NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
Chicken fill their crop before bed and poop all night. If they "roost" in the nest box they poop in the nest box, yeilding soiled eggs and poopy feet and butts on the chickens who choose to lay eggs in the box the next day. Since many people don't wash their eggs, soiled eggs is not a desireable thing, in their minds.

Oh ok well I wash my eggs, but I understand most don't. Thanks for the info, I'm still learning after two years.



You never stop learning, unless your dead.

Just when I think I got it figured out someone changes things and I gotta start all over.

"I'm to old for this crap" has become my new mantra.

Rancher

 

[silvercat76]

Quote:
Oh ok well I wash my eggs, but I understand most don't. Thanks for the info, I'm still learning after two years.



You never stop learning, unless your dead.

Just when I think I got it figured out someone changes things and I gotta start all over.

"I'm to old for this crap" has become my new mantra.

Rancher

Your 100% right we never stop learning no matter what it is!

 

[In His Service]

Quote:

My only misplaced egg was laid underneath the nests by one of the Faverolles - otherwise, they've behaved themselves.

Happy belated Thanksgiving, everyone! Rancher, I'm pulling for those babies of yours to make it.

So, my fine featherless BYC friends, has anyone here ever raised turkeys? Our bird for our post-Thanksgiving dinner (we like leftovers, and don't get any from the inlaws' house, so we make our own dinner) was raised on a farm one road over from us, and is beautiful. It was considerably more expensive than a Butterball, but well worth it. Of course, being the way I am, I'm now giving serious thought to raising my own next year. I'd like a heritage breed, as I'm not interested in raising birds with an expiration date.

I'd also like to go with breeder stock from someplace such as this:
http://www.porterturkeys.com/ They're all just gorgeous.

I can just hear my mom now. "Turkeys? You'd better keep those things locked up when I come over!" She hates them - her grandfather had a huge tom that used to chase her every chance he got.

My DH couldn't resist and bought 2 turkey poults at Agway after I told the kids "it's too late, they won't have any chicks, besides we don't need any more...no room" It was our first time with turkeys. They were very sweet, but broad-breasted, so had to go at Thanksgiving. They dressed out at 19.5 and 27 pounds. I might like to get some heritage birds next year so they are sustainable, but time will tell what we have room for.

 

[rancher hicks]

Lord have mercy , DW would have a stroke if I got turkeys too. Plus I don't think I can dress it out. Would it fit in the oven at 27 pounds? Good garden o' peas!

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Yes, it'll fit. I've done 25 pound birds in my oven, rack on most bottom level and no top on roaster pan, just foil over it. But it fit and was yummy. Took FOREVER to cook tho.

 

[Henicillin]

The one we bought was about 15 pounds dressed out. It tasted fabulous.

Our neighbor is processing the rest of the flock for Christmas, so I'll probably end up buying another one from him.

That breeder I linked sells poults for ten bucks each, with a minimum order of 18. Meyer, my hatchery of choice, sells its heritage-breed poults for slightly over nine bucks each, with a minimum order of 15. That really isn't that much of a difference. If I go for it, I think I'll spring for the breeder birds. I have plenty of room for eighteen of them, and I could always unload extras on Craigslist.

Edited to add that I apparently can't read - the breeder has a 15-poult minimum as well. Hmm... *off to read up on turkey husbandry*

 

[In His Service]

The 27 pounder will not fit in my oven...I only have a small 20" apartment-sized stove

. The 19.5 pounder was delicious, though. The big one is in the freezer. I will tackle it another time.

 

[happycountryhens]

Good morning fellow New Yorkers! All this talk of turkey is making me hungry, so it's off to the coop to check for some eggs. Had 10 yesterday!

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

10 eggs? Lordy, I wish. I am only getting one egg and it seemed pretty thinshelled. My girls are hardcore molting and there are more feathers than pinechips in the coop. Looks like a massacre took place in there! Any suggestions to beef up their diet for thicker shells and feather growth? I have been giving them boss and yogurt. They freerange almost every day for a couple hours.

On another note, I have a silke roo that must go. While Mumbles can be very sweet, he can be sneaky and mean as well. I would like to find him a home instead of doing the deed but will do the deed if I have to. He does not fit in with my breeding program and I do not want to pass on his traits. Let me know if you want a pet. He is pretty quiet for a roo. Only crows in the am and if he sees you and wants attention. He is black.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
I would be interested in buying one for Christmas!! Does he/she sell to others?

AND, anybody who raised turkeys and chickens have a problem with blackhead? Do you run turkeys and chickens together?