Perhaps I've Had Enough

[thaiturkey]

We've decided that the dead hen was the missing mother. I suggested that yesterday but I was wrong then! So, it may have been a pecking order attack rather than a mating fight. She has been setting for a couple of weeks and minding her own business so her appearance amidst the flock may have set the others off. I'm surprised because she was a feisty dame who would attack anyone who got near her poults earlier this year. Her eggs are now with her best mate who's setting elsewhere.

I feel a bit better about that. The pecking order fights I understand but the assumption that it was mating related violence really hacked me off - as you might have noticed.

I'm assured that the twenty chicken eggs will hatch in a cardboard box all by themselves! Well, it is warm here , I suppose. I hear some crazy stories here but they are often true! At least her indoors is talking to me again as a result of getting the eggs.

 

[thaiturkey]

Grammatical construction is so important!

When someone says to me, 'We have twenty chicken eggs' I take it to mean that we have twenty eggs from chickens. When it's literally translated from Thai it means that we have twenty chickens for laying eggs rather than for meat. The age of the chickens is not specified. So, instead of twenty eggs valiantly trying to hatch in a cardboard box, we have twenty golden yellow chicks cheeping away in a cardboard box. Gee, I hope they aren't as delicate as poults.

 

[thaiturkey]

It doesn't get any easier.

Two nights ago, after never having a problem with predators, a dog got onto our land and into a pen where there were twelve poults and two hens. Only the hens and one poult survived. We found five torn carcasses scattered around the land. It was nothing but killing for the sake of it. A customer was due to buy some of those poults in a few days' time and that just adds insult to injury.

Last evening, as I sat on the verandah with a friend, we saw a dog making straight for the now empty pen. Now I know which dog did the killing but I can't find where it got into the land. I couldn't even see evidence of how it got into the pen.

Needless to say, the sleeping arrangements for the remaining poultry have been changed. The turkeys now all go into the main pen and the poult has a nest there in the corner away from clumsy feet. The hens that started laying during the flood and had to make nests on the land seem to be OK. One is with her poults under a cane dome and the other has found a hidden place to take her poults at night. This hen seems very keen to keep her brood away from the others so we have left her to her own decisions. Our chickens are secure enough but the twenty one chicks will sleep in the store room for the time being.

I don't willingly harm animals but that dog won't be around for much longer if I can catch up with it.

 

[ivan3]

Sorry about your losses. Wish you the best in retiring the canine from the target pool.

 

[justbugged]

 

[thaiturkey]

Thanks folks.

 

[andycrosby]

so what happened in the end ? are you still keeping turkeys ? are you still in Thailand ?

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Thanks for asking. We sold all of the turkeys and chickens. We just couldn't keep out the soi dogs and there were two particular raids in which adults and, in one case, more than twenty poults, were killed. I regret doing it in some ways but two farang friends got good starts to their turkey farms in Korat and Buriram. Since they went, we have built and opened a restaurant and so there is no time for poultry now.

http://www.grumpyexpat.com/

One day we may start again and, learning the lessons, do it better.

I won't be leaving Thailand. Can't think of enough good reasons why I should!

You are in NE Thailand, I see. Where abouts?

 

[andycrosby]

We are in the Maha Sarakham Province about an hour below Khon Kaen, We have about 30 Turkeys at this time but by Christmas I hope to have 12 and that would be the perfect size for me. 2 males 10 girls sounds right. I injoy the quail more no problems and they make money.
I also run RIR x Leghorn as well great birds for the eggs. I want Silkies and indian runner ducks but can not find any
But apart from all that if your ever down this way pop in to see me always nice to meet new people.

 

[thaiturkey]

Hi Andy,

My step daughter was at uni. in Maha Sarakham. The other is in Khon Kaen uni. just now.

With the restaurant business so new, we don't get away much at the moment but will take time out as soon as the staff can be left alone. I'll let you know when we are next up your way. Likewise, when you pass by Korat or Pak Thong Chai, call in to see us.

Good luck with the birds. I have never seen silkies or Indian runners around here but will ask around. There might be some down the road from here in Wang Nam Keow. Those hills have some specialist farms and vineyards so it's possible.