Turkey Talk for 2014

[Reyvaughn]

I would second the hypothyroidism. It messes with the brain, as well as body. Soy is very bad for folks with hypothyroid issues as well. And stress; when there's a lot of cortisol in the blood it drops your thyroid function further. Remove the cortisol (adrenaline), and eat NATURAL anti-inflammatory foods to help combat it. As well as get a blood test, if you can for hypothyrodism!

With Reyvaughn's family issues over inheritance I can see how that would make dealing with day-to-day stuff a crazy challenge. I had the same problem over family feuds when over 5 people died in my family within a 10 year span. The fighting got worse with each death since the inheritance would get larger over time. I made a bold move, ended up ditching my family & moving across the country. I don't regret it one bit. May not be your path to do the same, Reyvaughn, but my point is you need to take care of your health. Even if it means making some big life decisions to put you first.

I would also look into meal worms for extra turkey protein. Assuming you've no allergies to the midge fly/bloodworm larvae, mealworms are an excellent & cheap source of protein. They can grow in an old tupperware bin with some spent grains or too-old cereals. Heck, you can just give them some old brown flour & they'd love it just the same.

Quite a few years ago after I had my tubal I gained over 60lbs in 8 months. I had my thyroid checked and my hormones and the doctor claimed everything was "in normal range". I have 8 of the listed symptoms for hypothyroidsim. The worst is the weight gain and the menstrual cycles - they are so bad I am planning on getting the ball rolling on a hysterectomy once our insurance kicks in. I want to mention I am 32yrs old and have been dealing with this for over 10yrs.

I don't have anything to do with my family, really. Like I said, I wasn't close to my great grandfather. I was called upon during the fall for a few doctors appointments and called again less than 2wks before he died to check on him and make sure he was alright for 2 days he spent at home before he was admitted to the hospital. What the issue is, is my mom calls me daily complaining about the inheritance, her boyfriend and her horse. Anywhere from once to upwards of 5-8x a day. I am getting nothing. What ticks me off that my mom was promised land (about 10 acres of the 75 acre farm) and everyone is trying to keep her from it. They are trying to sell her piece of land out of under her. The other thing that ticks me off is my great aunt is trying to hide money, stocks, bonds, CDs and life insurances so she can buy the land off everyone else. She made a slip to mom that a few bonds may slip through the cracks and mom said she was quite sure some would - meaning she knew what my great aunt was up to. Now she's refusing to go to the will reading because 1) she's being accused of being greedy for trying to help everyone get what they want and make sure they know what she wants and 2) she's not sure if she can he there (I thought any family was allowed to be present - not just those named). I am not going to lie, inheriting 10acres from my mom when she dies would be nice, but I never expected anything from anyone. I was raised to take care of myself and only rely on myself. I've had to live outside on someone's lawn - literally, with no tent. I have had to live in a barn and in my car. My family was never there for me.

Eggs are precious here - all are sold as hatching eggs or put in the incubator. I actually buy store eggs for eating. I am supposed to be getting mealworms to try and farm. In the meantime, I buy freeze dried mealies from Walmart (cheaper than TSC and other feed stores if you are trying to save a few bucks - it's under $7 for 10oz). I treat the birds to sprouted greens once a week. I'd love to do it more but I don't have the stuff I need to do it in higher frequency. I got a small kit to try it and and see how it went. It's gone very well!

 

[sonderah]

Quite a few years ago after I had my tubal I gained over 60lbs in 8 months.  I had my thyroid checked and my hormones and the doctor claimed everything was "in normal range".  I have 8 of the listed symptoms for hypothyroidsim.  The worst is the weight gain and the menstrual cycles - they are so bad I am planning on getting the ball rolling on a hysterectomy once our insurance kicks in.  I want to mention I am 32yrs old and have been dealing with this for over 10yrs.

I don't have anything to do with my family, really.  Like I said, I wasn't close to my great grandfather.  I was called upon during the fall for a few doctors appointments and called again less than 2wks before he died to check on him and make sure he was alright for 2 days he spent at home before he was admitted to the hospital.  What the issue is, is my mom calls me daily complaining about the inheritance, her boyfriend and her horse.  Anywhere from once to upwards of 5-8x a day.  I am getting nothing.  What ticks me off that my mom was promised land (about 10 acres of the 75 acre farm) and everyone is trying to keep her from it.  They are trying to sell her piece of land out of under her.  The other thing that ticks me off is my great aunt is trying to hide money, stocks, bonds, CDs and life insurances so she can buy the land off everyone else.  She made a slip to mom that a few bonds may slip through the cracks and mom said she was quite sure some would - meaning she knew what my great aunt was up to.  Now she's refusing to go to the will reading because 1) she's being accused of being greedy for trying to help everyone get what they want and make sure they know what she wants and 2) she's not sure if she can he there (I thought any family was allowed to be present - not just those named).  I am not going to lie, inheriting 10acres from my mom when she dies would be nice, but I never expected anything from anyone.  I was raised to take care of myself and only rely on myself.  I've had to live outside on someone's lawn - literally, with no tent.  I have had to live in a barn and in my car.  My family was never there for me.

