Turkey Talk for 2014

[AUNT KAT]

She is sweet looking! Are the dark spots on her face fuzz or scabs? Do you think a local neighbor raised these turkeys are they friendly?

It's some of her feathers yet. She is a sweety pie! They were very friendly......all of them. they were young. I called the Game commission becuase I didn't know if they were wild, but they ran out of the woods, acrossed a field, crossed the road, and came to my house because we were on the porch. The first night they roosted on my roof. the second night they perched right on my front porch railing, and tried to come inside through the bay window. They would even climb right in our laps. The game commission officer said they were not wild. He drove back to the road on the other side of the woods and stopped at a house, and the guy told him he hand raised them, but set them loose and didn't want them anymore. The officer told him I would care for them, and he said I could have them. Poor things. So, we put them in the coop inside the barn- the size of a decent stall (my chickens all have nice coops on wheels with runs now, so it wasn't in use), and we built an outdoor run to it so they could go out and enjoy if they like.

Here's the night they showed up:

 

[chicken pickin]

It's some of her feathers yet. She is a sweety pie! They were very friendly......all of them. they were young. I called the Game commission becuase I didn't know if they were wild, but they ran out of the woods, acrossed a field, crossed the road, and came to my house because we were on the porch. The first night they roosted on my roof. the second night they perched right on my front porch railing, and tried to come inside through the bay window. They would even climb right in our laps. The game commission officer said they were not wild. He drove back to the road on the other side of the woods and stopped at a house, and the guy told him he hand raised them, but set them loose and didn't want them anymore. The officer told him I would care for them, and he said I could have them. Poor things. So, we put them in the coop inside the barn- the size of a decent stall (my chickens all have nice coops on wheels with runs now, so it wasn't in use), and we built an outdoor run to it so they could go out and enjoy if they like.

Here's the night they showed up:

I think I recall this story when you originally posted it. Such a cool/interesting way to start raising turkeys. Are you enjoying them? Did you rehome the others in the pics. Sorry Im full of questions.

 

[AUNT KAT]

I think I recall this story when you originally posted it. Such a cool/interesting way to start raising turkeys. Are you enjoying them? Did you rehome the others in the pics. Sorry Im full of questions.

It's Ok.! I appreciate your help! Yes, I did post because I had no idea how to raise them. After these pics were taken, they left for a week. Not sure where they went, but I was glad they came back. Two had disappeared. Not sure what happened to them. The poor things were in the road, and on their own, so they could have been eaten by animals, or hit by cars, or anything. But, we caught them the day the officer gave the thumbs up. I adopted some out to other people on here, and then a couple had passed away. I was heartbroken. No warning, they just passed. That was very soon after I got them. So, i have 4 left, and they seem to be doing very well and getting big.
I probably shouldn't admit this, but when I go to see them, I say "Are you talkin pretty to Mommy???",

and they chirp away at me right in my face like they are. They allow me to hold them and pet them. My husband shakes his head and walks away. He thought we might eat them, but I just can't. They are too sweet and the sound they make is so soothing to me. I LOVE THE SOUND THEY MAKE. LOL.

I have been praying the big boy doesn't get mean with me. Never experiencing Tom turkeys before, it makes me nervous. I hope this is as far as he goes. If he gets nasty, i would have to butcher him. Cant risk my kids and neighbors.

 

[AUNT KAT]

I think I recall this story when you originally posted it. Such a cool/interesting way to start raising turkeys. Are you enjoying them? Did you rehome the others in the pics. Sorry Im full of questions.

This is also how I started raising a pot belly pig, goats, etc. I can't turn away animals that have no place to go or seem to need help. My husband said the animals all over PA have the word on the street to come here and now we have them just coming to the door on their own!!! LOL!!!

 

[chickadoodles]

Here's one more photo of them, hubby set this photo up on Thanksgiving day, haha.

They are beautiful! And I love the out of order sign! lol Welcome to the turkey thread for 2014

 

[AmericanMom]

Love those Turkeys!!! Told my Aunt that I was gearing up to get some and she has about a hundred wild ones on her property, offered to allow my husband to come up and try and trap a few of them....what's the consensus here?? I guess I should check if its even legal right? I got ahold of some folks in my state and am on the list for fertile eggs when they start laying but then my Aunt offered the alternative...

 

[chicken pickin]

Love those Turkeys!!! Told my Aunt that I was gearing up to get some and she has about a hundred wild ones on her property, offered to allow my husband to come up and try and trap a few of them....what's the consensus here?? I guess I should check if its even legal right? I got ahold of some folks in my state and am on the list for fertile eggs when they start laying but then my Aunt offered the alternative...

I definitely wouldn't go messing with the alternative. I have never looked into it but to me capturing and keeping wild turkeys doesn't sound legal to me. Also wild and domestic turkeys are very different they have different diets and needs Im not sure plopping it in a pen and giving it feed store pellets would be best for it. I personally would not go that route. I would wait patiently for hatching eggs or even poults or adult turkeys. There are loads of us on BYC that sell, there is also craigslist, feed stores and hatcheries.

 

[AUNT KAT]

Love those Turkeys!!! Told my Aunt that I was gearing up to get some and she has about a hundred wild ones on her property, offered to allow my husband to come up and try and trap a few of them....what's the consensus here?? I guess I should check if its even legal right? I got ahold of some folks in my state and am on the list for fertile eggs when they start laying but then my Aunt offered the alternative...

I don't know about there, but I do know here in Pa it is illegal to even mess with the wild turkeys or try to catch them. That's why I had to go through all the rigamarole to contact the Game commission before I took in these turkeys.

 

[AmericanMom]

OK, that's what I thought...I'm hitting the patient button and sitting on my hands waiting for word that the Narragansett eggs are ready, got a few folks within 100 miles that have put me on their list..
New question tho...Is Turkey math the same as chicken math??.. Had the guy at the feed store tell me if I want 6 to get 12 because half usually die... haven't seen that discussed here.

 

[chicken pickin]

OK, that's what I thought...I'm hitting the patient button and sitting on my hands waiting for word that the Narragansett eggs are ready, got a few folks within 100 miles that have put me on their list..
New question tho...Is Turkey math the same as chicken math??.. Had the guy at the feed store tell me if I want 6 to get 12 because half usually die... haven't seen that discussed here.

I have not encountered that problem. Out of all the poults I have raised in the past 2 years I have lost only 2 poults. One we culled because of a bad gash on its neck and one that died on its own because of a leg deformity that caused it to not be able to get around(I should have culled this one also). Pouts are a little tougher to raise than chickens but you shouldn't expect to lose half of them.