Heritage & Exhibition Turkey Thread

[ashandvine]

Thank you Arielle. He sure does strutt and fan every possible moment! Should I 'check' fertility with these eggs by cracking them open or us put them in a bator?

 

[Feike]

Tried to post this on the wanted forum but was unable to.....still don't know why...
I am looking for bourbon red turkey hatching eggs....my hen has been feeling lonely without her tom that passed on this winter....
Please PM me...

 

[wasteaway]

Ha ha ha. My turkey is finally laying eggs! Two were found down in the hay! Now to find out how to make them hatch... and I never see the tom mating her.... so??

I think turkeys are shy........they aren't the exibisionist types. They like to do the naughty deed in private I guess. I hardly ever saw my tom doing his job but I hatched out a few poults last year. Hoping to do the same this year.

On a different note; Oneor two more seasons of breeding back and my Narragansett Tom is going down! While he is a good looking specimen, I figured out why he was for sale in the first place. Dispite what his previous owner told me, this guy is a jerk. A total back-stabber. You walk towards him, he struts away. You turn your back and he moves in. Its kind of funny and a game to me but the wife and kid are a bit afraid. Many of you here speak of you Toms as being nice boys. This guy is like a movie star; good looks and a s#!tty personality!

 

[capayvalleychick]

Hi, I've read this thread off and on for years. I don't have turkeys but would love to have a few, if I can figure out how best to manage them. Years ago, I had a couple RP females from the animal shelter. I loved them, how friendly they were and especially the wonderful sounds that they made. Unfortunately, one died when she got stuck in a 5 gal. bucket in the coop on a hot day.
Wild turkeys got in the habit of strolling through the yard each morning. The remaining female left with the wild boys and was never seen again.
So, I'm not sure whether having a coop & run or free ranging would be best. And how do I keep them from leaving the property with the wild flock? I rarely see them any more, but they were here every day when I had turkeys here.

How high of a fence would it take to contain a turkey?

How large of an enclosure would be needed to humanely house a breeding pair, long term?

I still have not decided on a variety. I have some interest in recreated Buffs. Is Jim Hall or anyone else still working on that project?

Other varieties that I've considered are Beltsville Whites or Slate. I'm still in the research stage.

Thanks!

 

[Arielle]

Thank you Arielle. He sure does strutt and fan every possible moment! Should I 'check' fertility with these eggs by cracking them open or us put them in a bator?

Ashes-- put those eggs in the bator!!!! You will know soon enough!!

 

[Arielle]

Hi, I've read this thread off and on for years. I don't have turkeys but would love to have a few, if I can figure out how best to manage them. Years ago, I had a couple RP females from the animal shelter. I loved them, how friendly they were and especially the wonderful sounds that they made. Unfortunately, one died when she got stuck in a 5 gal. bucket in the coop on a hot day.
Wild turkeys got in the habit of strolling through the yard each morning. The remaining female left with the wild boys and was never seen again.
So, I'm not sure whether having a coop & run or free ranging would be best. And how do I keep them from leaving the property with the wild flock? I rarely see them any more, but they were here every day when I had turkeys here.

How high of a fence would it take to contain a turkey?

How large of an enclosure would be needed to humanely house a breeding pair, long term?

I still have not decided on a variety. I have some interest in recreated Buffs. Is Jim Hall or anyone else still working on that project?

Other varieties that I've considered are Beltsville Whites or Slate. I'm still in the research stage.

Thanks!

SInce you are still researching , look up posts by sandspoultry, he has a numner of breeds and he often posts comparisons between them.

My turkeys are regularly visited by the wild birds, and my free ranging turkeys do not leave. Probably because they are happy here with friends and food and nice people. Mine love people. lol Perhaps your girl left because she was lonely.

I have a coop for my breeders, a 5 x 7.

 

[ashandvine]

I am about to set three eggs- one is just the prettiest, unassuming thing; cream with rose speckles. She has only laid these three in nearly a week so I have to start here with only the three. I can't find any information regarding humidity other than to have it be over 50%. I am freaking out a little. The chicken and turkey both need roughly the same temps. Could someone pm me about how to set both chicken and turkey in the same bator and make this work? I only have the one.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: My boys don't like to be petted = they definitely don't like to be touched. I can carry them with little fuss but then I hatched these turkeys and raised them by hand. Perhaps your boy is just a little shy as you did not raise him. When you directly confront him he moves to a distance he is comfortable with; when eyes are not on him, that distance is shortened and he will come closer. Has he ever actually done anything other than move closer?? MIne will peck at my hands sometimes-- I've often wondered what they wanted. NO biggie, I just move my hands to my pockets. I had a rooster, that made no bones about attacking, front, or back, direct contact with those spikes called spurs.. He is soup--

 

[wasteaway]

Oh no. He is a straight up a jerk. He pecks when you're not looking and occasionally gives you the spurs. I will take pleasure in cooking him some day. But like I said, he is a good looking bird and gets the job done.

 

[Celie]

Hi, I've read this thread off and on for years. I don't have turkeys but would love to have a few, if I can figure out how best to manage them. Years ago, I had a couple RP females from the animal shelter. I loved them, how friendly they were and especially the wonderful sounds that they made. Unfortunately, one died when she got stuck in a 5 gal. bucket in the coop on a hot day.
Wild turkeys got in the habit of strolling through the yard each morning. The remaining female left with the wild boys and was never seen again.
So, I'm not sure whether having a coop & run or free ranging would be best. And how do I keep them from leaving the property with the wild flock? I rarely see them any more, but they were here every day when I had turkeys here.

How high of a fence would it take to contain a turkey?

How large of an enclosure would be needed to humanely house a breeding pair, long term?

I still have not decided on a variety. I have some interest in recreated Buffs. Is Jim Hall or anyone else still working on that project?

Other varieties that I've considered are Beltsville Whites or Slate. I'm still in the research stage.

Thanks!

Young teenage type turkeys will fly onto rooftops and into very tall trees, but it might help to cut the feathers on one wing. I find turkeys do not do well in pens, they much prefer to be free ranged, but if fed well and contained for a few weeks, mine have never run away and I do not have all the property fenced in!

Oh no. He is a straight up a jerk. He pecks when you're not looking and occasionally gives you the spurs. I will take pleasure in cooking him some day. But like I said, he is a good looking bird and gets the job done.

I bet he will still taste great!