**~~>>Second Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon<<~~**all poultry welcome!

[QuirkySue]

Are Bourbon Reds and Sweetgrass turkeys "fancy" varieties? Told you I had no idea about turkeys! It looks like I have a lot of reading to do in the next couple of weeks to decide if I actually do want to try turkey and/or quail. I keep going back and forth.... Yes I do, no I don't.
Turkeys and quail aren't friendly like chickens, right? Of course I'd be raising them for meat and eggs but having social birds adds to their entertainment value.

I have 46 chickens already, somehow the last 35 just popped out of the incubator. No idea how that happened. I'm still trying to talk the hubs into building me four breeding pens so I don't have to buy eggs again. (ya right) I never could have imagined what an obsession those four free chickens last summer would start.

 

[uphilljill]

OMG! I just unexpectedly got 27 more tutor eggs in the mail and my incubator's full!

I've been on a waiting list for these for a while and thrilled to finally get them, but had no idea they were coming TODAY. Might have to make a quick trip to Tractor Supply this afternoon to buy an emergency incubator. Anyone know if they sell straightjackets there too?

 

[yinepu]

Quote: Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated...

Are Bourbon Reds and Sweetgrass turkeys "fancy" varieties? Told you I had no idea about turkeys! It looks like I have a lot of reading to do in the next couple of weeks to decide if I actually do want to try turkey and/or quail. I keep going back and forth.... Yes I do, no I don't.
Turkeys and quail aren't friendly like chickens, right? Of course I'd be raising them for meat and eggs but having social birds adds to their entertainment value.

I have 46 chickens already, somehow the last 35 just popped out of the incubator. No idea how that happened. I'm still trying to talk the hubs into building me four breeding pens so I don't have to buy eggs again. (ya right) I never could have imagined what an obsession those four free chickens last summer would start.

oh you wanna see some "fancy" turkeys?
http://www.porterturkeys.com/


my quail would walk right out of the cage and onto the floor looking for treats.. I found them to be the calmest of my birds (coturnix quail.. not bobbs).. but some people may have had different experiences

the turkeys are just plain nosy.. have to see what I am doing.. can they help..and what can they get into next.. kinda like big goofy puppy dogs...

 

[dsqard]

QuirkySue Bourbon Reds are a heritage breed. They are not as big as the "meat" turkeys but taste great. The ones that I have had have been as friendly as my chickens.
ETA - I agree with yinepu and go to the link for Porters. Lots of good information on there about the different turkey breeds. Lots of temptation there too.

 

[ChooksChick]

Can't get quote to work, but yinewly is anthropologically appropriate, iirc.

Heat spikes are ok so long as they don't last long, but I still got roughly 4% to hatch from that nonsense.
Ari, the hand-drawn avatar is wearing a Mercedes hood ornament. I think you should choose it.
I'm off to the farm. hate posting from my phone, but if I open the Mac book I'll get sucked in. I know it!

 

[HEChicken]

Are Bourbon Reds and Sweetgrass turkeys "fancy" varieties? Told you I had no idea about turkeys! It looks like I have a lot of reading to do in the next couple of weeks to decide if I actually do want to try turkey and/or quail. I keep going back and forth.... Yes I do, no I don't.
Turkeys and quail aren't friendly like chickens, right? Of course I'd be raising them for meat and eggs but having social birds adds to their entertainment value.

Turkeys are incredibly social. A friend of mine had a lone Royal Palm hen (found her wandering on the side of the road as an approximately 2-week-old poult) who went everywhere with her in the car, and jumped up on her lap for some loving every chance she got. She was so ever-present that my friend was unable to take a photo without the turkey getting into the shot somehow - sometimes she didn't even know until later when she downloaded the pics.

I now have a RP pair and the hen is very chatty and friendly. The tom is a gentle giant, spending all of his time displaying. He doesn't like to be handled but stays close to me so I can talk to him.

OMG! I just unexpectedly got 27 more tutor eggs in the mail and my incubator's full!

I've been on a waiting list for these for a while and thrilled to finally get them, but had no idea they were coming TODAY. Might have to make a quick trip to Tractor Supply this afternoon to buy an emergency incubator. Anyone know if they sell straightjackets there too?

You beat me to it - I was going to say "time for another incubator".

so that's at least 231 eggs.. all being hand turned 5 times a day

So after turning the last one, you have time for a quick potty break before its time to start over, right?

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
lol.. there are some pics of photobombing dogs floating around the net.. they should start one for that turkey!

pretty much.. I think all i do some days is turn eggs.. (two more incubators should be here by Sunday.. one arriving today and parts for the other should be here by this weekend)

and I got an email after I posted egg counts.. seems I am getting egg-bombed next week by a friend of mine..... she said I don't have enough eggs to turn yet.....

 

[Arielle]

You folks all speak in some sort of a strange code. What the heck. Have fun.

OH ,come back! We will teach you!!

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
or feed them to the pets.. or feed them back to the birds in the flock!

I freeze extra eggs.. break them open into a container.. freeze for a few hours.. remove from freezer and add enough water to just cover the top of the frozen block of eggs then pop them back into the freezer

you can also freeze them in ice cube trays if you want individual eggs
Love it!!! I learned to pickle them to preserve the extras. Now I have a faster option. As Mahoni said pass it on-- I often take extras to the food pantry on distribution day as they have no refigeration there so no fresh produce at all.

 

[CayuseRanch]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...le-contest-cinco-de-mayo-hatch-a-long-contest

Since I don't have eggs to egg bomb people with, the winner will recieve a new Brinsea Spot Check Thermometer (Can't have too many of those!)