Turkenstein25's Turkey Talk for 2015

[feedman77]

You could buy a tom. That's what I would do if I could find a good chocolate tom.

But you could breed mother to son.

I think that's line breeding. I am not sure whether it is a good idea to breed siblings.

 

[chickadoodles]

So do I still need to buy a Tom, or can I keep one of her son's, and use him as Tom to her and daughters?

You can use one of her toms and after you get a few hatched then make a little more distance between the son and mother. Try not to mate siblings directly.

 

[Moonprysm]

I have 17 broad breasted turkeys coming from Myer in July. My husband only agreed to do turkeys again if I tractor them and don't let them free-range (he couldn't handle the poop last time). Now I'm trying to figure out what size tractor I need for 17 turkeys. Seem like so many. I was originally planning on a PVC tractor, 3 ft tall, 10ftx10ft. Now I'm afraid that's nowhere near big enough. Anybody have experience with tractoring turkeys 100% of the time.

 

[WalnutHill]

That is nowhere near big enough for more than a few weeks. BBB grow very fast and if you gave them a minimal 16 sq ft each (mark off a 4' x 4' box on the floor and stand in it. See if you think it's big enough for a turkey once it starts to grow!) that's almost 3 times your 10 x 10 pen.

 

[CheesePoultry]

They're hatching! Boy am I counting my blessings! Godiva's eggs are hatching! (Yep chocolate turkey, I named her Godiva) went to the mountains for 5 days, thinking I had another week or more to wait and see and our room mate informed us the eggs are hatching! 3 so far and she's
like a champ...

OMGosh! That poult is super cute! And I love Godiva. What a great name!

Good luck with hatching the rest of them out!!
Angela

 

[RachelJG]

I have 17 broad breasted turkeys coming from Myer in July. My husband only agreed to do turkeys again if I tractor them and don't let them free-range (he couldn't handle the poop last time). Now I'm trying to figure out what size tractor I need for 17 turkeys. Seem like so many. I was originally planning on a PVC tractor, 3 ft tall, 10ftx10ft. Now I'm afraid that's nowhere near big enough. Anybody have experience with tractoring turkeys 100% of the time. 

Have you considered using electric netting style fence? I plan to start mine in 10x10 tractors with chickens and move them to the electric fence enclosures when they get too big. This is my first year, so I can't claim experience, but am basing my strategy on models from polyface that I know are working well for lots of folks. The electric fence is a big up-front investment though.

 

[poult]

I miss my two babies.Both got sick last fall had to be put down hoping i can get one or two again i miss them.

 

[Ironsights]

Is the electrical netting for the birds? I didn't know you could do that. I use an electric fence to keep 4 legged predators out and cows in. I still have to provide cover for the birds to protect from winged predators.

 

[WalnutHill]

I have 17 broad breasted turkeys coming from Myer in July. My husband only agreed to do turkeys again if I tractor them and don't let them free-range (he couldn't handle the poop last time). Now I'm trying to figure out what size tractor I need for 17 turkeys. Seem like so many. I was originally planning on a PVC tractor, 3 ft tall, 10ftx10ft. Now I'm afraid that's nowhere near big enough. Anybody have experience with tractoring turkeys 100% of the time.

Since BBB don't fly, as long as airborne predators are not a big threat, you can do as I do. I don't have a tractor, but I bought 100' of orange net safety fencing and a bunch of fiberglass step-in fence posts. I set it up, let the turkeys out of the coop pen into it, then I can move the circle around a few feet at a time.


My grass shows wear where the heritage birds pace the fence, but they also fly out with ease if there is something above they can land on or if they accidentally go airborne while running in play. If you are only confining to keep the manure contained to an area, this should work for you. That would be 800 square feet and you can enclose it for around $50.

 

[CowboysAngel]

Since BBB don't fly, as long as airborne predators are not a big threat, you can do as I do.  I don't have a tractor, but I bought 100' of orange net safety fencing and a bunch of fiberglass step-in fence posts.  I set it up, let the turkeys out of the coop pen into it, then I can move the circle around a few feet at a time.


My grass shows wear where the heritage birds pace the fence, but they also fly out with ease if there is something above they can land on or if they accidentally go airborne while running in play.  If you are only confining to keep the manure contained to an area, this should work for you.  That would be 800 square feet and you can enclose it for around $50.

That's a great Idea! I may do that for Godiva and her littles, cause she can fly I will probably just clip one wing...or put bird net over the top...