The Old Folks Home

[superchemicalgirl]

Just had to go outside and break up a bloody Tom fight. Hans and Franz had been good friends and brothers since hatch and only fought over who would go first when the girls threw themselves at them. Now it looks like something has come between them for good.

I broke up the fight by taking one of the turkeys on my lap and sitting down on the stairs of the coop. One of my really friendly lap-chickens was jealous and jumped on top of the tom so I could pet her while holding down the tom. That was awfully thoughtful of her, and I'm slightly sad that BF didn't snap a picture of that.

I set the tom back down after a few minutes and they just went after each other again. I sprayed them with the hose, that didn't deter them. So I've sent one of them to go live in the duck enclosure for now, but that's not a permanent solution. They continue to have verbal altercations between the fences.

Those of you with toms - is this normal? They are 13 months old and were fine with each other until now.

Will we have to process one of them? And if so, which color do you like better?

 

[Peep_Show]

I don't know if that fighting is normal or not. I had two BBW toms in close quarters and they were just shy of a year when processed with no scarring, sparring or issues other than who was the bigger pig. (They were live weight at that point about 75 lbs, dressed out at 52 and 57 lbs...probably too big to fly up at each other). Maybe 1 year is the magic number?

If you have to dispatch, IMHO process the heavier one.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

However many horses were on the track with him at the time, the fact remains that he set record times in those races that stand to this day. In effect, he has beaten every horse that has ever run the Belmont, Preakness, and Kentucky Derby.

Good point. I was just amazed at how few horses were in the race.

Secretariat was magnificent. As a kid I wanted to be a jockey (I am short...but -- alas -- chunky) and would follow the racing scene really closely. Big treats were getting to go to the track to watch the early morning workouts (with Dad) or getting to watch the races with Mom in the clubhouse. Was horse crazy then, but my horse fever is in remission now.... The neighbors all have horses here, so I get my fix without having to maneuver a wheelbarrow.

I stopped too closely following horse racing when watching the Ruffian race on TV broke my heart. I wailed! Honestly, I cried for days. I was a big fan of Barbaro, too, and knew it was done-for when he pulled up and his hind leg looked like a Z.

When living in Las Vegas, NV, we were close to lots of casino sports books and, yes, horse racing (and betting) is big! We paid for a lot of our household renovations (ceiling fans and faucets) with our sporadic meager Saturday morning bets. I do like to bet on the Derby, though. Barbaro was an easy pick. Most races I get the Place or Show horse. And, yes, I did bet on Mine That Bird to win!

Funny thing when you mentioned Secretariat looking kinda QH-ish.... Most thoroughbreds (and other breeds, too) do tend to bulk out when not kept in condition....which, when they're put out to stud, is an idyllic eat, sleep and breed mode. I saw Noor when I was a teen and the year before he died. He was a wall of horse, black and pudgy and could've passed for part percheron. If you look at a lot of stud farms photo portfolios, the retired TB's look rather, well, stocky. My Arabian stallion came off the show circuit where he was conditioned with swimming and regular riding to pasture life....he blimped into a whale in no time. I swear, he stayed fat on air. But, tell you what, those stallions when they get to relax and have something to do other than just breed have the nicest personalities. Blue turned into Mr. Mom and was at his best babysitting the weanlings. Such a mellow sweetie that I had a hard time convincing visitors that he was a stallion as most have a reputation of being kegged dynamite. A little bit of weight does a stallion good!

I noticed how many of the horses yesterday were filled out.
It seemed like when I was a kid, the horses that won races were much leaner and lankier than the QH looking horses.

As for the complaint of C Chrome's owner about the unfairness of a horse running all 3 races against fresh horses, I somewhat agree.

I know that is tradition but he said something that struck a cord with me. He said "it is called the triple crown - that's three races".

What if they kept it the way it is but only horses that race all three qualify. Let horses race but if a horse that wins the first two beats all other horses that ran the first two then, it wins the triple crown. Horses that only run the Belmont can win the Belmont but not keep the horses that run all three from a triple crown. Am I being stupid.

Just had to go outside and break up a bloody Tom fight. Hans and Franz had been good friends and brothers since hatch and only fought over who would go first when the girls threw themselves at them. Now it looks like something has come between them for good.

I broke up the fight by taking one of the turkeys on my lap and sitting down on the stairs of the coop. One of my really friendly lap-chickens was jealous and jumped on top of the tom so I could pet her while holding down the tom. That was awfully thoughtful of her, and I'm slightly sad that BF didn't snap a picture of that.

