Turkeys For 2013

[kuntrygirl]

Thank for the info, I will impatiently wait a few more days and recheck them. My husband gives me a hard time when I say "born" so I was glad to see other people say it, too.

I am always being corrected on here about my terminology, I recently learned that baby turkeys are called "poults". Unfortunately, my baby turkey, Patrick, is my baby turkey. lol sue

Don't worry about that. I call mine baby turkeys as well. We all know what we are talking about. That's all that matters.

 

[kuntrygirl]

TURKEY EGG TURKEY EGG TURKEY EGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got my FIRST turkey egg this morn

e Congrats !!!!!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I know that everyone is complaining about getting no eggs or getting just a few eggs. Well, I"m ready for my girls to STOP laying eggs. EGGS ARE EVERYWHERE!!! i'm tired seeing eggs!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[1MrsMagoo]

1. If it is a hen and does not get bred by a tom, yes it will lay unfertilized eggs once it is mature and during the laying season for turkeys in your area.

2. Turkey eggs are very good. My neighbor is impatiently waiting for my turkeys to start laying because she very much prefers turkey eggs over chicken eggs. I prefer the turkey eggs for baked goods and they do make a wonderful custard.

3. No, turkey chicks require a higher % of protein than is in chick starter. I use turkey starter or game bird starter for day old turkey chicks.

I will add to #3...not only do they require the higher protein, but I have been told that you are not supposed to feed them medicated chick starter, which is typically what most folks get.

Some turkeys are parthenogenic and will lay a small percent of fertile eggs without a Tom present; any offspring that hatch would be male. However, it is a very small amount in most breeds except the Beltsville Small White turkey.

 

[redneck farmer]

I will add to #3...not only do they require the higher protein, but I have been told that you are not supposed to feed them medicated chick starter, which is typically what most folks get.

Some turkeys are parthenogenic and will lay a small percent of fertile eggs without a Tom present; any offspring that hatch would be male. However, it is a very small amount in most breeds except the Beltsville Small White turkey.

Thanks but it ain't medicated

 

[ashandvine]

Beltsville Small White turkey.

Do you mean Midget Whites or Beltsville Whites? Two different breeds.

 

[r4eboxer]

IMHO, buying Purina, is paying for the name and it's too expensive for what you get, sometimes. Ask your feed store if they have another brand, like Country Acres, or some other brand that cost less $ ! If you can afford the $ and like that brand, so be it, but a lot of people can't, so you have to decide that for yourself, but just wanted to let you know there are less expensive alternatives!

I know right!? Purina is expensive and I don't usually use it. I do use country acres and that is what I get at my feed store, but they could only get game bird feed in Purina, at least that is what I was told. I am going to go back to raising mealies. It was a pain cutting up potatoes all the time, but much better for the birds and cheaper!!

 

[r4eboxer]

I know that everyone is complaining about getting no eggs or getting just a few eggs. Well, I"m ready for my girls to STOP laying eggs.

EGGS ARE EVERYWHERE!!! i'm tired seeing eggs!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well that is a great opportunity for me to ask where I am on the list??

 

[Sally8]

Well, here is a short tutorial on splinting a turkey leg.

Do you know how the leg got broken? I've been told that it's easy for an adult especially if he roosts too high. My Tom is quite large and I worry about him. I would think if he were very large, it wouldn't be easy. Thank you for the tutorial, I've copied it to my laptop incase................

I just got a baby bronze turkey ( first one ever)
I have some questions-
1 wil it lay unfertailezed eggs?
2 do the eggs taste good?
3 is chick starter good for a day old turkey
Thanks!

The woman who sold me my pair as poults told me that she raised them with her chicks and then with her chickens without using anything special. Even as adults they ate layers crumbles. Recently as winter became so cold for so long, I switched everyone to flock raiser and I ferment it with grains. I'm wondering if I should go out and tell Chuck and Rosie that possibly they should be dead or at least try and look unhealthy for the way I've fed them. Rosie has laid an egg almost every day for approx. 6-8 weeks and has sat so faithfully. Because it is so cold, I periodically take her eggs and stick them in the incubator. In the last week we've hatched out 4 beautiful babies.
On the fertilized egg question I overlooked the most obvious, not asking if a tom would be present.

My little toms fanned out at an early age, I'll try to find a pic. The toms were the only ones to fan. I did see Rosie fan out last summer at a yr old or better and she was trying to interest Chuck. It was very funny.

Kuntrygirl, I also am overrun with eggs. I'm hoping I will be able to sell them (poults) Raising turkeys aren't big around here. I called our county agriculture department early on in raising them, concerned about Blackhead, to find out that it is in the soil in certain areas and thankfully mine isn't one of them. I'm very careful about bring any adult or chick to my property. Even though it's not there now doesn't mean it never can be. sue

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Do you mean Midget Whites or Beltsville Whites? Two different breeds.

Beltsville Small Whites. I raise them (got them from Jerry Poole's flock) and am fully aware they are different from the Midget Whites: Thanks though.