Turkey Talk for 2014

[NikonD2xer]

How do we contact them to buy the poults? I don't see an address or phone number. Could you please pm it to me?
Thanks, Cheryl

http://standardbreedpoultry.com/breeder/Duane UrchUrch-Turnland Poultry/190

this is a link for his phone and email

 

[chickadoodles]

http://standardbreedpoultry.com/breeder/Duane UrchUrch-Turnland Poultry/190

this is a link for his phone and email

Thank you very much.

 

[uphilljill]

The list also says they prefer telephone over email, and evening hours (7-9pm CST) for phone calls. I believe it's a home-based operation. Let us know if you can still get poults!

 

[chickadoodles]

The list also says they prefer telephone over email, and evening hours (7-9pm CST) for phone calls. I believe it's a home-based operation. Let us know if you can still get poults!

I am looking for some for spring. Thank you uphilljill

 

[gevshiba]

Amazing. It just goes to show that not everything you hear about the BBB is true. I had been told that they couldn't breed naturally, and that they can't walk by the time they're nine months old. But then I have also been told that broiler chickens live a maximum of 1 to 1&1/2 years when kept as pets. Mine lived 6&1/2 years. We both restricted food on out "meat" birds, and exercised them, so maybe that's the secret. I hope your birds keep doing great.

To catch your rooster, go in the coop at night. Use the minimum amount of light that you can, as birds are relatively night blind. Ideally, you can use a dimmed head lamp with a red light, because you will be able to see but the birds won't very well. If you have a headlamp that only has a white light, you may be able to get a red filter for it, or cover the light with a piece of red plastic. Since your turkeys are not scared of you, talk to them when you approach so they won't panic and hurt themselves. Take a box to put the rooster in, or a pillow case, or wrap him in a large towel. I always take my birds off the roost 1/2 an hour before sunrise to slaughter them. Since they can't see, they're not panicked when they're taken to an unfamiliar place. Also, they've had all night to empty their crop, and their intestinal system is almost empty, so cleaning them is much easier without the stress of withholding food for 12- 24 hours.

I had heard the same thing about BBB's, so I wanted them to have the best chance they could. I'm very surprised the eggs are fertile. They hadn't been, so I had stopped checking. Then, just before Christmas, I happened to really look at one and Merry Christmas to me! I think it's great that your chicken lived that long.

I might try catching the rooster at night. Sometimes I have to feed before light, so it wouldn't stress them too much if I did that.

 

[uphilljill]

NP.

Like I said, I've never bought poults from him, but since he's a judge I'd expect the quality to be decent. I know there was some talk of him retiring last year, so I'm glad to see he's still offering poultry this year. He's a great resource for some hard to find fowl.

That being said, my experience (and it seems like others have said similar) is that live chicks or poults are the way to go. Eggs were not packaged as ideally as I would have liked. Simply placed in egg cartons surrounded by shreaded paper.

None broke, but all had detatched air cells.

 

[write2caroline]

1. Are you prepared for Turkey season for 2014?
2. When do your hens start laying eggs?
3. What breeds do you plan on raising for 2014?
4. What is your current Tom/Hen Ratio?
5. How many poults do you plan on hatching?
6. Did you order any poults from other hatcheries? If so, what hatchery, what breed and how many are you expecting?
7. Are you ordering turkey eggs from someone? If so, how many?
8. Will you be using an incubator to hatch your turkey eggs?
9. Do you want your hens to go broody so that they can hatch eggs?
10. Will you be selling eggs and/or poults?
11. What are your feed plans for 2014? Anyone trying fermented feed for their flock?
12. Do you have your housing ready for your poults and turkeys?
13. How many turkeys will you be processing for your freezer for 2014?
14. What did you do this year that you want to do different next year (2014)?

1: Completely with out any clue for Turkey 2014 experience.
2: Do they only lay eggs once a year?
3: skipping because IDK what breed they are.
4: 3 Females 0 males

Skipping to 11: I feed my chickens fermented feed I can feed turkeys similar but do they eat same kind of feed? HELP!!!!!
12: No What they currently have I would not put my chickens in and I need to build them something better but I don't even know if they roost. How wide the roosts need to be and how much they weigh. any advise would be appreciated
13: My husband promised her we would not butcher the birds as they were her pets I think they are about a year old and I do not know if they would be good or not but I would like to get them healthy first.
14: Normally I am a infogeek and I read as much as I can before getting an animal I have never raised but my husband was asked by the neighbor who is moving to assisted living to care for these birds and made him promise they would not be eaten. I felt like that was un fair - first to pawn off your birds because you can't keep them and then to make that person promise to raise them like pets. She would be forced to abandon them otherwise and my husband is a kind considerate person - I would hope that I am too but when we first moved here this same old lady had dozens of cats and kittens everywhere - When she could not feed them they migrated to my house and ate my pullets and even the chick feed. It has taken me years to get the strays fixed and I believe it is irresponsible to cause problems and leave it to others to fix it. We have been raising - now that they are all fixed 10 outdoor cats and 6 indoor cats. That is a lot of cats. I have caught and released 20 other cats which were fixed so after 6 years I think we finally have fixed the kitten issue. Many of the kittens were sick and had mites eye issues so I am more immune i think to tearful pleading since I am not independently wealthy and try not to make promises that I cannot keep.
Caroline

 

[SilkieSensation]

Caroline,
He may have promised not to eat the hens but did not promise not to eat their offspring. Get a tom & put those girls to work. Post a pic & we can help identify them.

Yes, they will eat fermented feed & can eat what the chickens eat. Personally I feed an 18% layer only because I have ducks, geese, turkeys & chickens all eating the same feed & like my birds fat for eating. All of my young birds get a 22% meatbird feed.
Turkeys will roost. I just prop a thick branch (4-6 inches) in the coop for them to perch on.

 

[Lorilyn Farms]

Hello!
I would really like a house turkey, whether that will actually happen, I don't know. I just heard about someone on BYC who has a house turkey! I was wondering what is the smallest breed of turkey, how much work are they, what is the sweetest breed, if anyone has an answer to those questions please answer!
Thanks!

I know someone that has a house turkey. They aren't bad as pets. They will follow you around . If you get up, they will get up. Her turkey liked toes. My turkeys seem to like hair. They like to pick at imaginary things on your person.

 

[Ardizzone7]

I know someone that has a house turkey. They aren't bad as pets. They will follow you around . If you get up, they will get up. Her turkey liked toes. My turkeys seem to like hair. They like to pick at imaginary things on your person.

I would be worried about all the poop everywhere. Do you train them somehow to go outside or use a litter box?