Turkey delema. Should i try to hatch eggs or should i buy from a hatchery

[winteree]

Well it seems i have gotten myself in a thanksgiving pickle. I really wanted to hatch out a heritage breed of turkey for thanksgiving but everything got in the way and it got late in the year, now it is reaching 85F-95F in the middle of the day. Not to mention the only breed that would reach thanksgiving size in time is a BBW or BBB. And the only person that i know has good egg shipping practices and fair sized breeds is like 6 states away their is one that is only 4 away but they didn't ship the first batch of egg's well (broken eggs). I don't have allot of money or space i can only properly care for up to 4 or 5 turkeys that get to the size i want (grass wise) but most minimum order for turkeys is 10 or 15. Should i try and pool my money and try to find a hatchery with a low min order and get the turkeys from a hatchery? Or risk wasting money and try to hatch shipped turkey eggs? Any thoughts?

 

[TattooedMama]

I would check your local craigslist and see if you can find any poults. Here in California people are still selling poults left and right. Or check your local feed stores and see what they have. If it's for Thanksgiving, you don't have much time to try to hatch and grow out a Heritage breed, in my beginners opinion.

 

[winteree]

I would check your local craigslist and see if you can find any poults. Here in California people are still selling poults left and right. Or check your local feed stores and see what they have. If it's for Thanksgiving, you don't have much time to try to hatch and grow out a Heritage breed, in my beginners opinion.

nope feedstores are dry and the nearest CL listings for here is well over 300miles away i wouldn't mind the drive but i don't have a car and neither of my parents want to drive me. I'm thinking i'll just do the nearest hatchery

 

[TattooedMama]

Well good luck

 

[winteree]

Well good luck

thanks i'm going to need it.

 

[R2elk]

nope feedstores are dry and the nearest CL listings for here is well over 300miles away i wouldn't mind the drive but i don't have a car and neither of my parents want to drive me. I'm thinking i'll just do the nearest hatchery

Just because no one local is advertising doesn't mean that there are none available. Put a wanted ad on your local craigslist and also at your local feed stores. My local feed stores often have a bulletin board for people to post their for sale or wanted lists.

 

[TattooedMama]

Just because no one local is advertising doesn't mean that there are none available.  Put a wanted ad on your local craigslist and also at your local feed stores.  My local feed stores often have a bulletin board for people to post their for sale or wanted lists.

Also see if any will special order for you or if they are making any future orders. It's worth a shot.

 

[winteree]

Just because no one local is advertising doesn't mean that there are none available. Put a wanted ad on your local craigslist and also at your local feed stores. My local feed stores often have a bulletin board for people to post their for sale or wanted lists.

yeah I'll be at the feed store tomorrow I'll ask if they will let me put up an ad.

 

[winteree]

Also see if any will special order for you or if they are making any future orders. It's worth a shot.

i think i found one that will let me order only 5 turkeys but the shipping is just as much as the birds

 

[JenBoughtHens]

I am running into the same problem here in MS. I would love 5-6 heritage breed turkeys. I put an add on craigslist and no one replied. Seems there are virtually no heritage breeders in Mississippi!
I guess I am going to have to order fertile eggs and have them shipped. I work really hard for my income (like most people), so I hope I don't waste my money on scrambled/shipped eggs.
Any recommendations on who to order from?