Pictures of My Turkeys... for Frosty!

[LivinNewDreamInND]

Here are a few pictures of my turkeys that were given to me by BYC member Frosty back in August. The baby who was only a few days old is now almost as big as my hen.

This is Thomas. My Bourbon Red Tom who was named by my 4 yo.

Thomas with Pippin my White Holland poult:

Group shot of Thomas, Pippin and Whitey my WH hen:

Pippin who dashed into the tack room for a photo op: I think it is a hen what do you think? Her feathers are all dirty from roosting on the skid steer. I tried to catch her to give her a bath but she was determined not to let that happen

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[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Very nice!!!!!!!! yes Pippin is a hen.

Steve

 

[farmerlor]

Yep, that's a girlie alright and the best way to get a turkey to take a bath is to set up a lawn sprinkler. Mine have more fun in a lawn sprinkler than the kids do.

 

[LivinNewDreamInND]

I am glad that she is for sure a hen! I am ordering more poults and it is good to know that my tom/hen ratio is at least off to a good start. I have been reading all the post on how dumb turkeys are and how they die so easily. Mine are thriving, maybe it is because I baby them and they have an entire barn to themselves, but I think it was just good stock and a good start in life from someone who knew what she was doing. I don't think they are dumb at all. They are not human smart (duh), but they do seem to have good survival instincts and Thomas is very protective of Whitey and Pippin. (I can think of a few human males who aren't as smart as Thomas in this aspect

) If a predator ever got into my barn I know they would get the Black Star rooster long before they got the turkeys who roost 20 feet in the air on top of the garage door tracks!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
You are very correct, they aren't that dumb, nor hard to raise.

Everybody loves a turkey

Steve

 

[Frosty]

Pippin is growing very nicely! She looks like she's in great shape to withstand the winter

And I agree, definately looks like a 'she'! Poor Thomas would have that snood hanging if he had one...

I have not found turkeys to be hard to raise, nor have I found them to be dumb. I had one guy say that they will stare up at rain and drown. I told him that was an old wives tale, he insisted that he knows someone whose whole flock was lost that way. More likely the turkeys were too young to be out in the rain and died from chill. But people like him just perpetuate the story, and since it happened to somebody he knew, it's obviously true. So don't run the sprinkler, they might drown!

Or more likely you'll flood the yard because the ground is so wet or the water will spray up and come down as snow...

Thank you for posting the pics! They look terrific and are in great hands!

 

[LivinNewDreamInND]

Does Thomas look like he is getting to heavy? I do not regulate their feed, just fill the feeders and leave them out. He looks like he is getting bigger to me and I don't know if it is his feathers filling in for winter or if he is getting fat. I don't want him to be to heavy for breeding next spring.