This I know well. I also have 4 teens...lol My exes get to deal with them most of the time.I'm glad things are working out all the way around. =) Yeah, my girls started getting moody about that age. It doesn't get better for a while.
My BBW hen from last year was 9 1/2 months old & carrying a load of eggs when I processed her the week of Thanksgiving this past year. She ran with my chickens in the big coop until the last 3 weeks when she no longer fit through the pop door. Never had a single problem with her legs. The 2 I got with her did though. Lost 1 the first week & the other at about 4-5 months to bad legs. My dinner bird maxed at almost 30 pounds live & over 20 dressed. She gained most in those last 3 or so weeks when I had he'd in a small cage for fattening. Her legs were still great the day I butchered. Exercise did her well.I agree. I have raised the BBW and CX, DH loves "white meat" so I will continue to do it. BUT when it comes to flock birds, I like heritage. I process the extra roos, and the toms. Serious difference in the flavors of the meat, and just appreciate a free range birds flavor more. I guess its all in what you like.Thank you for posting this. I have not had BB turkeys, but have had Cornish X chickens, and did not find them to be quite as disabled as many people find them to be, at least while they were young. But I noticed that you raised your birds on pasture, as did I, so maybe that makes a huge difference. They get more exercise, and don't sit in front of concentrated food all day long. It also probably makes a difference where you obtain them, since some sources will have healthier birds than others. But in the end, I have decided that heritage birds are the direction I want to go. While the commercial birds are quicker to raise, I do not enjoy them in the same way. There is no mystery as to which ones will be breeding quality, which ones will I get so attached to that they will become pets regardless of quality, how can I adjust their management to improve lifespan, nothing of that. They're all culled, either at the usual slaughter time or when they become too uncomfortable. It's very efficient, just not for me anymore. But it was wonderful to see a picture of your flock enjoying the pasture.I can add my BBB experience to the conversation, but this is only my 3rd year with turkeys, 2nd with BBB's. I got 15 poults from Ideal last year. I lost one hen to coyotes and traded one tom to a friend. All the others have done very well. None have had leg problems so far. The hens run around, clumsily, but they do run. The tom just struts and has no personality at all. I put 7 toms in the freezer. My hens started laying at about 7-8 months. I started getting fertile eggs 2-3 months later. I tried hatching 2 different times, but although the eggs are fertile, they don't seem to be viable. There was no development in any of the 35 turkey eggs. But I did hatch 2 chicks that I had added with the first clutch, so I'm pretty sure it's not the incubator
. The second clutch I candled and tossed. I'm going to try a heritage tom over my BBB hens, but I've also decided, after reading what others on here do, that I'm going to switch to heritage birds and clip wings if need be. As long as they stay away from the house and cars, the neighbors shouldn't complain.
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