North Carolina

[starlingdaly]

Hello, @dalovesroosters!
I too have a turkey housed with my chickens. I originally did it in hopes it would provide environmental vaccination against Marek's, since strain that is used to vaccinate chickens is Turkey Marek's. I have no idea if it works or not but I have seen the added benefit from my turkey of having less attention from aerial predators.
To protect against blackhead (just in case), I give her a couple of capsules of cayenne pepper each month. She eats them like candy. I have read cayenne kills blackhead nematodes so either we just don't have blackhead in the soil or it's doing it's job.

 

[bantambury]

Hello, @dalovesroosters !
I too have a turkey housed with my chickens. I originally did it in hopes it would provide environmental vaccination against Marek's, since strain that is used to vaccinate chickens is Turkey Marek's. I have no idea if it works or not but I have seen the added benefit from my turkey of having less attention from aerial predators.
To protect against blackhead (just in case), I give her a couple of capsules of cayenne pepper each month. She eats them like candy.

I have read cayenne kills blackhead nematodes so either we just don't have blackhead in the soil or it's doing it's job.

im curious star.....since I don't have turkeys whats blackhead?

 

[jtbass2756]

speaking about canoes, I just kayaked 3 miles yesterday! let just say my arms pretty much fell off! lol my shoulders hurt!

Never have kayaked but I love to canoe with my grands in Va

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

I do keep my turkeys with my chickens. In fact I brood
chicks with the poults. As long as no one gets too rowdy
or aggressive I will leave them together. I have not had any
issues with diseases or illness.

As for not sitting outside.....why not use a laptop and sit
out on the porch so you can enjoy the rising morning. Walmart
has some that are fairly cheap and quite usable.

 

[starlingdaly]

im curious star.....since I don't have turkeys whats blackhead?

Whoops, it's a protozoan?! I could've sworn it's a nematode.
Well regardless it's a parasite that attacks the liver and/or intestines of turkeys and will kill them if not treated early on,
Chicjens can get it too but it does not seem to harm them. But that's why they can be carriers and give it to turkeys.
But I've never had an issue with it, like others are saying, so we just must not have much of a problem in NC

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

I think between the cooler temps the last few days, the
noticeably shortened evening daylight and start of molting,
the girls have definitely slowed down on egg production. It's
okay as we have a bit of extra eggs right now so I'm thinking
I might go ahead and freeze some.

hope everyone has a good day

 

[dalovesroosters]

last spring my husband bought 2 turkeys from a coop, and at first they were great, but in a few months they went to walking, to stumbling, they could not walk without stepping onto their own feet and one just could not walk without falling, I had read that turkeys hatched for meat do not do well on their legs, so is this true or could it be something we did? I made sure their bedding wasn't slippery, used a bedding that was made for babies. It was all for nothing thou, after they went outdoors, something was big enough to tear down their pen and killed them both. I was so upset seeing my 2 girls like that, i swore death to anything that came back in my yard, of course I didn't do that, but ohh the heart break over losing those 2. I believe the next spring I will try again, but I want to find wild turkey eggs, hear they are the ones to raise, they are stronger in their legs. Thanks for the info, i feel more secure in trying them again.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

last spring my husband bought 2 turkeys from a coop, and at first they were great, but in a few months they went to walking, to stumbling, they could not walk without stepping onto their own feet and one just could not walk without falling, I had read that turkeys hatched for meat do not do well on their legs, so is this true or could it be something we did? I made sure their bedding wasn't slippery, used a bedding that was made for babies. It was all for nothing thou, after they went outdoors, something was big enough to tear down their pen and killed them both. I was so upset seeing my 2 girls like that, i swore death to anything that came back in my yard, of course I didn't do that, but ohh the heart break over losing those 2. I believe the next spring I will try again, but I want to find wild turkey eggs, hear they are the ones to raise, they are stronger in their legs. Thanks for the info, i feel more secure in trying them again.

Yes......meat variety in chickens and turkeys can have some heart and/or leg issues
because of their size but not all will. I raise heritage breeds and they do much better
but don't get as big meat wise. I am not completely sure but I think it is illegal to have
captive wild turkeys or their eggs. The heritage breeds of turkey will do just as well
as the wild ones as far as their legs holding up. Domestic breeds live better as captives
than wild breeds. Predator proofing is recommended for any poultry and the stronger
the better.

 

[starlingdaly]

last spring my husband bought 2 turkeys from a coop, and at first they were great, but in a few months they went to walking, to stumbling, they could not walk without stepping onto their own feet and one just could not walk without falling, I had read that turkeys hatched for meat do not do well on their legs, so is this true or could it be something we did? I made sure their bedding wasn't slippery, used a bedding that was made for babies. It was all for nothing thou, after they went outdoors, something was big enough to tear down their pen and killed them both. I was so upset seeing my 2 girls like that, i swore death to anything that came back in my yard, of course I didn't do that, but ohh the heart break over losing those 2.  I believe the next spring I will try again, but I want to find wild turkey eggs, hear they are the ones to raise, they are stronger in their legs. Thanks for the info, i feel more secure in trying them again.

I'm sorry to hear that happened to you :'(

I am actually wondering if my Bronze turkey hen I bought as a poult at the feed store three years ago is a broad breasted meat type or the heritage type. She is really heavy but does okay on her feet. She has been having trouble coming down from roosting lately and I have to coax her with food because she would probably stay up there all day (waist high off the ground)
I do not free feed but have been feeding more than usual because I'm not able to free range right now.

 

[rainbowchick]

I'm new to the group, but I've been lurking for about two years, and I am also friends with Country Chicken. Hoping to get some of her Silkies, but we will see how my moving in and her moving out timing works.....
I am predominately interested in Ameraucanas, though. More specifically Wheaten and Lavender. I noticed a few breeders selling hatching eggs from NC, VA, and GA (all decent options). But I'd really love to try to find someone local with chicks. I made contact with Robert last year, but he no longer does LF, and Beth is about 4 hours from me (I'm in the Triangle area). Anyone less than 2 hours from me?
I'd love to start my flock this year, but I'd like to hear what the rest of you think about timing. If I started hatching eggs in my incubator (thanks, country chicken!) on October 3, would my chicks (hatching end of Oct) get a good enough head start before the frost*? Or would it be better to get chicks? Or even better to wait till spring? *obviously I would keep my chicks in a brooder, I'm just wondering how young of juveniles can withstand freezing temps.