Illinois...

[Molpet]

Very cool! How old are these ones? When do they get the bald heads? What genders? Do they stay together as a group? Do they fly up into trees or stay with their chicken mama? What's the age when you process them?

My new turkey trio are not as friendly as the pair I gave @chickendreams24 . These new ones run from me instead of to me. I'm sure it's because the broody hen has been caring for them so they don't "need" me like the other ones. Of course they don't stay as close to their mama as their chicken siblings, so I must encourage them to run back to their mama and then follow her to the coop.

These are the oldest 10 wks I think.
The males get bald heads by six months. Should be starting at four months. Hopefully sooner so I can tell sexes... Although the dominant Tom is putting a wing around a brown and a white... so he thinks they are jennies .. I figured he should know . and they have finer bones

They tend to stay together and the next oldest two are hanging with them alot, but still sleep with their two chicken hatchmates. Chicken Mamas have dumped the three hatches. The poults sleep together in different coops. The last two years I had two coops with turkeys, by fall they ended up in one coop
They always need training to not roost in the trees. The mama of these poults was not helping... I throw treats in the coop at bedtime and she was wanting them all... She just went broody again and two of them beat me to the coop now .. how ever one has to be knocked out of the trees still.
Hopefully a couple jakes will be ready to process by Thanksgiving... The first year the nari were not ready... But they had been fed chicken grower.. last year I fed turkey and they would have been ready, but I had the nari to process and I wasn't sure which one of the jakes to keep.... Not sure if the variety made a difference, but I think it was the feed

Turkey mama and four poults are confined because she keeps attacking anything that gets close...she had a fledgling robin that I saved a few days ago. Need to either not let her brood next year or make a different coop run for her.

Since these are broody raised they are not cuddly ... I try to not play with my food... learned that with the BBB... I had to have some one else ' do the deed'

 

[BReeder!]

Turkeys are definitely cool. I am jealous. I want turkeys. I want pygmy goats too. I don't think I could get away with either here in Plainfield though unless I move to agricultural land. Sure does get me something though. I just might do some digging again into what is allowed. At least with chickens there's an ordinance that clearly allows them, with stipulations of course.

 

[Faraday40]

I'm also in a neighborhood and have been thinking about turkeys for a few years... then common sense hits, & I decided against it. This year I had an opportunity to hatch some turkey eggs as well as homes for the turkeys to go if/when we're done with them. I wanted to learn about the diff challenges of hatching poults & had nothing to lose. I'm guessing my turkeys will stay until they get too loud, fly to the neighbors, or other deciding factor. For now they're fine.

So far, I love they way they look. Such interesting feathers! My 1st 2 were very affectionate & needy. My family didn't care for them much because they'd "cry" loudly every time we passed by their tractor. (It turned out that it was all for show when we passed by - they were quiet when they didn't see us.) They were my "special" babies & just needed some loving - because their world would come to an end if they didn't get immediate & constant cuddling. The ride up to their new home was interesting because they panicked in the box. Most of the time chicks settle down after a few minutes, Not turkeys! I had to drive on the expressway for 90 min with poults in my lap (or my ears would bleed from their troubled cries). Their crying noises is the thing I dislike most. Every time they get separated or scared, they cry out & run in circles rather than try to find the safety of their chicken mom. I've also found them INSIDE the feeder TWICE. Why did they think to climb inside & how'd they do it? They only have to walk from the coop to the tractor & back each day. They even have a mama hen to follow, but still I must escort them or something will happen - like getting stuck inside a feeder! My current poults are only 3.5 weeks. They are not as cuddly as my 1st ones. We'll see what happens when mama hen leaves them.

As far as hatching, the extra incubation time wasn't a big deal. However, both times they hatched in 26 - not 28 days. During my 1st hatch I learned that the humidity must be MUCH higher at hatching for turkeys than for chickens. 100% developed, but only 2 escaped their shells. The 2nd time, I let my broody do all the work. Again 100% developed. A week before the hatch, one egg went missing. No idea what happened. All 3 remaining eggs hatched & all 3 are still alive - although they keep trying to invent new ways to kill themselves.

