TURKEY QUESTIONS

[dani2]

Hi,

Well we are raising turkeys for the first time we have 4 that are about 14 weeks old and 24 that are about 6 weeks old. We had planned on butchering some and keeping some to breed next year we have two breeds royal palms and bronzes our four older ones are becoming very aggressive during feeding to the point that they are out of control. Is this normal? Is there anything that can be done? We have about 75 chickens as well all of our birds are free range with a large barn to go to at night. The turkeys are not a big problem for the other chickens as I can put food all over the place but when we walk into the pen they are pretty much running us done and it does not seem to matter how much we feed they never have enough. Any tips would be greatly appreicated also if anyone has any really good websites on butchering with pictures I would love to do some more research to make sure we are ready for this

Thanks in advance Nicki

 

[Frosty]

I know exactly what you are going through! I keep their feeder in a building with a door (I can also close a door to the outside run since I only let them out when I will be around to make sure that they don't go visit the neighbors). Then I throw a few handfuls of feed on the ground outside, when they go for it I go in and lock them out while I fill feeders and change the water. When I am done I let them back in.
If you have ever dressed a chicken, it's pretty much the same. I find it a bit easier, actually, because there is more room to get your hands inside. I don't know of any good websites, but I have a book called 'The Family Poultry Flock' Edited by Lee Schwanz (A Farmers Digest Publication) that's pretty good.

 

[dani2]

Well I am glad I am not the only one I am trying to figure out how people actually raise these to the point of breeding them and getting there own eggs. We are really excited to have a flock of turkeys in the pasture but not if we have to run from them everytime we are out there. I have only done one chicken and we skinned it I am pretty sure I could do good on everything except the part where you have to get the guts out and opening up the hole at the top I am not sure exactly where to cut. I am also still debating on dry plucking or dunking in boiling water. The one chicken I did do that we skinned I plucked just enough to find my spots to cut and the feathers came out very easily but maybe I just got lucky. The ones we have now I am thinking may need to get done a little early as it is even harder having four big ones and a herd of little ones.

 

[newbiecaroline]

Hi, I highly recommend this site!

http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2006/08/processing-chickens-with-my-son.html

When I asked about turkeys he said the same only easier since they're bigger.

 

[corancher]

I have had turkeys for several years and mine don't act like that. My toms get into fights sometimes and the hens will pick a fight with a rooster once in awhile. We let ours free range during the day and they get locked up at night. I don't trust the turkeys with small children because they can look a child in the face and I don't want to take a chance. We get a lot of visitors and the turkeys have never bothered anyone.

I think if mine did what yours are doing I would have given up raising them a long time ago. They get big enough to put a real hurt on and watch out for those wings.

Good luck. I hope they calm down for you.

 

[ivan3]

I'd seperate the meat birds from the breeders. The meat birds should remain unstressed with free access to food 24/7. The breeders should probably still be on game bird starter. The jakes will definitely spar with one another (normal pecking order feeling the hormones stuff). We used pine tar, but didn't have to often.

Our Royal and Slates are far more social and curious than the chooks and just hang around like dogs.

They really plow through the feed while they're developing.