The hubby and I rescued 9 turkeys from our neighbors. They're an older couple and the old man has had several surgeries over the last year. The lady hasn't been able to care for them as well as needed and no one would buy them because of the abysmal conditions they were in. I didn't see it but my husband said they were separated 3 or 4 to a 6x9 pens with no shavings or roost and a tin roof over them so they never saw sunlight. Poor critters were living in their own poo. They all ate laying mash in the spring/summer and then only scratch grains in the winter. Last summer, most of the few turkeys brooded died with splayed legs.
We sectioned off about 1200sq feet of 4 foot field fenced yard with an old shed we converted to a coop. There's also a bushy tree/weed thing with plenty of shoots and a large canopy to get under. I doubt they'll use the coop much. They foraged and preened all day. Only a few squabbles between the toms but 2 of the 3 doesn't seem too interested in the alpha roll. After only a few hours it seemed their colors had improved. We think they approve of their new surroundings but since we got them they haven't gobbled. We heard them gobble all the time when at the neighbors'.
I have no idea the age of these turkeys. There were 3 toms and 6 hens. I think they're all BB. 2 toms and one hen is white and the rest are bronze. I don't plan on separating them as long as they get along so I'm guessing we'll have some colorful mutts. One hen was sick and despite seeming to respond well to her new environment, she died last night.
My plan is to fatten them up over the winter and get them healthy for the spring to breed so that I can replace the flock ASAP but I'm not sure if I should even eat these birds. They may end up dogfood. I want my main flock to be no more than 12, 10 hens and 2 toms, and the rest will be tractored for meat.
We sectioned off about 1200sq feet of 4 foot field fenced yard with an old shed we converted to a coop. There's also a bushy tree/weed thing with plenty of shoots and a large canopy to get under. I doubt they'll use the coop much. They foraged and preened all day. Only a few squabbles between the toms but 2 of the 3 doesn't seem too interested in the alpha roll. After only a few hours it seemed their colors had improved. We think they approve of their new surroundings but since we got them they haven't gobbled. We heard them gobble all the time when at the neighbors'.
I have no idea the age of these turkeys. There were 3 toms and 6 hens. I think they're all BB. 2 toms and one hen is white and the rest are bronze. I don't plan on separating them as long as they get along so I'm guessing we'll have some colorful mutts. One hen was sick and despite seeming to respond well to her new environment, she died last night.
My plan is to fatten them up over the winter and get them healthy for the spring to breed so that I can replace the flock ASAP but I'm not sure if I should even eat these birds. They may end up dogfood. I want my main flock to be no more than 12, 10 hens and 2 toms, and the rest will be tractored for meat.
