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

[cuppycake]

So I picked up my BLRW eggs today... and they're bantams. Not what I wanted. Oh well, I drove all that way to get them and then didn't think to look closely when I picked them up. I don't know why their size didn't register in my mind until I got them home. Not what I had planned but I'll welcome the little chicks anyway. They can keep the Silkies company.

 

[mstricer]

Quote: I use turkey starter, and yes I did use medicated, only because, the year before lost all me turkey poults

Just to clarify..

Yes.. you can feed a turkey poult 18%, 20% or 22% feed and so on

some people will swear that a lower percentage feed will kill a turkey.. that's simply not true..
BUT the lower % feed will result in slower growth than a poult that is fed 26% or 28% or 30%

so if the goal is a nice filled out bird by thanksgiving.. you may come up a bit short of it's a heritage bird


the bigger concern for the well being of the poult is that the feed, regardless of protein % have enough niacin for leg and joint growth... simply because it doesn't matter how well the bird is growing if the hocks and hips are weak and the bird goes down...


26%, 28% and 30% feed has proven to cause liver issues WHEN FED LONG TERM to layer chickens.. and will usually cause flip in the majority of meat bird bloodlines
You can usually feed it SHORT TERM with no issues.. however some strains of meat birds can't handle it for more than a week before they start to die from flip.

Anyone know if D'uccles come out chipmunk or any other bantam featherlegged chicken that does?

None of mine are chipmunk, I have all kinds of varietys. Could it be a braham

Quote: I'm checking with someone to see if they have pea eggs for you Mike

 

[Arielle]

So I picked up my BLRW eggs today... and they're bantams. Not what I wanted. Oh well, I drove all that way to get them and then didn't think to look closely when I picked them up. I don't know why their size didn't register in my mind until I got them home. Not what I had planned but I'll welcome the little chicks anyway. They can keep the Silkies company.

Oh they will be VERY cute!!

 

[DURR]

@Mstricer: I seen the birds that the eggs come from. They are Millie Fluer, and the only other bantams she has are silkies. :/ so this is a puzzle to me lol. Oh well.

 

[mlm Mike]

I use turkey starter, and yes I did use medicated, only because, the year before lost all me turkey poults


None of mine are chipmunk, I have all kinds of varietys. Could it be a braham
I'm checking with someone to see if they have pea eggs for you Mike

Thank You!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:

I use the same waterer that I use for chickens

same kind of brooder too


turkeys do best on game bird starter or turkey starter if you can find it (both have higher protein than chick starter)... the game bird starter won't hurt chicks for being on it while in the brooder.. but i wouldnt keep them on it long term (causes them to grow faster and long term can put a strain on their liver)

turkeys can be on regular chick starter.. but they won't get all the nutrition they need so they will grow slower.. and many chick starters lack the niacin that turkeys need.. so if you go with chick starter add some niacin to the water to help avoid leg and joint issues in the poults.

I try not to use medicated feed for any of my birds.. but some times that's all that's available. It won't hurt them.. I just prefer to stay away from medicated feeds.
yinepu (what does that mean btw?)
Is it ok if I add your specialty incubating links to my Hatching 101 notes? I think I already have been using the scovy one and for the ancona I hatched NYears! https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
you can link them,.. just be sure to give me credit since I always specify who I learned the info from .. lol.. i believe in giving credit where credit is due... I also need to write up one for Mandarins (entire incubation in incubator and not with broody assist) plus one with assorted tips.. (not hatching exactly.. more like bits I have figured out on my own.. like my egg storage method and air test for bators)
cool, no I don't pull any info from them just list them as sites to use/refer to for specific species/breeds is all! see the bottom here.....

Incubation Chart
Here is a free app...http://homesteadapps.com/app/free/hatchchart/hatchturnscheentry.php
The following table lists incubation requirements for various species of fowl.
​

Species

Incub. Period (days)

Temp (F.)¹

Do not turn
after
Chicken

21

100

18th day
Turkey

28

99

25th day
Duck

28

100

25th day
Muscovy Duck

35-37

100

31st day
Goose

28-34

99

25th day
Guinea Fowl

28

100

25th day
Pheasant

23-28

100

21st day
Peafowl

28-30

99

25th day
Bobwhite Quail

23-24

100

20th day
Coturnix Quail

17

100

15th day
Chukar

23-24

100

20th day
Grouse

25

100

22nd day
Pigeon

17

100

15th day

¹ Measured at degrees F. in a forced-air incubator. For still-air incubators, add 2-3 degrees F.
² Measured as degrees F. using a wet-bulb thermometer. Use chart to convert to relative humidity.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed (Duck/Goose)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/732651/first-time-incubating (Quail)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-and-hatching-muscovy-eggs (Muscovy)
http://www.brackenridgeranch.com/hatching_5.html (Button Quail)


​

Quote: oh wow, thank you!

