Turkey Talk for 2014

[Momhunter]

I have two slate hens and a royal palm hen bred by royal palm tom, so I will get the same mixes. How do you tell the slate eggs from the palms eggs? My palm is the only one laying so far and I've wondered if I would be able to tell their eggs apart when the slates start laying
Do you have any pics of the mixed offspring? I would love to see some. I assumed the royal palm over slate would make blue palm.

Thanks for the input. My palms eggs are light tan with medium brown specks. I hope I can tell the slates when they start laying.

 

[sonderah]

Thank you, SS.
Thanks to those that posted poult pics. I was just complaining to myself (last night before I saw them) that no one had posted baby pictures lately.
Sonderah, glad the fence is working for you. Post a picture so we can see your accomplishment!

My garden is fenced with chicken wire. I covered it with bird netting last fall, and put the chickens (I think I had 40 some at the time) in for about two weeks while I wormed them and cleaned their coops, and they cleaned and fertilized the garden. It took them only a few days to dig under the fence, and escape.
This year, the fencing will be made tighter, and snug the ground. Then come fall, I will put the turkeys in there! They will be too big to fit under the fence, I won't be fretting about the cold or rain (though the chickens roosted outside in the rain), there will be fewer to move, and they will get the garden cleaned up much faster!

We had to clear an area in the woods to build it, so idk how good of a pic I can get, but I will try! Lol

I have two slate hens and a royal palm hen bred by royal palm tom, so I will get the same mixes. How do you tell the slate eggs from the palms eggs? My palm is the only one laying so far and I've wondered if I would be able to tell their eggs apart when the slates start laying
Do you have any pics of the mixed offspring? I would love to see some. I assumed the royal palm over slate would make blue palm.

You can soooo send me some of those RP eggs if ya wanna!!! Lol I want an RP hen to go with RP Tom!

 

[Momhunter]

We had to clear an area in the woods to build it, so idk how good of a pic I can get, but I will try! Lol

You can soooo send me some of those RP eggs if ya wanna!!! Lol I want an RP hen to go with RP Tom!  

I purchased 4 RP poults last spring, ended up with only 1 hen!! I'm setting all my eggs for the first couple of months, hoping to raise a couple of breeder hens and some poults for the freezer. I think I'll keep the first 15 poults, then sell the rest. I will sell eggs if I have trouble selling the poults. Since it's my first year breeding them I have no idea how hard they will be to sell. I would have to build more pens if I get stuck with to many.

 

[sonderah]

I purchased 4 RP poults last spring, ended up with only 1 hen!! I'm setting all my eggs for the first couple of months, hoping to raise a couple of breeder hens and some poults for the freezer. I think I'll keep the first 15 poults, then sell the rest. I will sell eggs if I have trouble selling the poults. Since it's my first year breeding them I have no idea how hard they will be to sell. I would have to build more pens if I get stuck with to many.

Yeah. I'm always afraid to hatch many at once, cause I don't wanna get stuck with them. Lol I have the birds I want, well except 1 more hen, and just plan to keep 1 or 2 birds here and there to replace the older hens. Good luck hatching!!

 

[Arielle]

Arielle -- the pic is all turkey eggs from the same hen. The shade difference is only because I was shinning a flashlight on them to take a pic through the hatcher door.

Is it normal to only get a 50% hatch rate from the first eggs out of a young hen? All six had movement and looked good when put in the hatcher. I culled 2 of the original 8 for no development. These were the first 8 eggs from my young royal palm pair.

IT is quite possible-- hen is on the job but mr has not been inspired yet-- so early eggs perhaps were not fertilized, they would be clears if not fertilized. Clears can also be very early death of fertilized eggs. If you are a first time hatcher of poults, with experience the hatch rate will improve. I dry hatch, then up the moisture after I am certainthe air cell is very large and appropriate from a turkey egg at 18+7 days. SOme eggs are very large and need to have greater water loss than a smaller turkey egg.

 

[Momhunter]

IT is quite possible-- hen is on the job but mr has not been inspired yet-- so early eggs perhaps were not fertilized, they would be clears if not fertilized.  Clears can also be very early death of fertilized eggs.  If you are a first time hatcher of poults, with experience the hatch rate will improve.  I dry hatch, then up the moisture after I am certainthe air cell is very large and appropriate from a turkey egg at  18+7 days. SOme eggs are very large and need to have greater water loss than a smaller turkey egg. 

I have my incubator at 42% humidity then my hatcher is at 70%. Both were at 100 degrees. I just lowered the temp to 99.5 due to my early hatches. I have chicken eggs, quail eggs and turkey eggs in the incubator now, will add in the peafowl eggs when they start laying. Last year I hatched in the bottoms of my sportsman incubator and had the humidity going up and down when in lockdown. This year I purchased a gqf hatcher, eggs get moved at lockdown into the hatcher.

 

[BullChick]

Hello, my name is Abi, and I am a straw virgin. I have had chickens for two years, and never thought of using straw. I am now ready to make this life changing decision. Tom and I are in love, and we want to do this in a few months, when the the timing is perfect. We thought about rolling in the hay, but that seems very expensive, and not worth the trouble.
Okay, I am done trying to be funny. It is hurting my brain. I have not built the turkey pen yet, but I don't have plans for there to be a floor. I plan on covered roosts, and nests. If this works for me, I know I will need to cover the ground at some point due to the mud that will surely happen. So, what are thoughts on straw? I know it is likely to draw mice and bugs. Mice shouldn't be a problem (I just don't want to see them get eaten!

) and I am not sure that lice and mites are a major concern, or no one would be using it.
Anyone use it? Have thoughts to share?

 

[linzross31890]

Hey ya'll i have a question. Im doing my order for birds and this year we aew deciding on 5 turkey. Our options are black spanish, bourbon red or Narragansett. I am leaning toward Narragansett but he is leaning black spanish. Any input on personal preferance between the two would be greatly appreciated

 

[SilkieSensation]

I would go with narris personally. Very beautiful, friendly, broody, good size for table bird.

 

[BullChick]

Hey ya'll i have a question. Im doing my order for birds and this year we aew deciding on 5 turkey. Our options are black spanish, bourbon red or Narragansett. I am leaning toward Narragansett but he is leaning black spanish. Any input on personal preferance between the two would be greatly appreciated

I see the attraction to all 3. I only decided on the Bourbons because they have white pin feathers (dress cleanly). I have to agree with SilkySensation. The Narragansett is beautiful, calm, great mother, and a good size.