Turkey Talk for 2014

[Book Em Danno25]

sterile or fertilized?

 

[CaityS]

Hello All!

I might have an unusual post. I just rescued two BBW turkeys from a factory farm. They are 14 weeks old. I brought them home yesterday and so far they are adjusting well to "pet" life.

I do need some advice from you Turkey experts. My first is, can turkeys be cold? Living in a barn with 2000 other turkeys, my girls are missing good chunks of feathers on their chests. Every now and then they will ruffle and shake their feathers and look like they might be chilled. I live in Northern California, it never gets really cold. Today it is about 57. Is their anything I can do to make sure they are warm? I built them a shelter that they slept in very comfortably, but during the day when they are ranging I worry about them being warm enough. Especially when it starts to rain.

Also, will their missing feathers grow back?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! I know chickens, but these are my first turkeys.

Here they are!

And here is their shelter I made. Is it ok?

 

[Book Em Danno25]

yes they will grow back. what is the perimeter of the shelter?

 

[chicken pickin]

I have only one and I love her. Will she lay eggs?

Turkeys are seasonal egg layers typically Spring thru Fall. If she hatched this year she should start laying eggs come next Spring. For most people the average start is March and April, though it does differ from region to region. Most turkey hens will stop laying eggs in the Fall anywhere from Sept-Nov again depending on the region and then pick back up laying again the following Spring.

What variety turkey is your hen?

 

[CaityS]

yes they will grow back. what is the perimeter of the shelter?

It is 4 x 6.

 

[Book Em Danno25]

ok. i think tahtll work. how tall is it?

 

[CaityS]

ok. i think tahtll work. how tall is it?

It is a but over 3 feet.

 

[chickadoodles]

Hello All!

I might have an unusual post. I just rescued two BBW turkeys from a factory farm. They are 14 weeks old. I brought them home yesterday and so far they are adjusting well to "pet" life.

I do need some advice from you Turkey experts.

My first is, can turkeys be cold? Living in a barn with 2000 other turkeys, my girls are missing good chunks of feathers on their chests. Every now and then they will ruffle and shake their feathers and look like they might be chilled. I live in Northern California, it never gets really cold. Today it is about 57. Is their anything I can do to make sure they are warm? I built them a shelter that they slept in very comfortably, but during the day when they are ranging I worry about them being warm enough. Especially when it starts to rain.

Also, will their missing feathers grow back?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! I know chickens, but these are my first turkeys.

Here they are!

And here is their shelter I made. Is it ok?

Living in Cali. they should not get cold unless they are very young and do not have their feathers in yet. Keep them dry. Broad Breasted turkey will get very large very fast if you feed them all they want and at 5 months old they will not be able to walk well. I kept mine on a diet and fed them once a day and by 7 months they had to go.
There is a ton of info on the turkey for 2013 and the turkey101 thread! I read everything I could find online when I was thinking of getting turkey. They are very fun and can also be very protective. Enjoy!

 

[TeaChick]

Hi the hen that i had sitting didn't hatch anything out eggs got rotten from storms so upset

I save my chicken fat it makes the best pie crust for chicken pot pie. I like beef fat browned to favor dull tasting beef cuts.

Never thought of using chicken fat for the crust of chicken pot pie.

Thanks! I'll start saving my chicken fat for all these savory baking needs.

 

[TurnipTruck]

As I get ready to go into my second year as a turkey farmer I am curious at to peoples opinions of how many turkeys is best to have a self perpetuating flock? Beyond jut sheer numbers of birds, what are ideal tom to hen ratios?

My only expereince as far as this goes if from my observations while hunting wild turkeys. It seems to me that small flocks come in at 15-20 in the wild and large flocks easily reach 50 birds. So, I guess the answer to my question could be a varied as the number of people who are willing to profer an opinion.

To throw it out there, I currently have 250 acres, but may be moving for work and the property I have my eye on is about 15 acres if I do in fact get the promotion and move to corporate HQ.