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

[foxvalleyfarm]

It may be a bit behind. Hopefully it will keep going and catch up with the others.

I hope so . I have 22 left of 24 set!

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Candled again last night - pulled five BO eggs as clears. I'd marked eight of them at a week, (because some of my BO's eggs are almost impossible to see veining in, but still develop chicks!) and since three of them are now obviously filling with chick, I took the others out. Eggs all appear to be from the same hen - thinking maybe I need to trap-nest and get that girl some cologne, a hairdo and a spanky new outfit 'cos the roo does seem to favor the others much more! So, with the ones I broke in my stacking attempt, I'm down to 18 - but those 18 are going strong.
I still have a hopper in one of the turkey eggs due 5/15, and another has what is either a narrow-ish partial blood ring or a wide-ish vein - and I left it. Nothing from the loose air cell one, but unless it stinks, it stays.

Two of my TSC bantam babies have me confused,and I'm wondering if they might be a cross - silkie feet, more cochin head/beak? Five toes, slate grey feet, much less feathering on feet than the cochins, about equal to silkies - but feet/skin not nearly as dark as silkie's are, and pale pinkish beak with much more feathered headgear going on than there is with the silkies. Since I was ID-ing only from memory of hatchery catalogs & BYC postings, there may be another one I don't remember, lol. But, my white Japanese is definitely a white Japanese (and a roo!), my splash cochins are splash cochins, and my "I don't know what the heck it is, but it's so cute" chick is... still cute and I still don't know what the heck it is.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: THe broad breasted white and the broad breasted bronze ( I've had both) are extremely wide and heavy in the breast area and get very big. (Mine couldnt walk bythe time they were 5 months and dressed out at 35#)

THe boys can't get the mating job done.

YOu can get WHite Hollands and Bronzes whic were the starting stock.Editted to add--- these are traditional birds that are slow growing compared to the BBW/BBB, and not as brad and heavy thru the breast area.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Candled again last night - pulled five BO eggs as clears.  I'd marked eight of them at a week, (because some of my BO's eggs are almost impossible to see veining in, but still develop chicks!) and since three of them are now obviously filling with chick, I took the others out. Eggs all appear to be from the same hen - thinking maybe I need to trap-nest and get that girl some cologne, a hairdo and a spanky new outfit 'cos the roo does seem to favor the others much more!  So, with the ones I broke in my stacking attempt, I'm down to 18 - but those 18 are going strong. 
I still have a hopper in one of the turkey eggs due 5/15, and another has what is either a narrow-ish partial blood ring or a wide-ish vein - and I left it. Nothing from the loose air cell one,  but unless it stinks, it stays.

Two of my TSC bantam babies have me confused,and I'm wondering if they might be a cross - silkie feet, more cochin head/beak?  Five toes, slate grey feet, much less feathering on feet than the cochins, about equal to silkies - but feet/skin not nearly as dark as silkie's are, and pale pinkish beak with much more feathered headgear going on than there is with the silkies.  Since I was ID-ing only from memory of hatchery catalogs & BYC postings, there may be another one I don't remember, lol.  But, my white Japanese is definitely a white Japanese (and a roo!), my splash cochins are splash cochins, and my "I don't know what the heck it is, but it's so cute" chick is... still cute and I still don't know what the heck it is.  

Those would be hatchery silkies (pet quality). You rarely get a nice quality silkie from anywhere but a breeder.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Those would be hatchery silkies (pet quality). You rarely get a nice quality silkie from anywhere but a breeder.

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing my confusion - they're yard ornaments, so it really doesn't matter!

 

[winteree]

THe broad breasted white and the broad breasted bronze ( I've had both) are extremely wide and heavy in the breast area and get very big. (Mine couldnt walk bythe time they were 5 months and dressed out at 35#)

THe boys can't get the mating job done.

YOu can get WHite Hollands and Bronzes whic were the starting stock.Editted to add--- these are traditional birds that are slow growing compared to the BBW/BBB, and not as brad and heavy thru the breast area.

so the big ones do have bone problems (great) where both crippled at 5 months or just one? I was thinking about getting some natt's or blue slates have you had good with either of those?