So that pretty much sums up my turkey experience so far. Goats are cool, but never could I keep them here. If I ever get my 3-5 acres, I'd research it. We have quail (for now) and would like to get rabbits at some point in the future.

 

[Molpet]

I had to drive on the expressway for 90 min with poults in my lap (or my ears would bleed from their troubled cries).

I had to confine the hen turkey and her 4 poults (same age as your current ones)..
1. the poults would not listen to her and kept zipping through the fence dividing the poultry yards
2. she keeps attacking other birds she thinks is a threat... killed a week old chick, attacked a broody w/a 3 day old chick and a fledgling robin.

on the turkey thread they said this amount of violence is not normal and they get rid of hens like this... so she will not brood again, in the chicken coop/run anyway

 

[BReeder!]

I'm also in a neighborhood and have been thinking about turkeys for a few years... then common sense hits, & I decided against it. This year I had an opportunity to hatch some turkey eggs as well as homes for the turkeys to go if/when we're done with them. I wanted to learn about the diff challenges of hatching poults & had nothing to lose. I'm guessing my turkeys will stay until they get too loud, fly to the neighbors, or other deciding factor. For now they're fine.

So far, I love they way they look. Such interesting feathers! My 1st 2 were very affectionate & needy. My family didn't care for them much because they'd "cry" loudly every time we passed by their tractor. (It turned out that it was all for show when we passed by - they were quiet when they didn't see us.) They were my "special" babies & just needed some loving - because their world would come to an end if they didn't get immediate & constant cuddling. The ride up to their new home was interesting because they panicked in the box. Most of the time chicks settle down after a few minutes, Not turkeys! I had to drive on the expressway for 90 min with poults in my lap (or my ears would bleed from their troubled cries). Their crying noises is the thing I dislike most. Every time they get separated or scared, they cry out & run in circles rather than try to find the safety of their chicken mom. I've also found them INSIDE the feeder TWICE. Why did they think to climb inside & how'd they do it? They only have to walk from the coop to the tractor & back each day. They even have a mama hen to follow, but still I must escort them or something will happen - like getting stuck inside a feeder! My current poults are only 3.5 weeks. They are not as cuddly as my 1st ones. We'll see what happens when mama hen leaves them.

As far as hatching, the extra incubation time wasn't a big deal. However, both times they hatched in 26 - not 28 days. During my 1st hatch I learned that the humidity must be MUCH higher at hatching for turkeys than for chickens. 100% developed, but only 2 escaped their shells. The 2nd time, I let my broody do all the work. Again 100% developed. A week before the hatch, one egg went missing. No idea what happened. All 3 remaining eggs hatched & all 3 are still alive - although they keep trying to invent new ways to kill themselves.

So that pretty much sums up my turkey experience so far. Goats are cool, but never could I keep them here. If I ever get my 3-5 acres, I'd research it. We have quail (for now) and would like to get rabbits at some point in the future.

On the goats, I have seen video of pygmy goats kept in city backyards, and at the zoo they keep 10+ pygmy goats in an area about the size of my vegetable garden - roughly 30'x30'. I really question how much room a few goats need to be comfortable. I also wonder how much damage they would do to a lawn. I've heard they only eat a certain portion of the grass, not down to the roots unless there's no other adequate source of food.
Rabbits do sound cool. B3, the little guy in my profile picture, would love them. I would want to raise/breed them as a home grown food source, but not certain my wife would allow me to slaughter rabbits. She has the habit of getting attached too much - cried for days about our old pet rabbit passing away actually.

 

[Faraday40]

On the goats, I have seen video of pygmy goats kept in city backyards, and at the zoo they keep 10+ pygmy goats in an area about the size of my vegetable garden - roughly 30'x30'. I really question how much room a few goats need to be comfortable. I also wonder how much damage they would do to a lawn. I've heard they only eat a certain portion of the grass, not down to the roots unless there's no other adequate source of food.
Rabbits do sound cool. B3, the little guy in my profile picture, would love them. I would want to raise/breed them as a home grown food source, but not certain my wife would allow me to slaughter rabbits. She has the habit of getting attached too much - cried for days about our old pet rabbit passing away actually.

