Turkey Talk for 2014

[Quailsong]

But, I am glad I am doing this. Just remind me of that in about three or four months!

That's the big one eh!

I've heard people can really attach to turkeys, since they're very 'puppy-like'. This is why I'm determined to have a "NO NAMING PEOPLE NAMES OR CUTESY NAMES" rule in my house.

My DH ended up inadvertently naming our spare roo "Handsome Jack" & in the end he drove 3ish hours to rehome him for free. I think he learned his lesson there. These three turkeys will likely be numbered or called 'that boy/girl'. IF they gain names it will be "Thanksgiving(CAN), Thanksgiving(US), and Yule Dinner" just so it's a reminder that whether or not we can bear to eat them, someone else will. They're not staying over winter! :S

Best of luck, MC!

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
I just call all of ours "S***heads"... they come running when I call them...

 

[austinbndr28]

My hen laid her first egg today i just hope it's fertile since my tom is gone. I know they were breeding so i will see in a week.

 

[Sydney Acres]

My hen laid her first egg today i just hope it's fertile since my tom is gone. I know they were breeding so i will see in a week.

They can be fertile up to 3-4 weeks after the last breeding. Hopefully she will provide you with a lot of eggs within the next 3-4 weeks. Even if the first few aren't fertile, possibly some will be in the next 1-2 weeks. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[austinbndr28]

They can be fertile up to 3-4 weeks after the last breeding. Hopefully she will provide you with a lot of eggs within the next 3-4 weeks. Even if the first few aren't fertile, possibly some will be in the next 1-2 weeks. Fingers crossed for you.

Oh thats good to hear!! i hope she lays a whole clutch i might let her set on some if she goes broody.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
If she goes broody she will stop laying, so you may not get as many eggs from her. Since your tom is gone, keeping her laying is your last chance to get any offspring from this tom. Fertility can be a bit iffy in a hen's first eggs. If you let her brood after the first week, and those first eggs aren't fertile, then you lose the potential to get fertile eggs from her during weeks 2 and 3, and possibly during week 4. One the other hand, if you collect eggs from her nest daily (be sure to leave a ceramic egg or a marked egg from a chicken or another turkey in the nest so she keeps laying in the same place) and store them for up to a week before incubating, you'll maximize your chance to get poults from the tom you lost. (The eggs have to be stored pointy end down, at between 50-60 degrees, and turned about 45 degrees from side to side three times daily until incubated. Ideally incubate eggs that have been stored only up to a week. Some may hatch after 10-14 days of storage, but hatch rates drop quickly after one week.)

 

[TherryChicken]

Yinepu where are you loctaed?

 

[austinbndr28]

If she goes broody she will stop laying, so you may not get as many eggs from her. Since your tom is gone, keeping her laying is your last chance to get any offspring from this tom. Fertility can be a bit iffy in a hen's first eggs. If you let her brood after the first week, and those first eggs aren't fertile, then you lose the potential to get fertile eggs from her during weeks 2 and 3, and possibly during week 4. One the other hand, if you collect eggs from her nest daily (be sure to leave a ceramic egg or a marked egg from a chicken or another turkey in the nest so she keeps laying in the same place) and store them for up to a week before incubating, you'll maximize your chance to get poults from the tom you lost. (The eggs have to be stored pointy end down, at between 50-60 degrees, and turned about 45 degrees from side to side three times daily until incubated. Ideally incubate eggs that have been stored only up to a week. Some may hatch after 10-14 days of storage, but hatch rates drop quickly after one week.)

Alright i hatched a few eggs from her last year i never gave her the chance to go broody i will do the same this year. Should i put this egg in the incubator today or do you think i should store it for a couple days?

 

[sonderah]

My turkey hen is finally ready!!!! She's set for well over 24 hrs, with some sort of break I'm sure although I haven't seen her out. Checked on her earlier to see if she was still laying & she has plucked her belly clean!!!!! Gonna set the eggs tonight when I have extra hands available!!!! Giving her 8 of her own and 7 Buff Orp eggs, that have all been incubated and are all due to hatch on the 25th! I will take the chicks when they hatch to sell, but leave her poults with her to raise. (BTW. No issues with blackhead in my county!) SOOOOO excited!!

 

[yinepu]

Yinepu where are you loctaed?

in central Texas (yup.. I'm located there too)...