Turkey Talk for 2014

[Sydney Acres]

All that aside, here's a picture we can all enjoy

"Hey.. you look a little weird for a silkie!"

Ahh, such a beautiful poult, and still wearing its egg tooth.

 

[Penny Hen]

I now have 6 poults underneath my broody silkie group! One egg didn't hatch, so I decided to do an eggtopsy, and boy, did I find something weird. The poult was small in general, although fully formed, but that wasn't what was weird. It appeared to have a head fused with a separate head. It had four eyes in total, three on one side in one big mass and one normal eye on the other side. Its beak was huge and wide at the bottom, but short and very curved at the top. On the side of its head with the three eyes, it had a small hard growth which looked like another beak that partially formed. The back of its skull was not completely formed, as the brain was exposed, which is what I believe led to its death before hatching. The rest of its body was normal. It looked like it died approximately 4 days before hatch. I would post a picture, but I think it is a bit too graphic for those who don't want to see it. I've never seen anything like it! It wasn't a double yolker, so I assume something just went wrong as the embryo's cells were dividing, causing a 'partial' twin.

I'd like to see that too. Ever the Mad Chicken Scientist.

Had and E-friend and shepherd whose ewe gave birth to twin lambs and a leg-o-lamb a few years ago. It even got posted on Coast to Coast's website!

 

[gevshiba]

All the gobbling and hen talk from the new turkeys called up a wild tom. He sure was bold.



These are the new birds. A friend is taking one of the toms tomorrow. They're pretty ratty looking right now. They aren't used to being handled and it was a 2 1/2 hour drive with 2 dogs right beside them. I picked them up on the way home from an agility trial.

 

[Arielle]

All that aside, here's a picture we can all enjoy

"Hey.. you look a little weird for a silkie!"

Doting mom.

 

[Arielle]

ANyone read this --

http://www.raising-turkeys.com/

 

[chicken farmer]

Hey everyone I've never raised turkeys but I'm REALLY wanting to this year and I would love some tips or advice I should know,and could some of you post some of your turkey pens for me so I can see a couple more ideas...I would really appreciate it!

 

[abmaddox1981]

Set 12 Narragansett eggs (shipped) and 4 of my own RP eggs yesterday! Found a broody Silkie, she's sitting 1 RP egg.
The look she gave me when I took her egg away and replaced it with a turkey egg was priceless!

 

[luvblues7]

I apologize for jumping to the end post without reading the previous post but I need an answer to a question as quickly as possible. I've been looking for Standard Bronze Poults locally and can not find any but I had a man offer me Rio Poults. Can Rio's be allowed to free range? We have wild turkeys on our property and I am concerned that the Rio's will leave, if given the chance, and join the wild turkeys. As you probably can tell I do not have much experience with turkeys. I had Broad Breasted several years ago but never had to worry about them leaving, they could barely waddle across the barnyard.

Thanks!

Carolyn

 

[Arielle]

Hey everyone I've never raised turkeys but I'm REALLY wanting to this year and I would love some tips or advice I should know,and could some of you post some of your turkey pens for me so I can see a couple more ideas...I would really appreciate it!

THis is flexible. I reuse materials and pens, so no2 are the same. My favs are a 8 x 8 made of a 2 x 4 and 2 x 3 frame with std peaked roof. Sides were covered with chicken wire, and then panels of scrap plywood was added. I leave "windows" open on the south side all year round. Inside is a roost and food is outside in the pen. I used puppy pens end to end to enclose an old "tent" which has 4 legs and a water proof canopy.

Another turky house is a 8 x 8 again of 2 x 4 and super large crate sides for the walls. With a cut out to the north that is semi covered in plastic for ventilation and sun. , which letout out into a 10 x 10 made from horse stall grill dividers with 20 ish poles from saplings criscrossed on top and tied down.


For a trio I have a small coop that is a scaled down ranch style human house, and let them out to a run. BUT hens hop out without a cover. Dang those girls can fly.

Sorry no picks, but hope this helps.

I apologize for jumping to the end post without reading the previous post but I need an answer to a question as quickly as possible. I've been looking for Standard Bronze Poults locally and can not find any but I had a man offer me Rio Poults. Can Rio's be allowed to free range? We have wild turkeys on our property and I am concerned that the Rio's will leave, if given the chance, and join the wild turkeys. As you probably can tell I do not have much experience with turkeys. I had Broad Breasted several years ago but never had to worry about them leaving, they could barely waddle across the barnyard.

Thanks!

Carolyn

I dont have any experience with rios. My other heritage, like bourbon reds, and narrigansets and auburns and sweet grass stay home when the wild turkeys come to visit. ( I can walk within 10 feet of them!) My hatched and raised birds do not leave.

 

[TurkenItUp209]

I apologize for jumping to the end post without reading the previous post but I need an answer to a question as quickly as possible. I've been looking for Standard Bronze Poults locally and can not find any but I had a man offer me Rio Poults. Can Rio's be allowed to free range? We have wild turkeys on our property and I am concerned that the Rio's will leave, if given the chance, and join the wild turkeys. As you probably can tell I do not have much experience with turkeys. I had Broad Breasted several years ago but never had to worry about them leaving, they could barely waddle across the barnyard.

Thanks!

Carolyn

Rio's are a wild strain, they will leave and join the wild birds if given the chance, I know of somebody whos Narragansett hen was wooed by a wild tom and had been in the wild flock for 2+ years.