Turkey Talk for 2014

[Reyvaughn]

Arielle, do you still have the Sweetgrass for 2014 or did you sell them? Are you still trying to sell them? I was hoping to get eggs from you again. Maybe luck will be on my side this year.

 

[Arielle]

Arielle, do you still have the Sweetgrass for 2014 or did you sell them? Are you still trying to sell them? I was hoping to get eggs from you again. Maybe luck will be on my side this year.

Yes I still have them; yes they are still up for sale. And maybe luck will be on your side this year . . . .I can't bring myself to put them in the freezer as they are just too gorgeous!!

 

[Reyvaughn]

Yes I still have them; yes they are still up for sale. And maybe luck will be on your side this year . . . .I can't bring myself to put them in the freezer as they are just too gorgeous!!

If we were closer I'd just buy them. Alas, we are not.

 

[DaisyMeadow]

Howdy, all!

I got two bronze breasted poults last spring, one male, one female, which were my very first turkeys. The female started laying eggs about a month ago, and as we free range, she just sort of drops them anywhere in the yard as she's walking along. She laid one egg in the goat pen, and another directly under the rabbit hutch, but I'm smart enough to know that rabbits only lay eggs around Easter time. Nice try, turkey girl!

I've watched the pair together, and although Tina is willing and sweet (and strangely attracted to people, particularly if they're wearing blue), Jive Turkey doesn't seem to yet be able to figure out the whole mating thing. He'll try it sideways, or line up weird, or just put a half hearted effort into it before giving up. I'm not too concerned since it's not even spring yet, but thought I'd report just in case anyone had any wisdom on the subject.

I'm also due to inherit my neighbor's flock of bourbon reds sometime this week, so I'm hoping that one of those guys can get the job done even if my Jive Turkey cannot.

Thanks for reading and love hearing others' stories!

 

[gevshiba]

I broke down and bought an incubator. Since only 3 of my 5 hens are laying regularly and one of those likes to throw double yolk eggs fairly often, I started saving eggs before I decided which one to buy. When it came, it was damaged and returned. I got the replacement today. I've been trading out fresh eggs for the older ones, but it's slow going. Those BBB's smash quite a few before I can grab them. I'd like to hatch a few chicks along with the poults. I was planning on setting them about 6-7 days after the turkey eggs. This will be my first time hatching anything. I read the eggs shouldn't be older than 14 days. I only have one chicken hen. She doesn't lay every day and her eggs get smashed more often than not. So I only have 3 chicken eggs dated 1-1, 1-2 and 1-9. My turkey eggs are also from 1-1 until today. Is it worth a try? If I wait a week, I might get another chicken egg or two to trade out, but if not, they're only getting older. Should I replace the 1-1 turkey eggs? I hope to set them tomorrow. Thanks for any advise.

 

[gevshiba]

Howdy, all!

I got two bronze breasted poults last spring, one male, one female, which were my very first turkeys. The female started laying eggs about a month ago, and as we free range, she just sort of drops them anywhere in the yard as she's walking along. She laid one egg in the goat pen, and another directly under the rabbit hutch, but I'm smart enough to know that rabbits only lay eggs around Easter time. Nice try, turkey girl!

I've watched the pair together, and although Tina is willing and sweet (and strangely attracted to people, particularly if they're wearing blue), Jive Turkey doesn't seem to yet be able to figure out the whole mating thing. He'll try it sideways, or line up weird, or just put a half hearted effort into it before giving up. I'm not too concerned since it's not even spring yet, but thought I'd report just in case anyone had any wisdom on the subject.

I'm also due to inherit my neighbor's flock of bourbon reds sometime this week, so I'm hoping that one of those guys can get the job done even if my Jive Turkey cannot.

Thanks for reading and love hearing others' stories!

I'm sure no turkey expert, but I do have BBB's and mine did the same thing. My first hen started laying in September or October, can't remember which. The eggs weren't fertile for quite awhile. I stopped checking. Then one day I happened to look and there was a fertile egg. But those BBB toms are big and mine has torn up my hen's sides with his nails. As soon as the weather and my time work together, I'll have to put him in the freezer and find a heritage tom.

 

[Penny Hen]

I'm sure no turkey expert, but I do have BBB's and mine did the same thing. My first hen started laying in September or October, can't remember which. The eggs weren't fertile for quite awhile. I stopped checking. Then one day I happened to look and there was a fertile egg. But those BBB toms are big and mine has torn up my hen's sides with his nails. As soon as the weather and my time work together, I'll have to put him in the freezer and find a heritage tom.

You need to get or make her a turkey sized apron that will keep his claws from tearing her up. There are a couple of BYCers who make them, usually in chicken size but I bet they could make turkey sized one.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
If your tom is tearing up the hen with his nails, you can put a hen saddle on her to protect her back (also called a hen apron). After using several different styles, I've been happiest with this company http://www.hensaver.com/hen-apron-saddle-styles-colors-prices.html. I've only used them for my chickens, but the link is to a page that says they will custom size them for large turkeys at the same price as the XXL size for chickens (there's a phone number for custom orders in the center of the page). I plan to order some for my turkey hens this year, and will ask them to include a ridge as is shown here: http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/BRKSaddle.html. The straps for the chicken saddles are usually elastic, but the turkey saddle picture specifically says that the straps are webbing, not elastic, so maybe elastic won't work in such large birds. I plan on asking the owner of the Hensaver company her opinion, as she is very helpful with any concerns her customers have.