 

[mlm Mike]

If you haven't already, now would be a good time to get your incubator warmed up for tomorrow's set day!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:
turkeys can survive it though.. adding cayenne pepper to their feed and water helps a lot.. (like a tablespoon per feeder and also to the water...)

there used to be a thread on here where someone experiemented with the cayenne pepper.. which is where I got that from..
Lol.. I'll have to look it up later.. but when I asked my family about it i was told that yeah.. it does work well against blackhead

and here's the blackhead cayenne pepper thread as promised!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/134230/hope-this-saves-a-turkey-from-blackhead
AWESOME! Thank you! I have read that some add cayenne to their FF daily?

Quote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by gryeyes

I picked up my eggs at the post office today, so it's for reals now. Narragannaresstte - someday I will get that right; I have been noticing newscasters saying it lately, don't recall why, but I'm old, okay?

I have a surfeit of Tutor eggs available from my own flock. No fancy, schmancy, Penendenenendencario or Impressiveority or any true pure-blooded eggs laid at the Olmstead Homestead - miscegenation is the methodology here.

That is, of course, unless I can be persuaded to consider eggs from another source. I only have one Cochin in the flock.... Lola could use some younger sisters, perhaps. Hmmm. Wouldn't that be a hoot: fluffy Cochin Tutors to Narranananagansette poults?

I would gladly send you some of my egs, but I was overrun with chicks so I let one go broody and mixed the others for now. Plus I am not yet NPIP.
I need to lose some birds and then let the testing begin. Did I say loose some birds? ok I need to lose ALOT of birds.

anyone tell me how that testing works with chicks since I have a hatching addiction? Can I only get NPIP eggs once I am NPIP?

In Kansas we only test birds 16+ weeks, so chicks don't count into the mix. Any birds/chicks/eggs that come from NPIP flocks are grandfathered until the next test cycle. Non-tested must be kept separate until 16 weeks and then tested for the license to apply to them.
Cool and now I just realized that dif testing is for other fowl. I had called the state and requested the booklet but I still don't have it!

I posted this back on another thread in October 2011, and again in December 2011 on my "Retired" thread. But I'm awfully proud of it and wanted to share it here. Not a sonnet, haiku or limerick, but a chicken version of "Piano Man."

It's five A. M. on a Saturday
The rooster and hens shuffle out
There's a biddy below the favorite roost
Fluffing feathers and bawking aloud.

She clucks, Son, can you give me a boost?
I'm not really sure of my wings anymore
But the roost way up high is where I belong
When I was a pullet of yours.

Help me earn rank, youre the Rooster man
Tell those young hens I'm alright.
Well, everyone's pecking around in the dirt
And you keep the flock really tight.

Now Champ at the door is my own little chick
He brings me some treats for free
And he's quick with the bugs or juiciest grubs
But there's someplace that he'd rather be.

He says, Mom, there are hens outside in the pens,
As the chirp fell away from his beak.
Well I'm sure I could catch just a couple of them
If I could just practice my sneak.

Now Rusty is a trusty young cockerel
Who stops some of the burgeoning strife
And he's scratchin' with Davy (who tastes good with gravy
Once he comes to the end of his life).

And the pullets are practicing Egg Songs
As the broodies pluck feathers to bone
Yes, they're sharing the best of all of the nests
But it's better than laying alone.

Help me earn rank, you're the Rooster man
Tell those young hens I'm alright
Well, everyone's pecking around in the dirt
And you keep the flock really tight.

It's the happiest flock on a Saturday
And the Head Rooster wing dances with style
Cause he knows that it'm me that brings them the feed
To turn upside down beaks into smiles.

And the coop is empty of pullets and hens
And the flock, well, it clucks very clear
As they scratch in the weeds looking for seeds
To bok, This is the best place right here!

@Mstricer: I seen the birds that the eggs come from. They are Millie Fluer, and the only other bantams she has are silkies.

so this is a puzzle to me lol. Oh well.

If you haven't already, now would be a good time to get your incubator warmed up for tomorrow's set day!

warmed up? mine is begging for a break!

 

[Razadia]

Quote: I don't have anything to swap right now, unfortunately. I'll live with the few eggs I have until next week when I set chicken eggs.


I won't be home tomorrow so I'm setting my eggs tonight.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I need suggestions!
Ancona DUCKS had an upgraded pond today! took them until 7 pm to not be afraid of it and head in!

ummmmm but I screwed up..... they couldn't get out of it and the bottom is tapered so I cant put a block in it, so tomorrow I think I will make a hinged ramp into it that has a soda bottle with half water half air under it so it sink/floats to a good level that they can get on it to get out, just hope it don't take up too much room. ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS not so involved and wont take so much surface area? THANK YOU!!