First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[mountain mom]

Yay for Sunny!

My turkeys are great so far Holm! The BBB is serious about his strutting. I think it is a male. I have no clue. BUT, he chest bumps the other two around and pushes them with his wings. It is hilarious!
The other two haven't started just yet, but they are younger than the BBB.

 

[Morrigan]

I really want to get some turkeys. A question for the turkey folks here -- What sort of housing so they need? Can they go into the chicken coop? or do they prefer to roost outside. My husband is game to get some if it doesn't mean building another coop.

 

[holm25]

I really want to get some turkeys. A question for the turkey folks here -- What sort of housing so they need? Can they go into the chicken coop? or do they prefer to roost outside. My husband is game to get some if it doesn't mean building another coop.

They can go in with chickens as long as u don't have black head there. Ours would sleep on a power line in the cold MN winters. But an owl got them when we moved them to a covered pen.

 

[mountain mom]

Ralphie's usually roost outside I think too.
I would imagine in CA, on the coldest night, it is like a spring day in MN. So likely yours would roost outside most of the time.

Morrigan- Stop what you are doing, and GO GET TURKEYS! You will be in love.

I was able to sell my DH on turkeys with the ploy that he will not need to build another coop, and neither will I try my handy skills at making one for them either. Mine will either roost outside, or in the coop with the chickens.

Side note, I am making swings for my chickens. I think it is likely silly, but I saw it on pintrest or somewhere similar and I thought it was really cute.

 

[duluthralphie]

MM is right most of my turkeys roost outside, except for Ethel who goes in with the chickens. On the coldest of nights I had 2 inside and 7 outside. By coldest of nights I mean 40 below. Of the adult turkeys I lost one to an Eagle that took a chick and the Hen fought back, she got an infection in her neck and died a couple weeks later. I think I handed it wrong and it was my fault she died, I could have done something different to save her, I think.

 

[mountain mom]

Jessica- What do you do to break your broodies?
I have tried everything, and Sparrow is still broody. If I didn't think she would die, I would leave her. She weighs less than Clyde the silkie right now. I haven't seen her voluntarily leave the nest in almost a week.

 

[raisinemright]

They turned out great!! 4.5-5lbs Dressed

 

[Morrigan]

I think I'm sold on the turkey. They look like too much fun.

 

[raisinemright]

I think I'm sold on the turkey.  They look like too much fun.

We raise a few BBB turkeys every year. They are awesome to watch and listen to. Right now we have four 3-toms and 1-hen.
Last year we processed a Tom that after cleaning weighed in at 35.7lbs!!! He was huge but still very tasty!

 

[JessicaThistle]

Jessica- What do you do to break your broodies?
I have tried everything, and Sparrow is still broody. If I didn't think she would die, I would leave her. She weighs less than Clyde the silkie right now. I haven't seen her voluntarily leave the nest in almost a week.

I have a large wire dog crate that they go in until they quit cussing at me whenever I go by their cage. It's in the garage. The first night, I usually leave the light on all night. It usually takes about 3 days and then they say. I'm sorry. Please let me out. If I put them on the ground and they don't go running straight for the nesting boxes, they stay out. If I catch them trying to overnight in the boxes again, they go back in.