Three Hens

[Stacykins]

I purchased some Sweetgrass turkey hatching eggs this year from a seller who packaged them so poorly that I am surprised any made it through the postal system. Eggs were smashed, smelly, and disgusting. Nonetheless, three managed to hatch from the few that were not broken. I was a little put out at the time, so I didn't purchase more eggs from someone else. It sucks shelling out the cash to someone who doesn't understand how to pack eggs in a sensible way...

All three are hens. So much for hoping for a breeding pair, potentially. I think it is too late in the year to start raising up some more turkeys for hope for a tom...

So my question is, do wild turkeys ever breed with domestic ones? As the weather gets cooler, I know I'll see more of the wild turkeys as they comb the nearby fields for bits of corn left behind from the harvest. Will the toms notice my (free ranging) hens? Obviously any resulting chicks from a pairing will not be allowed to become wild, nay, they'd be butchered. But it would save me the trouble of finding a domestic tom that isn't a jerk. I'd rather hand raise a tom to be friendly.

 

[chickadoodles]

I purchased some Sweetgrass turkey hatching eggs this year from a seller who packaged them so poorly that I am surprised any made it through the postal system. Eggs were smashed, smelly, and disgusting. Nonetheless, three managed to hatch from the few that were not broken. I was a little put out at the time, so I didn't purchase more eggs from someone else. It sucks shelling out the cash to someone who doesn't understand how to pack eggs in a sensible way...

All three are hens. So much for hoping for a breeding pair, potentially. I think it is too late in the year to start raising up some more turkeys for hope for a tom...

So my question is, do wild turkeys ever breed with domestic ones? As the weather gets cooler, I know I'll see more of the wild turkeys as they comb the nearby fields for bits of corn left behind from the harvest. Will the toms notice my (free ranging) hens? Obviously any resulting chicks from a pairing will not be allowed to become wild, nay, they'd be butchered. But it would save me the trouble of finding a domestic tom that isn't a jerk. I'd rather hand raise a tom to be friendly.

I am not sure who you got your Sweetgrass eggs from, but I bought some from Arielle and all of mine arrived in perfect shape and they all hatched. She sales eggs on the 24 hr. auction thread or lists them on the BST forum.

 

[Stacykins]

I am not sure who you got your Sweetgrass eggs from, but I bought some from Arielle and all of mine arrived in perfect shape and they all hatched. She sales eggs on the 24 hr. auction thread or lists them on the BST forum.

Not from here, I wish I had.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: I have raised toms and as long as you handle them a lot when they are young and imprint yourself on them they will be like a puppy following you everywhere. I have quite a few turkey right now and they all come running to me when I go out to feed them. I also hand feed them treats so they are not scared of my hands.