~*Third Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatch-Athon*~ all poultry welcome!

[winteree]

I put a little clear polish over the duck crack and then let the egg sit all day. I candled tonight and the duck is still moving around! I'm hoping that he survives. In other news, I bought some turkey eggs from Arielle and they should arrive this week!!! I'll set those as soon as my chicks hatch this week. I'm a bit scared about the feeding and watering. I've been reading up on them and it sounds like turkeys are not too smart.

yeah i heard they can't drink cold water when they are little and have to be raised with chickens or other fowl so they will forage properly

 

[HEChicken]

I've been reading up on them and it sounds like turkeys are not too smart.

I don't find them to be any less smart than other poultry species. I raise a bunch every year & the only ones I've lost were either born crippled or my cat got one (a total of 3 lost).

I put marbles in the water & check on them regularly but usually by the morning of the day after I put them in the brooder they are eating, drinking & running around playing just like chicks that amount of time after they've hatched. I don't do anything different with them & they do just fine.

 

[lsmith]

I don't find them to be any less smart than other poultry species. I raise a bunch every year & the only ones I've lost were either born crippled or my cat got one (a total of 3 lost).

I put marbles in the water & check on them regularly but usually by the morning of the day after I put them in the brooder they are eating, drinking & running around playing just like chicks that amount of time after they've hatched. I don't do anything different with them & they do just fine.

This is really encouraging! I was worried that I would be spoon feeding them in my living room. My hubby would be very upset.

 

[winteree]

I have always had people tell me how polite my kids are. I rarely have to swat a hiney. It's just the fact that they know I WILL if the occasion calls for it that makes it so I don't have to. I can count on 1 hand the number of times each of them has had a whoopin in the past 2 years. 1-2 swats is all it ever takes. Then they're good for MONTHS, until they forget Mom means business...LOL

My scovies stayed in 4 foot fencing & never even tried to hop out. None of my birds hop out except an occasional turkey hen, & then you see her wandering back & forth trying to figure out how to get back in. I just go open the gate & walk her right back in. My anconas & buff geese wander the yard during the day but all we have to do is walk toward them anytime after 6pm & they run for their pen ready to go to bed. Pretty sure all of my birds can hop my fences if they really want to (except maybe the silkies), but the know where the food is & tend to stay put or try to get right back in if they do get out.

Scovies can & will roost if they are in the mood. But they are also fine with sitting on the floor as well. As for pools/ponds, my scovies were the least likely of the 15+ different breeds of ducks I have had to bother to go swimming. Some of them I literally had to throw into the pools to get the mud off of them at times because they just aren't into bathing like other ducks are. They are happy as long as they can dunk their heads.

You should have seen the 2 foot garter snake 1 of my hens scarfed up last year...still alive! You should have seen her bulging crop squirm. I just walked away shaking my head. She was completely fine the next day.


That's possible with only 8 birds, but not 200+

yeah you would need like 30 or more people for that and would be one hell of an undertakeing each week

 

[winteree]

I know by now that i should be less worried about this hatch but it is my first. As some of you know I'm incubating 6 eggs 3 RIR and 3 assorted bantams i have been looking for the tell tale veins and movement unfortunately all but 2 are white\cream colored eggs the others are brown and i have one blue one. I have been doing the candling like I'm suppose to but other than the egg's getting "dark" i can't see anything other then that tomorrow is day 14 candling and i have to say i am worried nothing will hatch.

 

[mlm Mike]

I put a little clear polish over the duck crack and then let the egg sit all day. I candled tonight and the duck is still moving around! I'm hoping that he survives. In other news, I bought some turkey eggs from Arielle and they should arrive this week!!! I'll set those as soon as my chicks hatch this week. I'm a bit scared about the feeding and watering. I've been reading up on them and it sounds like turkeys are not too smart.

I'm not certain why turkeys received that reputation. They might act slightly different than chicks, but that doesn't make them not as smart as chicks.

 

[sonderah]

Grrrr!! Its day 31!!!! Still have 1 lone turkey egg not hatched. It was one my broody had, and she wound up with too many, cause I didn't know my other hen had started laying, so couldn't keep them all good and warm. I took it away along with some others. Its in te hatcher, and I've been candling. Its still alive and moving, looks possibly internally pipped since yesterday, but it is in NO HURRY to come out! Lol
I need to clean my hatcher to refill it tomorrow!!! Hurry little turkey!!!!

 

[chicken pickin]

What are you using for heat source and what type of thermostat?

I am using 2 light bulbs as heat sources right now 2 60w soft white bulbs. The thermostat is a wafer thermostat and I have 2 fan behind my heat source to blow the heat through out. I followed Sally Sunshines cabinet style cooler bator thread and built one just like hers using her directions. Only change I made was she made a semi automatic turner and I opted not to Im doing 4 shelves and will hand turn. Below is a pic of the cooler open but only one shelf is in I need to make 3 more. I use the Brinsea Spot Check for a thermometer. So far my eggs are developing well.
Here is Sallys thread if you want to check it out https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...bator-how-we-did-it-and-test-run-ready-set-go

 

[bantambury]

One of Marshies chicks hatched last night! Its a cute little blonde one, so im thinking its part buff laced, since my breeder doesn't separate his colors. I relly hoping its a girl!

I also hope the next one that hatches is brown or grey! The other egg is pipped as well, so it should be out by dinner time. Im relly wanting to buy 2 other ameraucana chicks or polish chicks from my breeder to raise along with these!
OH WHAT TO DO!

 

[sonderah]

I am using 2 light bulbs as heat sources right now 2 60w soft white bulbs. The thermostat is a wafer thermostat and I have 2 fan behind my heat source to blow the heat through out. I followed Sally Sunshines cabinet style cooler bator thread and built one just like hers using her directions. Only change I made was she made a semi automatic turner and I opted not to Im doing 4 shelves and will hand turn. Below is a pic of the cooler open but only one shelf is in I need to make 3 more. I use the Brinsea Spot Check for a thermometer. So far my eggs are developing well. Here is Sallys thread if you want to check it out https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...bator-how-we-did-it-and-test-run-ready-set-go

I'm so jealous! I can't wait to get mine done! I have purchased the cooler, thermostat, fans, and windows. Then my 2 yr old granddaughter moved in, and no time to breathe!!! Lol