye! I love my boys--sold one as a pet--I just don't need 4 extra toms. Need to find a home for one more. I can't sent them to freezer camp!!

 

[Wisher1000]

Box him up and send him to me!!! I promise he will never go to freezer camp and I do so miss my two that died during the Cinco hatch along. I think I will try again in the fall........or is that a bad idea?

BTW - "can you throw 'em over your shoulder like a continential soldier?" finishes that up and it's called a "snoodlett!" (at least until it dangles in the water when he drinks.)

 

[Arielle]

I would love to send you one of my 30# toms!

Many people hatch chicks why not poults?

If you have a good grow out pen. I had chicks in the house all winter--NEVER again. NEVER.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I had chicks in the house all winter--NEVER again. NEVER.

I do Mahonri's New Years Hatch. The chicks usually get thrown outside into the flock around 5 weeks. They cope. I've never worried about them except this year when I had two showgirls and I wasn't sure how they were going to take the cold. I waited until about 7 weeks this time and they did great. I don't know what your situation is as far as an outdoor coop, but young chicks are much hardier than people think. In fact, two years ago I had a broody in the middle of winter who successfully hatched out 3 chicks and it was sub zero. They stayed in the coop, ran around a bit and then back under mom ... and the hardest part was getting them unfrozen water a few times a day.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

I had chicks in the house all winter--NEVER again. NEVER.

I do Mahonri's New Years Hatch. The chicks usually get thrown outside into the flock around 5 weeks. They cope. I've never worried about them except this year when I had two showgirls and I wasn't sure how they were going to take the cold. I waited until about 7 weeks this time and they did great. I don't know what your situation is as far as an outdoor coop, but young chicks are much hardier than people think. In fact, two years ago I had a broody in the middle of winter who successfully hatched out 3 chicks and it was sub zero. They stayed in the coop, ran around a bit and then back under mom ... and the hardest part was getting them unfrozen water a few times a day.

I want to do the New Years hatch too this year!! When you put them out at 5 weeks, did they have heat??

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I want to do the New Years hatch too this year!! When you put them out at 5 weeks, did they have heat??

Absolutely not. I don't coddle my chicks, they have to survive up here. I've raised chicks many, many times and I go by what works for me. They get heat while they're indoors (average temperature 60-65) for the first 2 weeks until they're mostly feathered. Then that's it for 24/7 heat. They'll get it at night for the next few days, as needed, then that's it. They don't really need heat after that. Now, before someone says I'm mean, I model this after what the chicken moms do up here and I don't lose chicks. By 5 weeks your chicks are large enough to go outside with the big girls and can manage in the cold. The first few days they're normally cowering in a corner but they do that regardless of the temperature.
I also feed 22% protein to the chicks so they feather quickly. My outdoor fully grown flock gets 18% protein.