Enquiring minds want to know!I'm nervous -- this'll be my first time hatching turkey eggs. I've got the incubator warming, WVstruttin!
And Mansfield's about 68 miles north of Columbus. Not like I've measured it, or anything
(Sorry, that was an injoke -- one of my best friends lives in C'bus, so yeah, I've made that drive SOOOO many times. In fact, it's her fault I'm in Ohio. And if I weren't in Ohio, I might never have gotten chickens. So in fact my chicken obsession...is ALL HER FAULT! YEAH! I can't wait to call and tell her!!!)
. I once went to a party ay Jayne Mansfield's daughters house does that count?
My husband and I processed our first birds a few weeks ago. I talked to lots of people and read a ton because I was really nervous about the whole thing. We brought them over to my uncles just down the street because he processes often and is already set up for it. He has a cable strung tight between a couple of trees (not very high) and has slip knots in regular intervals (like I said, processes a lot). We only did 1 at a time. Hung them upside down using the slip knot around the feet...they are very calm when upside down. Very clean incision through the artery in the neck and they bleed out very quickly (also leaves a very clean, clot-free carcass from what I've read). We had no mess at all (you could put a large bucket or basin under them to catch the blood). The boys never even flapped wings until the moment of death. It was much less traumatic and messy than I expected. The only thing I would do differently is use a velcro strap to bind their wings loosely to prevent any spatter (just in case).
I'm so happy to have found so many like-minded people (enablers) on this thread!Step 2: buy a second incubator.
You're there, too!
Step 3: Start stalking the paypal swap for MORE breeds!
Step 4: Build a few more pens.
Step 5: Sell both incubators to upgrade to a cabinet incubator!
(Don't LAUGH-you know you need one!)
Step 6: Wait-is the 12-step program to DISCOURAGE hatching? Forget it-I quit!
I've found turkey eggs to be a HUGE trial. keep the humidity up up up. the egg shell needs to soften or they cant get out( they recomend 80% for lockdown but i cant get it that high) . I tried to save my last turkeys who were internally pipped ( heard squeeking ) but I didnt do itEnquiring minds want to know!
And Mansfield's about 68 miles north of Columbus. Not like I've measured it, or anything
(Sorry, that was an injoke -- one of my best friends lives in C'bus, so yeah, I've made that drive SOOOO many times. In fact, it's her fault I'm in Ohio. And if I weren't in Ohio, I might never have gotten chickens. So in fact my chicken obsession...is ALL HER FAULT! YEAH! I can't wait to call and tell her!!!)
.
I found turkey eggs hard to hatch also and the poults can be really tough to keep alive the first few weeks (they starve themselves - even with chicks to show them how to eat).I've found turkey eggs to be a HUGE trial. keep the humidity up up up. the egg shell needs to soften or they cant get out( they recomend 80% for lockdown but i cant get it that high) . I tried to save my last turkeys who were internally pipped ( heard squeeking ) but I didnt do it
Luckily what I DID hatch out earlier was a pair, Stuffing is going to have to sit on her own eggs next year, hope shes a broody. Or will an buff orphington hatch turkeys? hrm...
