Turkey poults are amazing

[walkswithdog]

My disaster hatch of rescued BR eggs has resulted in five poults, two strong and three weaker, but all doing progressively better hourly. The noises are different, they call for me differently, talk to me differently.

The three syllabyl SOS - is MOMMA. And "wicket" is talking to me. And I wanted tame birds so these are spending a lot of time in my hands, my shirt or a blanket beside me on the couch.

I like the way a poult will look at your face, look you in the eye. Actually listen to your voice. That's pretty cool. The stronger pair go in and out of the chick's brooder, but pine pellet sucks as a surface for unsteady poult legs. BR's are a nice set of colors at birth. Cream and red and light brown.

While I don't know how well they'll do ultimately as a disaster hatch, I am enjoying poults and these are our first. I've another normal BR hatch in a friend's bator now along with some "Calico" eggs.

With any luck those will do well. I never thought I'd love turkeys, grown or poults as much as I do. I need a MUCH bigger turkey coop. Much much bigger, perhaps two.

Not that I don't also need more chickens...

Perfectly normal. REallY.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

"everybody loves a turkey"

We have had an ongoing Standard Bronze hatch this weekend, I got the last out of the hatcher this morning (there may be one more - I heard it in the shell but it hasn't pipped at all so I doubt it will make it out) They are cute little guys. We will keep them this week to make sure they are eating and drinking ok and this weekend they will be off to a new home.

Steve in NC

 

[farmerlor]

Hey, congrats on your disaster hatch. I hope they continue to thrive for you. Jefferson (my bourbon red) thinks he's a parrot and likes to jump up on the gate to his house and then step off onto my fingers. He's got a low cooing thing that he does when I hold him and when he's looking for me or Rosie he's got a real high pitched "WHEAT" sound that he makes.

 

[BeccaOH]

I'm loving my 4 turkey poults too. They have a distinct voice from the chicks, and I swear the 8 chicks look to the 2 oldest turkey poults as the leaders. Maybe it has something to do with the poults always being a bit bigger, but I think it is because they are always much calmer than the chicks.

I do worry about the day I plan to make 2 turkeys into dinner.

 

[walkswithdog]

I'm surprised that they can get into the trouble they do, like stuck in the feeder, which has been hilarious. And since they started out weak I had to come up with a water bowl they couldn't just tumble into and get all wet. I have heard these say "wheat" to talk to me. And they're getting stronger.

The eldest can hop out of the small, poult pen in the chick brooder by hoping onto the water dish and over the wall. He REALLY likes the water bottle that the chicks have, problem is, he then can't get back and finally starts calling for Momma to put him back after awhile.

Yep, he's always on the wrong side of a fence already.

I can totally see this becoming much bigger than I thought it would they're so sweet and funny and they aren't always looking for someone to pick on, pick at the way chicks can be.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

arent they interesting!??! but just wait - they are cute for a while then ONE DAY they get superduper ugly... yikes! really - its a one day transformation that will shock you to your shoes - faces that only their mamma could love.

and then wait until you come home and they are on the roof of your house!

 

[farmerlor]

Quote:
Oh, I don't know, I think they're still cute and super fun to watch when they're grown up.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I agree with Lor, We love to sit out and watch them, I wouldn't say they are ugly.

Steve

 

[walkswithdog]

I sort of love the vulture stage, I saw a friend's poults go through it, I think they're just flat neat. And I like sitting listening to the trio outside walking and talking.

Hey Steve, I finally stuffed chicks under the weirded out broody and she's contentedly puttering about the yard with five chicks

Of course she beat the snot out of my Roo for looking at them crosswise. I think even he got the message.

The last two rescue eggs are about to go and hatch or not, one is in the air cell the other backwards. I'm going to band the ones I had to help so I can compare over time. At least they look different enough for me to be able to tell.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

yeah but nobody tells you they get ugly!! i nearly dropped my bucket and ran for the house! so glad they grew out of it - whew! the BR hens are just lovely now.

i just love the funny running too! our BBWhites had that funny leg-out-to-the-side run... just hilarious

i have to say that we like the turks best of all - very very interesting little creatures (but dont tell my chickens!).