Turkey Talk for 2014

[Arielle]

Quote: Isn't that the greatest taste? Very zesty!!

Quote: We use frostless faucets outside( hot and cold)-- and a hair drier in the basement to defrost them. Our in house plumbing was designed by us during construction and all pipes are run on inside walls or inside the room in the case of the kitchen where the wood stove is always running.

I cannot live without running water as the horse drink so much of it-- unless the snow is covering the ground, then they prefer the snow instead.

Quote: Glad to see you back!!!

Here is one of Fiona

She was very pretty; sorry for your loss.

 

[newturkeygirl]

Isn't that the greatest taste? Very zesty!!

We use frostless faucets outside( hot and cold)-- and a hair drier in the basement to defrost them. Our in house plumbing was designed by us during construction and all pipes are run on inside walls or inside the room in the case of the kitchen where the wood stove is always running.

I cannot live without running water as the horse drink so much of it-- unless the snow is covering the ground, then they prefer the snow instead.  





Glad to see you back!!! 

She was very pretty; sorry for your loss. 

Thank you. I miss her terribly already.

 

[TexasLisa]

I've not heard that before. Hope it works. How long after the frostbite does it need to be applied? I would think it would need to be quite soon, if not before.

I have heard that applying Vaseline to the comb and waddles before the frostbite will prevent it, or at least allow the bird to tolerate a lower temperature. When we were having lows down to 8 degrees I forgot to bring home some Vaseline, so I used some moisturizing lotion ((Alba Botanica Very Emollient body lotion, unscented original formula -- it's bird safe). It did wonders for the comb of my Dorking rooster. The first day of cold temps I didn't remember to apply anything, and when he went in at night to roost his big beautiful comb was nearly flopped over, and he objected more than usual when I touched it. It was ice cold, flaccid, and painful when handled. The roads were icy and it wasn't safe to drive to the store, so I used the lotion. His comb seemed to absorb tons of it, and I kept reapplying it until no more would absorb. Same with the waddles, although he didn't act like they were quite as painful. The next morning the comb was 90% better, and I reapplied it again before I let him out of his house. That evening his comb looked great, but I continued to reapply it twice a day until the temperatures got above 25 degrees, just to be sure. I don't think he had yet gotten frostbite, but he was probably close.

Below is what Bee says:

The castor oil is supposed to stimulate tissues like that also but it doesn't seem to burn or cause a drastic change, so I have taken to recommending that ointment above all the others...also because it's a natural antibacterial and may keep the combs from becoming infected when the dead skin starts to slough off. It also is an effective moisture barrier and may keep the humidity from freezing on those combs.

My area doesn't get as cold as it does up north (I am in Houston, TX). We got down to 20 and I don't know what the wind chill was. My two roos came out of the coop yesterday and the tips of their combs were black. The wattles were ok. Last night my DH and I put castor oil on their combs and massaged them for a bit. This morning their combs were bright red. Bee says to try and put it on before the cold spell and you should only have to do it once.

Castor Oil is also suppose to be good to put on their legs when they become scaly. It will help keeps the mites off.

ARIELLE: Thank you ma'am. I am a faithful reader, so I won't be far away. I am in the market for more turkeys. Once that happens, you will hear more from me!

Lisa

 

[Arielle]

Sounds like a plan. I still have the sweetgrass though they are up for sale. ANd the bourbon reds too. I think I will make a pen of mixed breeds this year.

We need to eat more turkey!! ANd chicken!! I was eyeing one of the boubon reds as he tail is not as nice as I want in the breeder birds and a bit small. Makes for good eats though. THen the super cold weather hit-- need a window between the artic cold and the rain.

 

[chickadoodles]

I just called Frank Reese's place to see if or how I could get some stock from him. However he does not ship . But he told me years ago he sold stock to Country Hatchery in Oklahoma and that they ship

. So I called The Hatchery and asked him if he still had Frank Reese's stock and he said he does. So I will be ordering from him he has some ready now! And he said his min. order is 10 poults. Here is the link to his website: http://www.countryhatchery.net/order_information.html

 

[Njinja]

I have an unusual situation--I live in Central Africa and have a walled garden with Muscovies, wild chickens and a turkey couple who recently hatched three poults. The poults are growing well, but now the poor tom has taken too sitting on one of the muscovy hen's nest. She's still laying and isn't too bothered, but the tom's behavior seems strange. Any ideas about what is going on? Do I need to findd him another hen?

 

[Sydney Acres]

I have an unusual situation--I live in Central Africa and have a walled garden with Muscovies, wild chickens and a turkey couple who recently hatched three poults. The poults are growing well, but now the poor tom has taken too sitting on one of the muscovy hen's nest. She's still laying and isn't too bothered, but the tom's behavior seems strange. Any ideas about what is going on? Do I need to findd him another hen?

Is he sitting there constantly, or just off and on? Is that the only place he sits? How long has he been doing that? How old is he? Is he a heritage breed, or is he one of the broad breasted commercial varieties? Do you think that he is sitting on the nest because he is sick/listless/tired/painful/old/etc and that is just the most comfortable place to rest, or do you think there is something else about the nest? Why do you think getting him another hen would be the answer -- did something specific happen that made you consider that, or are you thinking that he is lonely/depressed because his hen is now busy with the poults and has no time for him?

 

[SilkieSensation]

I have an unusual situation--I live in Central Africa and have a walled garden with Muscovies, wild chickens and a turkey couple who recently hatched three poults. The poults are growing well, but now the poor tom has taken too sitting on one of the muscovy hen's nest. She's still laying and isn't too bothered, but the tom's behavior seems strange. Any ideas about what is going on? Do I need to findd him another hen?

Toms, drakes & roosters have all beed known to set eggs but may not sit the entire time needed for incubation. It's not all that unusual. If you want the eggs to actually hatch you will need to have a back up plan (incubator) ready in case he gives up before hatch. Muscovies take 35 days to hatch. Turkeys only take 28.

 

[Njinja]

Is he sitting there constantly, or just off and on?  Is that the only place he sits?  How long has he been doing that?  How old is he?  Is he a heritage breed, or is he one of the broad breasted commercial varieties?  Do you think that he is sitting on the nest because he is sick/listless/tired/painful/old/etc and that is just the most comfortable place to rest, or do you think there is something else about the nest?  Why do you think getting him another hen would be the answer -- did something specific happen that made you consider that, or are you thinking that he is lonely/depressed because his hen is now busy with the poults and has no time for him?

 

[Njinja]

He's off and on, but quite a lot of time on. He's young, only about a year old and seems healthy (thiis is my first foray into turkeys). When he's not on tje Muscovy nest he's hanging around the others. With my rooster, too few hens or when they're all setting on eggs/mothering chicks causes the rooster to get pretty agressive.