I set the tom back down after a few minutes and they just went after each other again. I sprayed them with the hose, that didn't deter them. So I've sent one of them to go live in the duck enclosure for now, but that's not a permanent solution. They continue to have verbal altercations between the fences.

Those of you with toms - is this normal? They are 13 months old and were fine with each other until now.

Will we have to process one of them? And if so, which color do you like better?

Keep the rarer strain.

I had a boy from the cockerel flock that apparently didn't go back inside at dusk a couple days ago. He was outside in the morning when I let birds out. I tried to get him back into his pen first but he kept running into the woods.
When I let the others out he started challenging my best rooster in a chain link dog pen. They kept going at it and annoying me. The cockerel was one of 7 left from the NYD hatchalong. I was trying to decide which one I was going to keep. I decided it wasn't him. I grabbed a fishing net and when he jumped at the other rooster the net went right over him and into the cone he went. I love it when they decide for me who wants the cone.

 

[ronott1]

Keep the rarer strain.

I had a boy from the cockerel flock that apparently didn't go back inside at dusk a couple days ago. He was outside in the morning when I let birds out. I tried to get him back into his pen first but he kept running into the woods.
When I let the others out he started challenging my best rooster in a chain link dog pen. They kept going at it and annoying me. The cockerel was one of 7 left from the NYD hatchalong. I was trying to decide which one I was going to keep. I decided it wasn't him. I grabbed a fishing net and when he jumped at the other rooster the net went right over him and into the cone he went. I love it when they decide for me who wants the cone.

Now I am getting hungry!

 

[Pozees]

Is it just me? California chrome looked like a smaller horse when they were showing all the past triple crown winners. We were pulling for him because his story,and the owners and trainers are just a feel good story. As they were showing all the past winners it just looked like he was much smaller in build. Maybe it's the difference in TV's now I don't know. Secretariat won a month after I was born so I have a connection with that horse I guess and I might be a little biased lol. I have been a lurker on this thread for a while and I really enjoy it, and hope you don't mind if I join you. I'm a middle aged old timer I guess, my kids just say I'm old so I don't know

I don't really think he's small, and actually he has gained weight since the Derby. I like the back story as well.

Secretareiat's run in the Belmont was amazing. On the other hand, there were only 4 other horses in that race. Only 5 other horses in the '73 Preakness

I don't think there's a horse alive, then or now, that could have beaten him that day.

I agree totally about the "Big Red" horse

Did you hear the report that Chrome injured himself out of the gate? Stepped on a back hock I guess. I don't agree with his owner calling those who enter fresh horses in the Belmont cowards but I do have to with his reasoning. I think a more appropriate word would have been "opportunistic". It really has become far too common in recent times for owners of "also rans" to take advantage of the grueling schedule of the triple and only run their horses in the Belmont.

Bloodhorse.com says he grabbed a quarter coming out of the gate, I don't think that made the difference though. I agree with the owner's reasoning too, always have thought those with the horse to compete in all three races are the only ones that should be permitted to do so.

Welcome to the thread!

I watched (on TV) as Secretariat made horse racing history, so that makes me really old, huh? That stretch run took my breath away, and still does.

It's kind of funny - two more Triple Crown winners in the next few years after Secretariat's performance had people saying that it was easier for the horses to be that good, because the training and racing schedules were less grueling than they had been in the past. Now they are calling 3 races in 5 weeks too tough. Go figure.

And BTW, California Chrome is 16 hands; Secretariat was 16.2, so there isn't much of a difference in height there. Secretariat was built like a tank, though - in pictures taken during his years standing at stud, he almost looks more like a refined Quarter Horse than a Thoroughbred. (Secretariat also had the biggest heart on record for a racehorse, so I reckon that big body made room for a whoppin' big "pump")

I watched as well I think back in the day, horses were trained harder and longer and were in overall better condition to run every couple of weeks, which was common. Now it is rare. That said, Art Sherman had his horse in good condition, he's an old-schooler. He said he doesn't normally run his horses more than every 4 weeks, though.

I stopped watching horse racing after Eight Belles.

Hopped on your thread because of the race talk. Love horses and the legends like Secretariat, Northern Dancer, Ruffian, Man o War.

I think we will probably never have another Triple Crown Winner unless the Kentucky Derby and Preakness are qualifiers for ALL horses running in the Belmont. That might make it a slower safer race too. Just my 2$ (can't find the cents sign!)

My DH refused for years to watch the Triple Crown races with me after Eight Belles. That was heartbreaking. Then one year I stayed home to watch the Friday races, and he saw an interview with Rosie Napravnik and got such a kick out of her he had to watch her ride

Just had to go outside and break up a bloody Tom fight. Hans and Franz had been good friends and brothers since hatch and only fought over who would go first when the girls threw themselves at them. Now it looks like something has come between them for good.

