Heritage & Exhibition Turkey Thread

[Arielle]

I felt this was worth posting. From the Mass wildlife page above. As more and more folks are new to birds and turkeys I think this is worth understanding turkey behavior as it relates to us humans as caretakers and rearers. Totally explains why my birds follow me around when freeranging.

Turkey poults are "precocial", like grouse chicks and ducklings. That is, their eyes are open, they have a warm downy plumage, and they are capable of responding to the hen and following her about within about 1 day after hatching. Immediately after hatching, the poults undergo a very rapid form of learning and social development called "imprinting" which fixates them on the hen, so they respond to her and her calls. Imprinting must occur with 24 hours post-hatching and is irreversible. This learning is essential for survival and normal social development. However, turkeys are not born with a mental image of their kind. They can and will imprint on the first animal that provides parental care, including chickens or humans. In those cases, the imprinted young will behave "normally" but will direct their behaviors to the foster parent.

 

[elizmartin]

I felt this was worth posting. From the Mass wildlife page above. As more and more folks are new to birds and turkeys I think this is worth understanding turkey behavior as it relates to us humans as caretakers and rearers. Totally explains why my birds follow me around when freeranging.

Turkey poults are "precocial", like grouse chicks and ducklings. That is, their eyes are open, they have a warm downy plumage, and they are capable of responding to the hen and following her about within about 1 day after hatching. Immediately after hatching, the poults undergo a very rapid form of learning and social development called "imprinting" which fixates them on the hen, so they respond to her and her calls. Imprinting must occur with 24 hours post-hatching and is irreversible. This learning is essential for survival and normal social development. However, turkeys are not born with a mental image of their kind. They can and will imprint on the first animal that provides parental care, including chickens or humans. In those cases, the imprinted young will behave "normally" but will direct their behaviors to the foster parent.

I have had several sets of poults and let the hen raise & protect them....Love their sounds....someone asked about egg color.....the ones from my white midget are off- white with speckles twice the size of a XL chicken egg. they have a spot under some salal by a shed they keep coming back to .....cracks me up.....has eggs right now....the coldest wetest time of the year.....Mine free range but not far.....when not sitting on eggs the girls like the coop roof amongst the cedar branches....The tom, on the ground by the tree with a youngster or two on him....all can fly over or walk thru the fences but the Tom has never figured it out..VBG

I am not on facebook, so does anyone know how to get ahold of that person???? Much appreciate ! eliz

 

[Arielle]

I'm not on facebook either.

I'm looking for more information about this company--

http://www.valleyofthemoonturkeys.com/contact.html

send me a pm

 

[wasteaway]

This is our bantam part silkie Hen that I named Felix after she survived a fox attack by outrunning it until I could intervene. She is broody as heck and hatched 6 of 6 turkey eggs for us this fall. Previously this year she hatched 2 broods of layers and 2 broods of bantams. The ol' girl is worth her weight in gold. If I were a golfer I would let her stay sitting on those Titleists!

Sorry. Crappy cell phone picture.......

 

[Arielle]

I guess I never really gave it a thought--hens hatching poults. Do you let her raise them too??

 

[aguilera]

Thats pretty cool! and good to know. I'm going to have to let my hens hatch and rais turkeys too. Did any of them get sick or die while she was caring for them?

 

[elizmartin]

For anyone looking for smaller colored turkeys about the size of the Midget White, a friend in Washington had 2 from a person in Texas who has been working with them for several years. They are a smaller version of the Blackwing Bronze. they are kinda pricy and as with most chicks (poults) they need to be sent with a minimum number> He may do eggs for those who are good at that. For more information His email address is....

[email protected]

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

For anyone looking for smaller colored turkeys about the size of the Midget White, a friend in Washington had 2 from a person in Texas who has been working with them for several years. They are a smaller version of the Blackwing Bronze. they are kinda pricy and as with most chicks (poults) they need to be sent with a minimum number> He may do eggs for those who are good at that. For more information His email address is....

[email protected]

Bantam turkey? That is a neat idea!Invite them to join us here and post some photos!

Meanwhile, here are some photos of our Narragansett turkeys! PM me about presale egg orders.

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[HallFamilyFarm]

Here are a few Midget Whites, owned by Lucky Pickens of Danville, Arkansas.

Took these a few months back while on a short business trip.

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[Arielle]

JIm-- love the name Cassanova-- so fits a male bird ! lol Our main tom is Thomas Edison, in an effort to introduce my youngs kids to notable figures in history. THe hen was Madame Curie.

Love the narrigansetts, for nostalgic reasons more than anything. I live near Narragasett Bay, just over the RI?MA border. I have 2 toms and am praying DH has banded a displaying hen so hoping one is a hen and one a tom.

What is that kind of wire fencing?? That is a new one for me.