Turkey Talk for 2014

[TeaChick]

Thanks. I'm keeping an eye on them. #2 looks to be fighting back a bit now and I think they are settling down. They're driving my dogs crazy. Poults are due to hatch tomorrow and I'm really stressing. I'll be so disappointed if none hatch.

We have a dozen chicks in the livingroom near our puppy (about 3 mos old now) and he's totally jealous of them. If anyone stops to look at the chicks, he whines or barks at them. lol
If I go to check on the incubator in the opposite corner from him, he whines (then I can't hear whether my eggs are chirping yet or not).
(They're not; I"m getting discouraged.)

 

[TeaChick]

I haven't noticed any waste at all. The double sided dish is quite deep and I don't put much in the dish so there seems to be no scratching or flinging it out.

I have to wet feed to avoid waste (and water spillage).
If I put a feeder with dry feed in there and a dish of water, they knock it over.
If they knock over the dish of wet feed, it all but rights itself; whatever happens, they're able to eat all the feed and not wet their bedding unnecessarily and not end up getting dehydrated while in the coop (they have plenty of access to water free ranging).

 

[TeaChick]

I want to ferment my feed too.
I've fermented corn successfully, but I can't feed just that to my chickens and turkeys.
I tried fermenting some layer pellets, bu they just got nasty (not a nice tangy ferment, a gag-inducing moldy mess and in less time than it took for the corn to ferment well).
I'm going to try the new brand of feed I just started getting.
I wanted to know how you all do it.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Questions to all:
How do I find a mill in my area?
What is a mill?
I have a general understanding, but I wouldn't know how to go about finding a mill or what, if anything, in my area might be "close enough".

 


I do the same thing, but for years I felt like I was the only one!  Several years ago the feed store in town actually ridiculed me for doing such a thing, and I had to talk to the manager each time to get them to special order non-medicated chick starter (initially the sales clerk said it wasn't made anymore).  After a few years of that I started driving to a feed store in a nearby town for all my farm needs.  The owner of my new store is wonderful -- respectful of each customer's different preferences and abilities, and will special order anything you want without any hassles.  If you special order something in bulk he sells it to you at cost plus tax plus a small fee for his time, but not at full retail since he doesn't have to stock it or market it.  And lots of his customers use non-medicated chick starter, since he gives them good husbandry advice and discusses what it takes to raise chicks without meds vs with meds.

Yeah, I like the guy at the feed store in town.  I don't like the ppl in the feed store that's most convenient to us though.  They're so slow and they stand there and talk to other customers for lengths of time (not just hi and I'll be with you in a moment, George; we're talking about how's the family and what about that cow last week and when you gonna fill in the blank; ugh).  Anyway, the one in town is much better; it takes time for them to run the credit card machine, but they're friendly and they work with their customers and try to get them what they want.  A friend of mine who raises her chickens, turkeys and other animals naturally too, asks them to order this, that or the other and they just do it "It'll be in thus and such a time, Ma'am." and with a genuine smile.

I never use medicated for anyone. If you expose your babies to a little sand, grass or dirt from your yard while still in the brooder they will build the cocci immunity naturally.

I did this accidentally with my original flock of chickens, and I've never had a problem with any of them getting sick. =)

To find a feed mill in your area you have several options:
1. Ask anyone who has livestock or grows grain.
2. Ask at your local farm supply store.
3. Search your local phone book for "feed mill", "grainary", "grain mill"
4. Do an internet search on the above terms for your local area.

 

[TeaChick]

Got my first turkey egg of the season this afternoon. Pretty sure it came from 1 of the young palm girls. The slate girls laid last year & their eggs are a very light cream with dark brown speckles & this is a tan with light brown speckles.

I know I'm late, but....

 

[TeaChick]

I have a turkey hen emergency!! my turkey hen started laying for the first time a month ago, and since, I've had a couple soft eggs laid and have seen her look egg bound, but she ended up laying her eggs just fine!! we'll I come into the coop this morning and see this. it literally looks like she pushed so hard,her insides came out!!! she hasn't left the coop all day and I have NO IDEA what to do!!

I hope she's doing better!!!!!

 

[TeaChick]

Bator is now full. Final count:
4 polish/ee
2 turkey
15 ancona
39 rainbow layers

All the best in your hatch!

 

[TeaChick]

Just wanted to say hello. Took me awhile to read everyone's post and get caught up. I have been raising and breeding Blue Slates for the past two years and purchased Narragansetts in the fall. Good buy that was, she has already been laying eggs for me here in Saskatchewan for 4 weeks. I have managed to save ten from freezing that are going in the bator tonight.

This is my first post in the Turkey section as we are going to give it a try this year for the first time. We are going to raise some for meat (thinking of getting 12 and hoping for 8 to process) and are thinking about starting with BBW. We have raised Cornish X for meat purpose about 70 each year for the last 3 years and we also raise two pigs each year and have egg layers. I am sure I will have many questions and look forward to learning from all of you!

 

[TeaChick]

To find a feed mill in your area you have several options:
1. Ask anyone who has livestock or grows grain.
2. Ask at your local farm supply store.
3. Search your local phone book for "feed mill", "grainary", "grain mill"
4. Do an internet search on the above terms for your local area.

Thank you very much!!!!!

@ lflynn5324
How is she?

 

[chickadoodles]

I have a turkey hen emergency!! my turkey hen started laying for the first time a month ago, and since, I've had a couple soft eggs laid and have seen her look egg bound, but she ended up laying her eggs just fine!! we'll I come into the coop this morning and see this. it literally looks like she pushed so hard,her insides came out!!! she hasn't left the coop all day and I have NO IDEA what to do!!

How is she doing? I hope she will be ok