Eggs are precious here - all are sold as hatching eggs or put in the incubator.  I actually buy store eggs for eating.  I am supposed to be getting mealworms to try and farm.  In the meantime, I buy freeze dried mealies from Walmart (cheaper than TSC and other feed stores if you are trying to save a few bucks - it's under $7 for 10oz).  I treat the birds to sprouted greens once a week.  I'd love to do it more but I don't have the stuff I need to do it in higher frequency.  I got a small kit to try it and and see how it went.  It's gone very well!

I will never understand how people can go so quick from grieving to crazy! My parents had the same mess, somewhat, when each of my grandfathers passed. Everyone fighting afraid someone may get more than they do. Its really sad! I told my parents to spend or sell everything now, cause I don't want to deal with it. My dad is on deaths door with COPD & my mom has a very aggressive cancer. So I want them to enjoy every part of the life they have left. I only have 1 sister & her son. They are both disabled and will require full time care for the rest of their lives. I'll inherit that, & that is good enough for me! Lol People never cease to amaze me! I'm so sorry u r having to go through this. All that negativity would cause anyone to be depressed!!

 

[NewToFarming]

Quite a few years ago after I had my tubal I gained over 60lbs in 8 months. I had my thyroid checked and my hormones and the doctor claimed everything was "in normal range". I have 8 of the listed symptoms for hypothyroidsim. The worst is the weight gain and the menstrual cycles - they are so bad I am planning on getting the ball rolling on a hysterectomy once our insurance kicks in. I want to mention I am 32yrs old and have been dealing with this for over 10yrs.

I don't have anything to do with my family, really. Like I said, I wasn't close to my great grandfather. I was called upon during the fall for a few doctors appointments and called again less than 2wks before he died to check on him and make sure he was alright for 2 days he spent at home before he was admitted to the hospital. What the issue is, is my mom calls me daily complaining about the inheritance, her boyfriend and her horse. Anywhere from once to upwards of 5-8x a day. I am getting nothing. What ticks me off that my mom was promised land (about 10 acres of the 75 acre farm) and everyone is trying to keep her from it. They are trying to sell her piece of land out of under her. The other thing that ticks me off is my great aunt is trying to hide money, stocks, bonds, CDs and life insurances so she can buy the land off everyone else. She made a slip to mom that a few bonds may slip through the cracks and mom said she was quite sure some would - meaning she knew what my great aunt was up to. Now she's refusing to go to the will reading because 1) she's being accused of being greedy for trying to help everyone get what they want and make sure they know what she wants and 2) she's not sure if she can he there (I thought any family was allowed to be present - not just those named). I am not going to lie, inheriting 10acres from my mom when she dies would be nice, but I never expected anything from anyone. I was raised to take care of myself and only rely on myself. I've had to live outside on someone's lawn - literally, with no tent. I have had to live in a barn and in my car. My family was never there for me.

Eggs are precious here - all are sold as hatching eggs or put in the incubator. I actually buy store eggs for eating. I am supposed to be getting mealworms to try and farm. In the meantime, I buy freeze dried mealies from Walmart (cheaper than TSC and other feed stores if you are trying to save a few bucks - it's under $7 for 10oz). I treat the birds to sprouted greens once a week. I'd love to do it more but I don't have the stuff I need to do it in higher frequency. I got a small kit to try it and and see how it went. It's gone very well!

I am so sorry you are going through this! As for the thyroid issue. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It is an autoimmune disorder. Maybe have the Dr. test for the antibodies to see if that might be your problem. I tend to flip back and forth from hypo to hyper to normal and it is horrible at times. Right now I am in hyper and have a terrible time keeping weight on. There is not much they can do for it until the body destroys the thyroid and no longer functions, then they can do the meds. I take a natural supplement to help balance when I need it but that is about all I can do at this point. It is very frustrating. Even if you show normal on the labs tests for thyroid levels, it might not be your normal and you have symptoms. Alot of Dr.'s do not understand that and just dismiss you because levels appear within normal range. But maybe just see to check if you might have the antibodies for Hashimoto's. At least you will know what is causing you to feel the way you do. I thought I was going crazy prior to the diagnosis. Now I understand why I feel the way I do at times. Hang in there and I do hope things get better all around for you!

 

[Quailsong]

I will never understand how people can go so quick from grieving to crazy!

Money. That's it in a nutshell.


