They are engaging and inquisitive. I've found the Toms to be blinded by testosterone this Spring, acting aggressive. We have to watch our back with this group of Black Spanish and Bourbon Red. The meaner Toms (the batch of babies was boy heavy) we invited to last Thanksgiving and they were amazing. Big Red is itching for a fight and the rooster he's with is his little side kick.
I've never lost a baby turkey, I always brood with baby chickens because they really seem to help them eat/drink and be calm. When I bought the batch of Bourbon Reds last summer, they were frozen in place and stressing out at 2 weeks old. But after an hour with baby chickens happily eating and drinking around them, they loosened up and started to eat.
I have a dozen turkey eggs in the incubator now, starting another stash and am going to buy another incubator so that I can stagger hatches. We're going to build tractors to cruise around on the back field to grow them out.
Big Red is getting replaced, he's too aggressive. I've had sweeter Toms before. Love the girls, they talk at us and aren't too flighty. They really want to get after the cat when she strolls past their run. Since we only have 4 adult turkeys at the moment, they're cooped with 3 chickens until the barn runs are finished. They'll be separated for breeding so that I know who's egg is fertilized by who. I have a really nice pair for breeding stock, and a cross pair for meat.
A typical non broadbreasted turkey hen will lay around 75-90 eggs a year, so not good for a main egg source. So long as you keep collecting the eggs they'll keep laying for the season, but may stop and set if the eggs pile up in a nest.
I've never lost a baby turkey, I always brood with baby chickens because they really seem to help them eat/drink and be calm. When I bought the batch of Bourbon Reds last summer, they were frozen in place and stressing out at 2 weeks old. But after an hour with baby chickens happily eating and drinking around them, they loosened up and started to eat.
I have a dozen turkey eggs in the incubator now, starting another stash and am going to buy another incubator so that I can stagger hatches. We're going to build tractors to cruise around on the back field to grow them out.
Big Red is getting replaced, he's too aggressive. I've had sweeter Toms before. Love the girls, they talk at us and aren't too flighty. They really want to get after the cat when she strolls past their run. Since we only have 4 adult turkeys at the moment, they're cooped with 3 chickens until the barn runs are finished. They'll be separated for breeding so that I know who's egg is fertilized by who. I have a really nice pair for breeding stock, and a cross pair for meat.
A typical non broadbreasted turkey hen will lay around 75-90 eggs a year, so not good for a main egg source. So long as you keep collecting the eggs they'll keep laying for the season, but may stop and set if the eggs pile up in a nest.