New to Turkeys and just ordered 20

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Turkey poults are fragile for the first week or two, than after that they become more hardy and active. That's when I would move them. You will learn on the fly what works best for you and how you want to manage them. It will be lots of fun.

 

[Hardemans]

Old Hen,

What type of turkeys do you raise?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Old Hen,

What type of turkeys do you raise?

I have a mix of varieties, they are all heritage. I currently have 15, 10 hens and 5 toms, 3 mature and two younger ones who may not stick around.

 

[jopheso]

Quote:
Hey hen, Do the girls only get broody in the spring? Since I have only raised coturnix quail so far I have no experience with broodiness. Just wondering what I should look for when the time comes. Also do they need net boxes? I know chickens do, but quail dont. I thought Turkeys do, but I wasnt sure.

 

[feedman77]

All my hens have a broody contagion right now.

With the exception of a couple all of my hens go broody at least once in the spring if not twice.

What I use for nest boxes is big dog houses. Mine prefer the big igloo type but I only have two of those. The rest are the pet mate large dog houses.

But I have too keep my girls locked up or they will find a secretive place to nest and if I don't find them they become predators lunch.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine go broody on and off until fall. They nest in a doghouse, on the ground in tall grass and even in the corners in the shed, once they pick a spot they want only that spot. They don't seem too picky where it is. They do get feisty when broody, so I carry a stick to push them off the nest and roll the eggs away. I get too many eggs and I don't want too many turkeys because then some would need butchering. I have set 8 blue slate eggs from Porter under my bantam hens, so I will have too many.