Quote:
Rey, I would agree with NewToFarming & look into Hashimotos'. It's possible when your thyroid checks as normal, is when you're not spiking one way or the other.

As for periods, I too have your issue. I've looked into surgeries of all kinds & am personally not wanting a full hysterectomy. Even if the ovaries are kept intact (which is crucial for women, before menopause) then they will atrophy soon after. Then comes the hormone issues. There's another type of surgery that skins/burns the lining inside the uterus. It's called Endometrial Ablation. I've been eyeing it for a long time now & the procedures are becoming less risky; though not as efficient. People who have the surgery may still get their periods, but it'd be very light. For me, when I can bleed a cup a day, that sounds like a dream. But the risks of the surgery are still high. In the meantime, I found removing soy from my diet actually helped a TON - and it's not easy since there's a LOT of soy products in modern foods. Esp harder since I love Asian cuisine.

For your family, I've had what seems like the same corruption to deal with. I've been homeless, lived in a shelter & nobody in my family cared. Not one bit. Money & gossip were king - I wanted out of it! I had so many opportunities to inherit things but I knew it was all a trap. Whatever I'm sure I'd get, they'd likely try to sue me (threats were already occurring with other family members) & I'd be tangled in all that misery for years. I knew I would do better on my own (well, me & my best friend) so I ditched all that chaos, started a new life elsewhere & never talked to them again.

To clarify, I'm not a doctor or counselor. Your life experiences are different from mine. So what I've said might not work for you. But maybe my ramble will give you some ideas, something that'll help you find balance amidst the chaos. And please know that no matter what bad things are going on in your life, it will change. That's the beauty of life. Things keep moving on & we gain new life experiences to defeat our issues. So please keep that thought with you. And if you ever want someone to ramble or rant to please PM me anytime.

 

[Ellaluvsbirds]

I am thinking of getting either Bourbon Red or Blue Slate turkeys for meat purposes. Which would you suggest? What do I need to know about each breed??

 

[Arielle]

I am thinking of getting either Bourbon Red or Blue Slate turkeys for meat purposes. Which would you suggest? What do I need to know about each breed??

I have BR but not slates. ANd I have several other turkey varities.

I like them all; theyare very similar.

BR are a medium-large turkey and I can manage that size by myseof, and my kids can too. My BR are well behavied = no problems with my kids handling the toms. No attacks. THe kids collect the eggs, pushing past the toms and hens to the nest.

THe birds have plenty of meat; the older they are the more meat. THey over winter well and can handle siting in a tree in a storm; not my preferred location for them but some times one goes to roost early and we can't get it down.

I have Narrigansetts, auburns and Br and sweetgrass; they are all close enough that I like them all.

BR are APA recognized; not sure about slates.

 

[desertmarcy]

I have BR but not slates. ANd I have several other turkey varities.

I like them all; theyare very similar.

BR are a medium-large turkey and I can manage that size by myseof, and my kids can too. My BR are well behavied = no problems with my kids handling the toms. No attacks. THe kids collect the eggs, pushing past the toms and hens to the nest.

THe birds have plenty of meat; the older they are the more meat. THey over winter well and can handle siting in a tree in a storm; not my preferred location for them but some times one goes to roost early and we can't get it down.

I have Narrigansetts, auburns and Br and sweetgrass; they are all close enough that I like them all.

BR are APA recognized; not sure about slates.

Slates are APA recognized, one of the first breeds that was, in 1874, along with Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, and Black. The Bourbon Red was added later, in 1909, then the Beltsville Small White in 1951, and lastly, The Royal Palm was admitted in 1977.

 

[desertmarcy]

I am thinking of getting either Bourbon Red or Blue Slate turkeys for meat purposes. Which would you suggest? What do I need to know about each breed??