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Oh I loved them and were great eating!! Very efficient growers and tons of meat. At the time I had to send out for p rocessing and wanted my moneys worth at $10 per turkey.

No leg problems-- just too heavy to walk more than a foot or two during the day. AMbled back into coop at night. Up until about 4 months they were active; after this time they started to slow down . . . and then sit down. lol BUtcher couldn't fit them into the schedule in a time that worked for the birds.

I have two narrigansetts boys that I keep. BIggest of my heritage toms. Little pushier than myBR and AUburns. SOrry I don't have any experience with the slates.

THe heritage take a longer time togorw out and fill out. I don't purposely select for butchering before 9 months; and longer is better.

I have about 25 turkeys over 9 months, and I will be cutting back significantly. I did a lot of butcherig over the winter and clearly have more to do.I tried a couple varieties over several years and now it is time to make the choices.

 

[winteree]

Oh I loved them and were great eating!! Very efficient growers and tons of meat. At the time I had to send out for p rocessing and wanted my moneys worth at $10 per turkey.

No leg problems-- just too heavy to walk more than a foot or two during the day. AMbled back into coop at night. Up until about 4 months they were active; after this time they started to slow down . . . and then sit down. lol BUtcher couldn't fit them into the schedule in a time that worked for the birds.

I have two narrigansetts boys that I keep. BIggest of my heritage toms. Little pushier than myBR and AUburns. SOrry I don't have any experience with the slates.

THe heritage take a longer time togorw out and fill out. I don't purposely select for butchering before 9 months; and longer is better.

I have about 25 turkeys over 9 months, and I will be cutting back significantly. I did a lot of butcherig over the winter and clearly have more to do.I tried a couple varieties over several years and now it is time to make the choices.

oh good i thought they where completely crippled like the meat birds i tried to raise a few years back i never want to raise another bird like that

 

[HEChicken]

... but i heard that larger breeds can't mate on their own i wanted them to continue their lines before i culled them have you heard anything about this?

Yes, the broad breasted white and broad breasted bronze are the Cornish X of turkeys - they are bred to stack on weight fast so they can be butchered early, but they are unable to breed unassisted. That is the primary reason I have selected heritage breeds instead. I wanted turkeys that can be raised for meat and that are self-sustaining so I don't have to start over with poults every year.

so the big ones do have bone problems (great) where both crippled at 5 months or just one? I was thinking about getting some natt's or blue slates have you had good with either of those?

I've never had Narragansetts but I had a pair of Blue Slates. They are a more flighty breed, a little more aloof with people. Ultimately I did not keep the Blue Slates. I've had Royal Palms the longest and am still very partial to them as a breed. IME they have the most personality and are gentle toms. I also raise Bourbon Reds and I like them as well. They are friendly and gentle. Both my RP and BR toms are self-appointed peacemakers, stepping in to break up any bickering that occurs among the birds. For example, cockerels duking it out to determine who is over who in the pecking order, will get the attention of one of the toms, who will walk over and stand between them to block their view of one another. He will never attack them - just continue to block their contact with one another until one of them gives in and walks away. They do occasionally interpret mating behavior as fighting so a rooster mating a hen will also get their attention. Fortunately, roosters get the job done so quickly that by the time the tom gets there, it's over

I tried a couple varieties over several years and now it is time to make the choices.

Same here. This year I purchased some Black Spanish eggs and have hatched out several poults from them to see how I like them but I think I'm done trying new breeds after this.

 

[Arielle]

oh good i thought they where completely crippled like the meat birds i tried to raise a few years back i never want to raise another bird like that

Raising BBW/BBB is much easier than tackling the cornishx. IMO a bit of chicken experience,a nd cornishX experience will provide for the best outcomes with the cornishX. Meaning, raising a cornishx is not like raising other chickens. I might try them again, but in the fall. ANd I have 3 cros bred cornishX that I would like to see if they will breed. THey grow MUCH faster than my high quality heritage buckeyes-- meaning my crosbred cornishx ( father is marans or BO)

DUck is an easy bird for us. WHen being pesterd by another bid they fly out of reach acroos the lawn. lol ANd search around for everything in the leaves, munch grass, swing by the pellets and off to the water . . . .then coop up at night. I'm refering to the muscovy.