The Turkey or Poult or the egg what is better to start with ?

[frank53061]

I would like to see some feed back from the more experienced Turkey growers here on there opinions on what is the best in the long run and having a better end result or experiences.
Incubating from eggs buying new hatched poults or young Turkeys.

I have had good results with buying mail order from a hatchery I got them at 3 days old.
I am going to keep some of my Turkeys for breeding next year.

What would be better taking the eggs and incubating them or letting the Hens hatch them out as far as handling them as they get older and being people friendly.

Thank you for letting me know about your experiences.

 

[Oregon Blues]

You are talking about your own eggs raised at your place or about shipped eggs?

Hatch rates on shipped eggs are normally not great and shipped eggs are only for getting birds that you can't get an easier way.

If you are going to keep adults, you might as well hatch eggs. Buying shipped poults every year would be more for people who don't keep any breeding stock or for people who want to raise the Broad Breasted birds.

If that's not what you are asking, clarify the question a bit more.

 

[Pinkbow1]

I've had many turkeys and I personally think choosing a poult is the best when wanting to raise a successfully friendly and tame turkey because you can go in and see which turkey is the calmest, and you can pick your favorite. Going in to a hatchery is the best choice. By then the poults are used to human contact, and you can pick out your favorites.

I wouldn't buy a poult from farm stores because they're generally bred for eating, in other words their legs are more likely to be fragile when they turn into giant meat-bred birds. UNLESS, of course, your looking for a turkey to eventually eat- then they're great.

I wouldn't go out and buy someone elses grown turkey that they don't want anymore, (or are just selling) unless you except to do allot of looking around, because sometimes turkeys don't get as much people interaction so theirs possibilities they could be skittish or aggressive. Just do lots of question asking.

It all depends on what you want from your turkey.

 

[mkcolls]

I agree with Pinkbow1. I would get very young poults and spend a lot of time with them.

We got our first poults from a hatchery last year. After predator attacks, and culling extra males we have a wonderful Tom, and 4 hens. We decide to get heritage breeds, Royal Palms and Narragansett - they grow slower, but that has given us more time with them. The ones that we processed were really good meat, and great flavor.The hens lay 4-5 eggs each per week.

We collected eggs this spring and hatched a male and a female that are 13 weeks old, and 2 males and 2 females that are 7 weeks old. We incubated our own rather than having the hens brood them. Just personal choice.

Except for the 13 wk old female they come running when we enter their run or coop. They hop up on our laps, our arms, our shoulders and even our heads. (just the youngest ones).
The turkeys are our favorite of our flock. Don't tell the others.

 

[frank53061]

I was leaning towards taking the the eggs and incubating them my self and so far that's what I think I,m hearing.
My Bourbon reds should be laying in the spring and I will keep some sell some.
I don't know for sure if I have a hen that is determined to brood I may give it a try but for the most part Chics that I have incubated were just better chickens than going and buying them as Chics or adult or at least it seems to be.
The chics I incubated and raised with my turkeys will be proof second go around with incubation.

Its going to be yet another learning experience incubating Turkey eggs don't know if there is any thing other than taking longer to hatch.

I just love watching my Turkeys roam the wooded acres of my property from were I,m setting Happy Turkeys its relaxing to me.


Thanks for every ones Input.

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

The only bad thing about hatching eggs is that the turkeys sometimes think you're their mom. They will follow you around and want to spend more time with YOU than they do the others, even as adults. Also it takes about 9-10 months before you get your first egg if you raise them from babies.

 

[frank53061]

I know what you mean my first batch of Poults did just that followed me and my daughter every were but it seems as they grow into young adults you know teen age rs there is not as much of the love there LOL.

The advise of letting out only part of my flock of Turkeys at a time prevents them from roaming to far
works great.

Thanks again