Turkey Talk for 2014

[Chaneys Ranch]

Are predators really a problem for turkeys? I understand for poults, but I am asking if a weasel is going to eat a 35# BR sitting up on the roost?
But, to ease your mind, I will have wire in the ground or along the ground a foot or so if I go with a mobile coop.

Young adults and up, they seem to be fine. But once they roost they go dumb. I have never lost one in a pen.
I had a BBW get out and go off in the cornfield. Finally came back, but could not get him into the coop.
They were maybe 10-12 pounds at that point, and he could fly pretty good.
After a few hours of chasing, cornering etc I left him go and gave up, big mistake. The following morning I found his headless remains, I am sure raccoon.
His body was about 100 feet from the coop, right below a tree.
Chain link or hardware cloth buried should take care of it, or if you do a tractor, like you said put wire on/under it to keep critters out.
I have learned to not feed them until its time for them to go to bed, and let them free range for food during the day when I can watch them.
It made a huge difference in the flavor of the meat too, and none of mine had leg issues. My heritage birds I keep penned.
Have had too many issues with roosters/ganders being stomped when the turkeys get older.
If I let them out, I do not have my other birds out with them anymore.
Got off topic, ugh but I know you are starting fresh with them this year.

All ready for the chicks, they arrive on the 26th!

Awesome, you will love them!

My 2 chicks arrive the 29th! Holland whites. Can't wait.

I am so jealous! I still want holland and mini whites... need more room

 

[chicken pickin]

what are the chances that my bronze tom will be able to "hit the mark"
so far i'm still getting clear eggs after they sit in the bator for a week
i don't know if these are BB or not but i understand BB can have a tough time breeding on their own

should i sell them off as lawn art (i only have a pair of them) & get a breed that will produce furtile eggs on their own?


thanks
piglett

They are still young and learning. Sometimes it takes awhile for them to get the hang of it or for the hen to cooperate. Also the Toms sometimes just don't get it and are immature and will stand in front or to the side.

Last year was my first breeding season and I only had 2 hens then. One of the hens eggs were infertile pretty much until the end of the summer. They were inexperienced. This year I have seen definite mating going on for a few weeks now. So I know at least a few of my hens are fertile.

If you post pics we can help you with whether they are BB or Standard.

 

[chickadoodles]

Got my first turkey egg yesterday! So excited LOL. She hatched June 19th of last year.


Hopefully next time these two meet I'll be getting fertile eggs. He's a little ruffed up from winter so can't wait til he moults!

Congrats on your first egg!

 

[NewToFarming]

My girls still aren't laying yet.

 

[BullChick]

My girls still aren't laying yet.

Mine aren't either. Of course, the BB are just popping out of their eggs today and tomorrow, and the BR are just being set, but still! They are not laying yet!

I am trying to make you laugh, not mad.

 

[NewToFarming]

Mine aren't either. Of course, the BB are just popping out of their eggs today and tomorrow, and the BR are just being set, but still! They are not laying yet!

I am trying to make you laugh, not mad.

LOL..you did! Maybe soon! Then if they start to lay, Turkey boy just has to figure our how to make babies. He just can't get it right yet. LOL

 

[BullChick]

Okay, I need to know. What terminology to you guys (this group) use for the turkeys?
I know a Jenny and a Jake are the poults, but I have not yet seen anyone use Jenny, and it seems you guys call them chicks more than you call them poults.
A group is called a rafter, but you guys call them a flock.
And my DH only refers to a tom as a gobbler. Are they the same, or is a gobbler an old (like 5-years) turkey?
AND! (last question!) do I have to capitalize "Tom" "Jake" and "Jenny"?

 

[R2elk]

Okay, I need to know. What terminology to you guys (this group) use for the turkeys?
I know a Jenny and a Jake are the poults, but I have not yet seen anyone use Jenny, and it seems you guys call them chicks more than you call them poults.
A group is called a rafter, but you guys call them a flock.
And my DH only refers to a tom as a gobbler. Are they the same, or is a gobbler an old (like 5-years) turkey?
AND! (last question!) do I have to capitalize "Tom" "Jake" and "Jenny"?

Different areas call them different names. The hatchlings are poults and that terminology can be used during their first season. A jake is a yearling male turkey. A tom and a gobbler are one and the same thing. The females are hens although some refer to the young hens as jennies and others refer to all female turkeys as jennies. I have CRS so am failing to recall the terminology that the English use for a male turkey but it is entirely different from what Americans call male turkeys. The terms for the different ages and sex of turkeys do not need to capitalized unless you are using it as an individuals name.

I can imagine that there are a lot of male turkeys named Tom.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: My BBW had very wide breasts and barely waddled to move; My heritage all but take off flying for the boys, the hens take to the air and fly thru the woods.

If they are BBW or BBB, the freezer might be a better option.

IMO as you are futher north than I , wait another month and see what the activity is then.

I have good news!
Of the 4 eggs I put in the incubator, three are developing! The 4th was cracked and porous so I am not surprised it didn't develop. I just don't know if my Red or the previous owner of the hen's Narragansett toms are the sires.

Other good news...
While my son was doing chores he said the one girl that the other girls were pecking out wasn't walking and the boy was pecking at her. I told him to leave them be. He came back to tell me he was standing on her. Again, leave them be. That's fine. He came back again all worried because she seemed like she couldn't get up. Well, I decided to check in case they did injure her since they've been pecking her off and on while she lays her eggs and has a bald spot on her head and neck because of it. She was fine. He was just doing his job and she was more than ready for him. So, I had to give my 12yr old a G-rated turkey version of the birds and the bees.

My kids have been looking into miscroscopes since I had to lift them to look----swimmers!! Having farm animals is a great intro to the subject. My oldest at 12 will not talk to me about the discussions in health class!!

Seems sex is more personal now. lol Is barnyard activity G-rated??

My girls still aren't laying yet.

Are they getting enough sun light?? When I opened up my coop to have more windows they lay sooner and lay longer . . .

Quote: LOL, Thomas edison passed away late last summer-- we called him Tom, His first girl was Madame Curie. My humorous effort to teach my kids biographies of famous people. lol None name since. I have a son of Thomas Edison and Mdme Curie-- need a tom name for him . . . . and his brother.

 

[kuna-clucker]

I have three pairs of turkeys that I want to breed this year. They are currently all together in a single pen. The Jakes (all yearling males) are continually deciding on who's the best looking; so much so that they aren't spending quality time with the girls. (Kind of reminds me of junior high school boys that really like girls, but are more comfortable talking and acting tough, than asking any of them to the dance!) Should I separate the pairs I want into separate pens? Should I play Barry White and set out wine & candles? ".. can't get enough of your love babe!" I'm long on ignorant but short on answers! Heck I'm still wondering how I ever got my beautiful wife of 34 years to ever give me the time of day! Any advice would be very much appreciated! Thanks, Mick