Pet Turkey's?

[sjshaw1980]

I too have a pet turkey, his name is Cleetus. He was the only one out of 9 blue slate eBay eggs to hatch, and he's turned into a blue palm!!! He spent his first two weeks in a sock diaper in my shirt, and is now the sweetest outdoor bird we've got. When we are not outside, he watches over the hens, and has declared our two bantam silkies as his girlfriends. When we are outside he comes running and follows us everywhere. He will eat from your hand, nap in my lap, and let you pick him up for a cuddle anytime.
I think though, he, being his handsome self, has attracted the attention of our local wild turkeys. My husband saw a big old Tom walking down our street this morning. Probably looking for a mate or a fight. Any other turkey-holics have his problem?

 

[Attila the Hen]

No, I don't have this problem yet.... with wild turkeys. The dog will probably prevent it. What a sweet story. They are lovely animals. I am really enjoying their antics.

 

[mrbuch]

Here is my Turkey and her baby chickens she had laid 14 unfertile eggs and we watched her daily care for the eggs and when I watched her turn her eggs it broke my heart so I found week old baby chicks and gave them to her and she took care of them and did not lose any of them and she has just laided 11 more and I would do the same as a matter a fact her babies are 6 weeks old and she still lets them lay under her with her new eggs they dont all fit so the ones that dont fit lay on top of her and again we dont have fertile eggs so i will be looking for some more chicks in 3 weeks We love our girl her name is Turk

 

[Ilovemyturkey]

Omg she is a good mama, my house turkey named lurk! Is trying to hatch eggs also

 

[mrbuch]

Do you have Tom? We don't but I will be getting some more babies when our local feed store get some I am hoping they we be in by the time she needs them if not she will get some baby chicks

 

[dragonlady12]

My girl doesn't seem to want to be a mommy. She lays and bails. Hoping that she decides to brood. However, they have a pet chicken so, who knows. She may just want Phyllis as her baby. But then, I don't really think we've had warm enough weather yet, consistently.

My turkeys and my chickens were purchased at the same time and the same age so they were raised together and are funny together. One big feathered family. Poor Buttercup is just so big. I fear for him all the time. He tries to leave the coop and instead of going down the ramp (which he can do, I've watched him do it), he jumps. Then he lands funny on his leg and limps for a couple days and then goes and does it again. Sigh.

 

[Joy Beum]

Hi Dragonlady,

Maybe your turkey just isn't mature yet (nothing personal!). It may take her time observing others (maybe the chickens) to see what she's supposed to do. She may even be trained by Phyllis!

If Buttercup keeps getting hurt, maybe you could put up a wider ramp...maybe even with some side rails on it. Buttercup probably thinks it's not a far jump, but with all the inbreeding and gene manipulation that goes on to make them 'meatier', they probably lose some agility and can't absorb the impact so well. If an injury keeps occurring, a more serious injury may result.

Good luck with all your feathered friends!

 

[dragonlady12]

Hey guys, I am going to assume that my Buttercup is a "meat" bird. (And definitely a mama's boy..lol) I have been limiting him on his intake and trying to keep him healthy. He has big feet and is free-range on grass and dirt. I worry about his feet but after doing a lot of checking on his skin and a lot of reading a talking to folks, it seems that there isn't any bumblefoot which worried me. But he does have big feet. He still limps on his right leg. I have a feeling its from all his face plants out of the coop. Since the weather warmed up, he's been sleeping outside of the coop in the grass and loves it. He will not move. lol It's HIS spot. What are the lifespans of birds this big?

Anyway, what ways do you use to keep your feather butts cool? My husband put up a mister that the chickens love and hate, and they have a "swamp" area that has about a consistent inch or two of water they adore but Buttercup loves to be sprayed with the hose. lol He'll walk right into it as I am watering down the main pen area to cool it down and stand there and fluff his wings out to get the water under his wings and on his belly.

He has lost a lot of feathers on his belly from laying where he does, and his poor feet are big, like I said. I worried about how fat they looked and how pink his belly and legs/feet were until we started with the hose and his desire to walk into the water. Once he's cooled off, he isn't pink anymore. I'm thinking its the heat.

We can get up to 110 here in the summer and I know last year they loved the sprinklers in the backyard a lot. Anyone have any other ideas.

 

[Ilovemyturkey]

My bbw female gets injections of ichon which is the same as adequan.... It helps with her joints. She has crippled feet and is 34 lbs. ummmmm i know you can get from allivet.com with out a rx but im not shure the dosing

 

[Ilovemyturkey]

Lurk had her first birthday party!