In 2008, there was an independent blind taste testing of 8 heritage turkey varieties along side Butterball turkey. This was published in Mother Earth News, August 21, 2008. You can read the whole thing on line and I would give you the link, but can't seem to copy and paste a link here? But of all the varieties, the Midget White came in first with Bourbon Red coming in second, both receiving twice as many votes as all the other varieties. Butterball came in last, no surprise. So if you want them for meat, BR is a good choice although personally, if you brine and slow cook a heritage turkey? They are ALL delicious! For breeding purposes, if you breed two Slates to each other, you will get 3 colors---Slate, Self Blue, and Black. Some people like the diffrerent colors, but the Black birds tend to leave some dark staining on the meat from the feather pigment. Cosmetic only, so if you are only processing for yourself, shouldn't be a problem. What I do with my Slates is, I use a Self Blue tom over them, and that way I only get the Slates and Self Blue and no Black. I think there are variations in temperament, not so much within breed but probably different lines. My Slates are the calmest of all my turkeys. I have 3 different bloodlines of Bourbon Red, and the ones from Porter are calmer than the other two. They are both about the same size, and the Standard calls for the same size: 33 lbs for old toms, 23 lbs for young toms; 18 lbs for old hens, 14 lbs for young hens. But in actuality, unless the breeder is working to get the size up, the heritage turkeys tend to be smaller than the SOP calls for.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote: I have been homeless, lived in shelters, campers, tents, other people's houses in the past 20 years...and not a single member of my family stepped up to help except for the last 2 times and my grandma (dad's mom) the very first time 20 years ago. My mother got rid of her husband & finally decided me & my kids had a place in her life after all. The last time, my mother gave me $500 to get a camper to stay in until I could find a place (she was in Florida, I was in Ohio, so couldn't do much more). The time before, my mother let me stay at her place for 1 night after being homeless for 2 months, living in a tent & then in someone else's house...then my grandmother (mom's mom) loaned me money for 1 month's rent to get a nasty little apartment full of bugs & rodents owned by a slumlord. I have been homeless twice in the past 3 years & had to move quickly on 2 other occasions in that time frame. My mother & grandmother have actually volunteered to give me money a couple times in the past year, which almost made me faint. They know we barely scrape by & I don't ask them for help if I can avoid it. I get SSI for severe depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia & several other conditions that all work together against me. There are days I can't even get out of bed due to pain & fatigue, but I refuse to give in. My greatest gift (courtesy of my father's mother) is my stubbornness, which was inherited honestly. I was very close to my grandmother (dad's mom) before her death 15 years ago this month. After she was gone, the rest of dad's family turned against me & caused all kinds of problems for me. They knew I was grandma's favorite & resented me. They never would have done any of the things to me that they have done the past 15 years if she were still here because she literally would have cracked their skulls. I just try to do the best I can with the little I have & keep to myself as much as possible as far as my family is concerned.

Quote: Rey, I would agree with NewToFarming & look into Hashimotos'. It's possible when your thyroid checks as normal, is when you're not spiking one way or the other.

As for periods, I too have your issue. I've looked into surgeries of all kinds & am personally not wanting a full hysterectomy. Even if the ovaries are kept intact (which is crucial for women, before menopause) then they will atrophy soon after. Then comes the hormone issues. There's another type of surgery that skins/burns the lining inside the uterus. It's called Endometrial Ablation. I've been eyeing it for a long time now & the procedures are becoming less risky; though not as efficient. People who have the surgery may still get their periods, but it'd be very light. For me, when I can bleed a cup a day, that sounds like a dream. But the risks of the surgery are still high. In the meantime, I found removing soy from my diet actually helped a TON - and it's not easy since there's a LOT of soy products in modern foods. Esp harder since I love Asian cuisine.

For your family, I've had what seems like the same corruption to deal with. I've been homeless, lived in a shelter & nobody in my family cared. Not one bit. Money & gossip were king - I wanted out of it! I had so many opportunities to inherit things but I knew it was all a trap. Whatever I'm sure I'd get, they'd likely try to sue me (threats were already occurring with other family members) & I'd be tangled in all that misery for years. I knew I would do better on my own (well, me & my best friend) so I ditched all that chaos, started a new life elsewhere & never talked to them again.

To clarify, I'm not a doctor or counselor. Your life experiences are different from mine. So what I've said might not work for you. But maybe my ramble will give you some ideas, something that'll help you find balance amidst the chaos. And please know that no matter what bad things are going on in your life, it will change. That's the beauty of life. Things keep moving on & we gain new life experiences to defeat our issues. So please keep that thought with you. And if you ever want someone to ramble or rant to please PM me anytime.

I know all about disowning family & moving away to save my sanity. I have relatives (including my dad & step-mother) who I have not spoken to in 5 years or more & barely spoken to in 10. I have a saying here, "With family like mine, I don't need enemies."

Quote:
I have slates & palms. No problems with them either. Slates carry more meat than palms but personalities are very similar in both to what you describe in the bourbon reds. My kids walk right in the pens, collect eggs, etc. Mine are even penned with chickens & ducks & coexist peacefully.

 

[Kelsykin]

I know all about disowning family & moving away to save my sanity. I have relatives (including my dad & step-mother) who I have not spoken to in 5 years or more & barely spoken to in 10. I have a saying here, "With family like mine, I don't need enemies."

I have slates & palms. No problems with them either. Slates carry more meat than palms but personalities are very similar in both to what you describe in the bourbon reds. My kids walk right in the pens, collect eggs, etc. Mine are even penned with chickens & ducks & coexist peacefully.

I have about 3 dozen turkey eggs in the incubator. Nargarsettes and Blue Slates. They will be housed and penned with the ducks, some chickens and geese when I finally get them........