turkey questions

[Palisandre]

After looking at turkey threads, I'm hooked! I want to have a small flock. I really love the Royal Palm & Bourbon Red.

Wheres the best place to buy turkeys (south east Tn)?
What is the average cost?
Is it better to buy eggs?
Whats the youngest/oldest they can be for dinner?
Does one breed taste better than another?
Do they need their own nesting boxs?

Thanks

 

[frank53061]

Great to hear that you have decided to get turkeys they are addictive.
1. Don't know about the best location to buy Poults in you area I buy from Cackle Hatchery in the state of Mo, I have had only Good luck with them Poults and Chicks.
If you order from most there Min, order is 15 and they send extra $125.00 including shipping the other options are to get an Incubator and get some fertile eggs hatch your self get more eggs than you want Poults the hatch rate average 40% cheaper that way and then you have a Incubator to do your own eggs from your Hens and another is to check your local Craig's list average cost per Poult $10 each I sell mine for $7 each and they sell fast.

2.The thought is if you want a long living breed and ones that will reproduce do not buy a double breasted breed unless you want a fast maturing bird as far as taste goes for the breed the Red Bourbon was raised for that very thing as well as the Holland white a little bigger bodied bird I do not have experience with Holland whites I have a Poult from a friend to try out when grown but I raise Red Bourbons.

The taste of a Red Bourbon is like Mixing the wild with the tame no game taste but much more flavor X 10 of the store bought birds.
My friend Celie who is a member here as well is gathering breeds together to do her own taste test still in progress.
2.From what I read most Hens like there own nesting boxes but numerous hens may lay in one box

.
I have setup 3 nesting areas and now I have 3 Hens trying to set on one bunch of eggs at the same time don't even try to explain that

.
I hope I answered your questions to some existent but there is a lot more to learn starting out with Turkeys and this is a good place to start don't be disappointed if you don't get answers to question quickly there out tending to there flocks

all sorts of good information can and will be found here.

Good luck with the Turkey Adventure.

 

[Palisandre]

Thank you so much! I'm finding nit only ckn & turkeys addicting but BYC as welll!

 

[frank53061]

Your very welcome and if you dont get the answers you are looking for send me a personal MSG, and if I dont know the answer I will point you to someone that will.

 

[Palisandre]

Another question: I've heard of turkeys (birds) being sexed & understand its hard to do. How old are turkeys (birds) before the start showing genderbsigbs?

 

[frank53061]

I have not seen a hatchery yet that will sex Turkeys they maybe out there but I have not run into one.
The Turkeys know what there sex is but there not telling

not until you see one displaying then you know you have at least one Tom I have seen some of my Poults display as young as just 2 to 3 weeks old.
I have one White Holland Poult that I got from a friend here and it displayed at 2 weeks when they display I would give it good odds that's its a Tom.
The problem is they look so much alike at this stage till mostly grown you would have to tag them as soon as you had seen them display or you would be scratching your head latter going now witch one was that

As they get older the breed of birds with different colors would help sex them because the Boys are the Pretty ones

not a big difference but some and thicker legs bigger feet that's to hold up the more weight they will put on but it varies by breed.

I hope I was of some help.