I met someone in the city of Chicago with 3 dairy goats & about 20 chickens - including 2 roos. Their urban homestead was only 50'x40'. They had an interesting vertical pallet garden & several dwarf fruit trees in pots. It's amazing how creative they were to do all of that on such little land. Of course the city has favorable laws toward such things. They only have a noise ordinance, so in some neighborhoods roosters crowing can be common.

 

[BReeder!]

We got our first egg!

It is so exciting.
I really am not 100% which hen laid it yet. Whichever hen it was, she laid it in the run on the straw. I honestly did not expect an egg yet. All 5 of the hens in the coop/run are 16 or 17 weeks old. Later this week I will have time to get the nest boxes in order. I think I am going to pick up some fake eggs to place inthe boxes too.
The egg is elongated. I read somewhere that the firsteggs are sometimes odd because the hen's egg production tract is still getting in order. Anybody have input on that?

 

[BReeder!]

After just a bit of searching google this egg is certainly not from the Speckled Sussex, which should be much whiter. So that leaves the Cuckoo Marans, Gold Laced Wyandotte, or one of the Light Brahmas. I thought I saw a Brahma squatting the other dsy and again once today right after I found this egg. The spots on the egg make me think it coukd be the Cuckoo Marans. However, I did not think that the Brahmas or Marans would lay this early. So maybe the Wyandotte? So hard to tell. I really hope it is not the Marans though because I was hoping for much darker egg color from her.

 

[Faraday40]

We got our first egg!

It is so exciting.
I really am not 100% which hen laid it yet. Whichever hen it was, she laid it in the run on the straw. I honestly did not expect an egg yet. All 5 of the hens in the coop/run are 16 or 17 weeks old. Later this week I will have time to get the nest boxes in order. I think I am going to pick up some fake eggs to place inthe boxes too.
The egg is elongated. I read somewhere that the firsteggs are sometimes odd because the hen's egg production tract is still getting in order. Anybody have input on that?

That's so egg-citing. (Collecting eggs is always fun & never gets old.) Very soon I expect to see pics of your son coming from the coop carrying an egg basket. Now you get to begin playing who laid which egg. I still label each egg with the hen & date laid. The neighbors all love it & make sure to personally thank the girls by name. DS can sometimes be picky & only want to eat eggs from HIS hens. He'll sort through our egg stash to select his breakfast. I prefer the darkest yolks, so I like the better foragers' eggs.

As far as the egg shape.... Yes, pullet eggs can be very unusual. Sometimes small, uneven, narrow, and even huge double yolkers. You may even see blood streaks. Ouch! - but not something you should worry about. Make sure you have some calcium available somewhere in the coop. Golf balls work well as fake eggs - plus they won't get mistaken as real eggs. I found some fancy decorative marble eggs at a Goodwill store. They were far cheaper than the fake ones at Farm N Fleet, but I like to tell people it's because my flock deserves only the best.

 

[Faraday40]

After just a bit of searching google this egg is certainly not from the Speckled Sussex, which should be much whiter. So that leaves the Cuckoo Marans, Gold Laced Wyandotte, or one of the Light Brahmas. I thought I saw a Brahma squatting the other dsy and again once today right after I found this egg. The spots on the egg make me think it coukd be the Cuckoo Marans. However, I did not think that the Brahmas or Marans would lay this early. So maybe the Wyandotte? So hard to tell. I really hope it is not the Marans though because I was hoping for much darker egg color from her.

SS eggs are light brown to tan.
Chizzy's 1st egg (sorry the real color doesn't show much)

A hen's eggs start out dark & fade as the months pass. It's like their stamper runs out of ink, but gets refreshed again when they start laying again the next spring. Your marans eggs would be very dark, so likely not her. The Brahmas are a very large breed & should mature very slowly - like the orps. Unless her comb is red, I doubt it's the brahma. Probably the GLW or SS. My guess would be the GLW.

* Take a good look at comb color & size. Pink = not ready Red = laying
* Check out the vent. A layer will have a wider moist look, but a non-layer will look small & tight.
* Squatting when you reach down to pick her up & finding the chicken exploring the nest boxes are 2 behavioral signs that she's getting ready to lay.

Listen for the "egg song" (They do this after laying an egg - or sometimes before. I have one silly hen that uses the egg song to let everyone know what she's about to do. LOL