Thinking about getting turkeys

[unlikelyfarmers]

Thanks!

 

[Cheri]

Now Im jealous. I want some turkeys too.

 

[unlikelyfarmers]

So far, they seem friendlier than our chickens. I think my husband is more excited about them than I am...he keeps telling me he's glad we decided to get them. We have them in the basement until we set up the outside housing this weekend and he brought one upstairs into our room, just sitting on his hand. They aren't skittish.

 

[unlikelyfarmers]

I remember someone wrote in and was told how to edit UPDATE on their topic but I can't find it. I just wanted to share that my husband spent a fair amount of time converting half of our old shed into a turkey pen for the four young turkeys. There are 2 vents in the shed so we figured that would be plenty of air. We bought feed at the feed store and they had 2 Royal Palms which I really wanted to get so we bought them and had 6 total turkeys. We've dealt w/predators before so we thought we had a pretty safe place for them. I had an uneasy feeling but I always worry about the chickens/bunnies etc. To make a long story short, my husband went out the next morning and only saw two turkeys in the pen..the door was shut to the shed, the door was shut to the pen and he couldn't figure out where they were. He found two behind a wooden cabinet we put in there for them to climb on, alive but all wedged back in there terrified! He looks down and sees that some creature..a raccoon no doubt...pried the vent that was screwed into the wall halfway off and had pulled two fo the turkeys out. No remains which isn't there usual M.O. What a disappointment. At least we still have the Royal Palms, 1 Slate and 1 Black. It kind of took the wind out of our sails though. BTW he boarded up that vent and is going to drill some tiny holes in the side so they get enough air. Just wanted to share the latest...for anyone out there listening.

 

[Motherhenandflock]

Oh No! I am So sorry you lost 2 of your turks!
That critter will be back. Do you have a live trap or can you get one from the county or fish and game officer?
I have heard that racoons are strong and very determined. Can your DH secure the vent from the inside?
Do whatever you can to protect your little ones, the coon will be back!

 

[George in NH]

That's a bummer about the turkeys. Good luck with the others. I love turkeys. Here is a picture of the royal palms I got on father's day.

 

[Cheri]

I have decided that next week I am ordering at least 4 turkeys. I will name them Holiday Dinner, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. LOL!

 

[George in NH]

Cheri, what you going to name the fourth one? Don't you think maybe he/she would need company LOL

OOPS, guess you did not name one of them after a specific holiday, you named it holiday dinner (very original).

Come on, there are broadbreasted turkeys for the dinner table, the heritage breeds are for watching. How you you cook a birds with such a handsome face?

 

[unlikelyfarmers]

Thanks for the kind words and the beautiful pictures! I can't wait until mine get older and look like that. This hasn't been such a great week...too many predators. When I got home from work last night, I looked in on the turkeys and I saw a new hole in the wall of the shed. I told my DH (I'm starting to get the hang of the acronymns on this site)

. We didn't want to take any chances so he has a baby chick pen that's pretty big already built in the basement, we haven't had chicks in it for a year so we cleaned it out and set it up and brought them all in the house last night. They are safe...unfortunately one of my holland lop bunnies got eaten this morning or last night...I know this is about turkeys but I'm so upset. Never happened before. It looks like she got out of her hutch..which has happend before on rare occasions we usually find them and put them back. There was no fur in the hutch but fur everywhere else. I can't even believe it. I'm thinking about getting some kind of working big dog that won't eat our chickens. Anyway...the turkeys are safe at least. Having animals/birds is such a mixed blessing isn't it?

 

[unlikelyfarmers]

MotherHenandFlock, we do have live traps and we set it in front of the pen the night before last but didn't catch anything. I appreciate your concern!

Cheri - I hope you enjoy your turkeys in whatever capacity that is!!