Also, since the tom is not just injuring her back but also her sides, you can do something to make his nails less dangerous. They can be filed or dremmeled (if you have someone to help hold him), or you can glue something onto the tips of them. I got the idea from a product called Softpaws. It's a softish plastic cap that is superglued onto the nails of cats so they can't scratch the furniture. Years ago I had a rooster accidently impale his spur into the side of a hen while breeding. She almost died. I clipped and filed down his spur, then went to the hardware store to look for something/anything that could be used to protect the hens. I found something called thread protectors. They are a tough but softish plastic cap that is made to slip over the end of exposed bolts and prevent the threads from being damaged. They come in various sizes, and are only about 25 cents each. I have found them both at Ace and True Value Hardware stores. For the tapered spurs, I cut a narrow one fairly short, slipped it inside of a larger one, so that the inside surface was narrower at the tip and wider at the base. I trimmed the spur down as far as possible without making it bleed. Then I put on latex gloves, and had someone hold the rooster securely. I partially filled the prepared and presized cap with superglue and slid the cap over the spur. I held it there for 60-90 seconds, and then wiped off any glue that had oozed out. The caps stay on for at least 2 months, and I have had some stay on for a year. I have not had a spur puncture to a hen since, and the one overprotective rooster is a lot nicer now that no one reacts when they get spurred!

You could probably use the same principle on claws. The caps wouldn't last as long, since they're contacting the ground, but it might give the hen some relief until you have the time to retire him. Be sure the nail is as short as possible without bleeding before application. Be sure someone can hold the bird for you, put the glue in the cap (not on the nail) before applying the cap to the nail, and absolutely do wear gloves. I've seen lots of people glued to their cats after trying to apply Softpaws, and the cats don't appreciate it when the only option is to pull your hand back and take hair with it. You don't want your fingers glued to your turkey's foot! Hope this helps.

 

[gevshiba]

You need to get or make her a turkey sized apron that will keep his claws from tearing her up. There are a couple of BYCers who make them, usually in chicken size but I bet they could make turkey sized one.

I've seen these, but didn't think they'd help. He's getting them behind the wing all the way down about 6-8 inches. I spray them with Blue Cote when it happens (twice now) and they heal up very well. But poor girls. He'll need to go.

 

[gevshiba]

If your tom is tearing up the hen with his nails, you can put a hen saddle on her to protect her back (also called a hen apron). After using several different styles, I've been happiest with this company http://www.hensaver.com/hen-apron-saddle-styles-colors-prices.html. I've only used them for my chickens, but the link is to a page that says they will custom size them for large turkeys at the same price as the XXL size for chickens (there's a phone number for custom orders in the center of the page). I plan to order some for my turkey hens this year, and will ask them to include a ridge as is shown here: http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/BRKSaddle.html. The straps for the chicken saddles are usually elastic, but the turkey saddle picture specifically says that the straps are webbing, not elastic, so maybe elastic won't work in such large birds. I plan on asking the owner of the Hensaver company her opinion, as she is very helpful with any concerns her customers have.

Also, since the tom is not just injuring her back but also her sides, you can do something to make his nails less dangerous. They can be filed or dremmeled (if you have someone to help hold him), or you can glue something onto the tips of them. I got the idea from a product called Softpaws. It's a softish plastic cap that is superglued onto the nails of cats so they can't scratch the furniture. Years ago I had a rooster accidently impale his spur into the side of a hen while breeding. She almost died. I clipped and filed down his spur, then went to the hardware store to look for something/anything that could be used to protect the hens. I found something called thread protectors. They are a tough but softish plastic cap that is made to slip over the end of exposed bolts and prevent the threads from being damaged. They come in various sizes, and are only about 25 cents each. I have found them both at Ace and True Value Hardware stores. For the tapered spurs, I cut a narrow one fairly short, slipped it inside of a larger one, so that the inside surface was narrower at the tip and wider at the base. I trimmed the spur down as far as possible without making it bleed. Then I put on latex gloves, and had someone hold the rooster securely. I partially filled the prepared and presized cap with superglue and slid the cap over the spur. I held it there for 60-90 seconds, and then wiped off any glue that had oozed out. The caps stay on for at least 2 months, and I have had some stay on for a year. I have not had a spur puncture to a hen since, and the one overprotective rooster is a lot nicer now that no one reacts when they get spurred!

You could probably use the same principle on claws. The caps wouldn't last as long, since they're contacting the ground, but it might give the hen some relief until you have the time to retire him. Be sure the nail is as short as possible without bleeding before application. Be sure someone can hold the bird for you, put the glue in the cap (not on the nail) before applying the cap to the nail, and absolutely do wear gloves. I've seen lots of people glued to their cats after trying to apply Softpaws, and the cats don't appreciate it when the only option is to pull your hand back and take hair with it. You don't want your fingers glued to your turkey's foot! Hope this helps.

Now, I never thought of covering his nails! He doesn't have spurs. Just little nubs. His nails are very short already. I have Softclaws, but they'd be too small and they're red-probably not a good color to use. But I need to go to Lowe's, so I'll look for the thread protectors, I know what those are. Great idea, thanks!