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

[karimw]

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I wish I could be stronger about this. I am getting better at fixing problems so I feel I at least have to try. I have two lame hens in cage that are NOT getting better, in fact the one who had a broken foot is going to lose it entirely. Not sure what to do about that. I know I can't keep her forever in a 3X4 cage by herself

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I wish I could be stronger about this. I am getting better at fixing problems so I feel I at least have to try. I have two lame hens in cage that are NOT getting better, in fact the one who had a broken foot is going to lose it entirely. Not sure what to do about that. I know I can't keep her forever in a 3X4 cage by herself

Don't feel bad, we're all human, and have the same feelings. At some point compassion means to cull. When one reaches that point is different for everyone.

And I'm not so strong either... BF does the culling of my hens around here. I can't do it. I cried when he took Crossy, I cried when he had to take Ginger. I asked him to take both because I knew it was time, but I couldn't actually do the deed. I can take care of chicks because I'm not that attached to them and I could do a hen if I *had* to but because I have a choice, I prefer not to.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

And a little bit of humor to lighten the mood. I entered Crossy in the Celeb Look Alike Contest for one of the hatchalongs:



I think it's a dandy likeness.

 

[ChooksChick]

You all are hilarious!

Any breed of teenagers you want to get rid of.

I may have found a solution. I know someone who has a farm, I told her about the turkey eggs, and offered to hatch them. We will see how it works out.

Renee & Shawn that is awful! I had a lot of late deaths but nothing like that.

Renee, on contests. I will do a broody photo contest.

Excellent! You get to give away a box of chocolates!! You'll have a 6 pack of Chocolate Bantam Orpington eggs as your prize on your contest!

So this little guy was born last week and I just noticed he has cross beak. I'm not sure how bad it will be eventually but he's eating good right now. The hubby wants to cull him but I just don't have the heart too, just incase its not to bad. What's your guy's take?

I hate to say it, but cross-beaks are always going to be really bad if they appear in the first weeks. I've found that the ones that end up workable are the so faint they aren't really noticeable in the beginning as they ALWAYS get significantly worse as they age. I am the queen of working with bad beaks, having kept a roo for 3 years by tube feeding him into his crop for 3 years. No family vacations, no evenings out, no unplanned anything...Professor came first. I had to groom him when he molted, too. Loved that bird more than I can convey, but that's HARD on a family, and the inevitable loss is tragic.

I advise to cull early. It's not something that can have a good outcome having become apparent this early. I wish I had better news.

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What she said.

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Blasphemer!! Take it back!! Hush your mouth!!!

 

[SilkieSensation]

I'll join in if I have bator space open by then.

 

[tazcat70]

Ohhhhh 6 chocolate bantam Orp eggs! I will be very popular now!

 

[Gardengirl73]

I'll send you some nice ones. I lost my Easter hatch. Gotta read over there though. Up all night for nothing.

I know. I've been trying to pack for my trip and I keep scooting over to the computer to try and catch up on everything. I'm still about 15 pages behind. So sorry about your hatch this time.

I will try my best to hatch your eggs, I've got a good feeling. I'll chant or something. Maybe a fertility dance.

Good luck with the new ones you're setting.

 

[mlm Mike]

It seems my midget white hen might want to go broody just in time for this hatch! Any tips on dealing with a broody turkey, also I will need to move her, she can't have the corner of the goat barn during kidding season. She's sitting on her egg, a couple of chicken eggs, and a couple of Titleist, I sure hope the Titleiest hatch! If I can move her, I'll give her a few of her eggs back, and hope for the best.

 

[SilkieSensation]

It seems my midget white hen might want to go broody just in time for this hatch! Any tips on dealing with a broody turkey, also I will need to move her, she can't have the corner of the goat barn during kidding season. She's sitting on her egg, a couple of chicken eggs, and a couple of Titleist, I sure hope the Titleiest hatch! If I can move her, I'll give her a few of her eggs back, and hope for the best.

You may want to just set up a partition & leave her where she is if possible. If you try to move a broody it can cause them to leave the nest.

 

[HEChicken]

You may want to just set up a partition & leave her where she is if possible. If you try to move a broody it can cause them to leave the nest.

This. My first broody, I waited until night, moved her from the nest box to a coop/run I had set up just for her, and put a dozen eggs under her. She bounced off and paced the fence looking for a way back to her chosen nest, but I was cold-hearted and just turned and walked away from her. The next time I checked on her was next morning and she was sitting on the new nest, from which she rarely budged for the next three weeks. Easy peasy. So I decided "this just isn't that hard".

The next few broodies chose to brood in places it was okay to leave them so I didn't try to move a hen again until last week. My silkie went broody for the first time, so I pulled the same trick. Next morning she was still pacing the fence looking for a way out. She is my only silkie but others assure me that once a silkie is broody, moving them isn't hard and give her a little time and she will return to sitting in the new location. But after 3 days of watching her pace the fence looking for a way out, I finally gave in last night and let her out. She made a beeline back to her chosen nest (currently occupied by a broody duck) and is now happily sitting with the duck on that nest again. Sigh.

Meanwhile, as soon as I moved the silkie, another hen (of the less likely to go broody variety) decided to join the broody duck. I waited until nightfall and moved her to the broody coop. By next morning she was happily brooding in the place I chose for her.

So I am 2 for 3 on moving hens. The two hens I never expected to go broody, allowed me to move them and resumed sitting in the area of MY choosing. The silkie, who by all accounts will brood no matter what you do to her, refuses to brood unless it is on her terms.