I broke up the fight by taking one of the turkeys on my lap and sitting down on the stairs of the coop. One of my really friendly lap-chickens was jealous and jumped on top of the tom so I could pet her while holding down the tom. That was awfully thoughtful of her, and I'm slightly sad that BF didn't snap a picture of that.

I set the tom back down after a few minutes and they just went after each other again. I sprayed them with the hose, that didn't deter them. So I've sent one of them to go live in the duck enclosure for now, but that's not a permanent solution. They continue to have verbal altercations between the fences.

Those of you with toms - is this normal? They are 13 months old and were fine with each other until now.

Will we have to process one of them? And if so, which color do you like better?

I like the lavender on the right, I'm a sucker for dilutes

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I don't know if that fighting is normal or not. I had two BBW toms in close quarters and they were just shy of a year when processed with no scarring, sparring or issues other than who was the bigger pig. (They were live weight at that point about 75 lbs, dressed out at 52 and 57 lbs...probably too big to fly up at each other). Maybe 1 year is the magic number?

If you have to dispatch, IMHO process the heavier one.

These guys are large but not super large. They don't spend much time eating, mostly gobbling and displaying for the ladies (or whoever wants to look at them). I processed their sister last fall and she was so large she didn't fit in the scalder or cold water bucket very well (in fact, got stuck). How do you scald? Or rather... WHAT do you scald in? I would have done one of these boys last fall had doing the smaller girl been less difficult.

Keep the rarer strain.
. I love it when they decide for me who wants the cone.

They're both "mutts" or as far as I know they are... They're both friendly and doing the deed with the ladies. On the other hand my cornish rooster is not getting the deed done properly and has attacked me twice recently (he's also over a year old and just started acting like a jerk). The last time he did it I picked up a stick and thawacked him pretty good with it. He's been good since then, but I just don't trust him. Next time I process, his number is up. I was hoping to use him as a meat bird project, but he just can't do the deed well and I refuse to have a nasty rooster for long.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I just saw a photo of California Chrone's injury on Facebook. Looks like he stepped on his front right heel coming out of the starting gate and ran the whole race with what looks like a super painful injury. I'm astonished now that he came so close to winning!

 

[ozexpat]

Back in Oz while you guys are out voting on that Tuesday in November, the whole country stops for a horse race called the Melbourne Cup.

It's a 'three times past the post" two mile race.

For those three minutes of each year you won't find a soul on the road. Even schools all watch it.

There are 14-18 horses and it's an amazing race to watch

 

[Peep_Show]

These guys are large but not super large. They don't spend much time eating, mostly gobbling and displaying for the ladies (or whoever wants to look at them). I processed their sister last fall and she was so large she didn't fit in the scalder or cold water bucket very well (in fact, got stuck). How do you scald? Or rather... WHAT do you scald in? I would have done one of these boys last fall had doing the smaller girl been less difficult.


- - - -

For several years my turkey project provided Christmas shopping money. They were fed well, cleaned well, and home-delivered for my clients. Most years they were normal size, but one year for some reason they were nearly two weeks ahead of themselves on growth/weight scale and several toms (in the 20-30 lb range) got swapped out for the smaller hens instead, ergo the two leftover BBW toms that I then let go until Easter. I knew it was time to process them when the neighbor was bringing her kids over, opening the pen door so the kids were eye-to-eye with the huge birds and threatening to lock them in for bad behavior. (?!?)

For all turkeys I used those big plastic toy tubs you can get at Wal-Mart or elsewhere....you know, the red or blue buckets with the rope handles. Every burner on my stove had a big pot of water on it to fill them. I placed the buckets outside the kitchen door so they were easy to fill. Had to use a wheelbarrow to get the birds over from the dispatch area to the scald-and-pluck area and by the time I did so (along with dispatching) the water was just the right temp.

For the chickens I just used large stock pots.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Now that is an idea I haven't heard before!!! I have a "turkey fryer" but that's what my hen got stuck in so I don't dare do the toms in that. I let the boys back in with each other (after one being in time out for a few hours) and they immediately went after each other again. Sigh. Now the other turkey is in duck enclosure "time out" and I'm going to have to figure out something to do with him tonight. I'm guessing after it gets dark I can sneak him back into the coop and then remove him early tomorrow. Unfortunately the duck enclosure won't work tomorrow for a variety of reasons. I guess I am going to have to put one of them in the hoop house and hope that the bird assassin stays away while I'm gone (I'll be leaving for Baltimore tomorrow morning, gone about 24 hours).