Turkey Talk for 2014

[duluthralphie]

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.

Good luck on the promotion,

I have 13.5 acres here. I currently have 9 turkeys, I would have more but the eagles here like to eat babies.

I am way off balance hens to Toms, by the luck of the draw. I have 5 toms and 4 hens. Of course the eagles kill my hens not my Toms.

I plan to keep 2 toms for breeding, only because I have 2 different strains of turkeys. The other 3 toms are going to go to freezer camp. I will keep 3 toms until just before Easter, just to make sure a tom survives to spring. I have no idea how many I could have here.

If I could get my turkeys inot my back pasture I could have 15-20, BUT my turkeys like to sit close to the chickens and my front steps.

 

[Sueg4332]

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.

I get my chicken broth real cold and skim it off . Low fat broth Of course I leave a little. great flaky pie crust

 

[TeaChick]

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.

I'm curious about numbers of turkeys to have a self-perpetuating flock (with new blood being introduced as needed).

Wild turkeys seem like a reasonable gauge to me.

It sounds like you win either way, keeping 250 acres or getting the promotion. Congrats! =)

 

[TeaChick]

I get my chicken broth real cold and skim it off . Low fat broth Of course I leave a little. great flaky pie crust

That's brilliant too!!!
I'll have to do that; refrigerating it first will make it easier to "control" trying to put it into ice cube trays too (rather than having some with more from the top and some with more from the bottom, where all the seasonings settle to).
Thanks!!!

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: x2 Good luck on the promotion.

 

[TurnipTruck]

My tom injured his leg about a week ago when he tried to land on my goat fence. After untangling his leg, we disinfected and wrapped it. Despite this he appears to have developed an infection and/or swelling. Any suggestions on how to treat this, shy of making him dinner?

 

[duluthralphie]

My tom injured his leg about a week ago when he tried to land on my goat fence. After untangling his leg, we disinfected and wrapped it. Despite this he appears to have developed an infection and/or swelling. Any suggestions on how to treat this, shy of making him dinner?

I am anti antibiotics, but in this case I think I would get some into him. Trying to keep the injury clean is near impossible.

I never eat a bird with an infection of any kind. I had a turkey attacked by an eagle a while back. Her neck was ripped open. I tried to get it to heal, but it looked glim. She had little chance to heal. I let her die, when I failed to get it healed, instead of risk eating infected meat.

 

[casportpony]

My tom injured his leg about a week ago when he tried to land on my goat fence. After untangling his leg, we disinfected and wrapped it. Despite this he appears to have developed an infection and/or swelling. Any suggestions on how to treat this, shy of making him dinner?

-Kathy

 

[TurnipTruck]

Is Baytril s good option for turkeys as far as anitbiotics go?

 

[casportpony]

Is Baytril s good option for turkeys as far as anitbiotics go?

It's a very good one, but it is banned for use in poultry to use for meat and/or eggs.

-Kathy