Turkeys For 2013

[Arielle]

Thank you Arielle, I think what I have concluded by all the posts is this guy has one or more mean toms and doesn't know how to handle them, it's not a breed problem but a breeder problem. 25 years is a long time to go without learning much

I've been around BIG animals for a lot of years--I have no use for an animal that can hurt me. At least we can eat the naughty turkeys! Yum.

I lived onthe heritage thread for a long time-- lots of great info on true heritge chickens, some folks new to chickens, some old timers with great wisedom to share.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Oh too funny!!! Definitely get a few more to enjoy!!

My 4 muskateers were/are toms. I sold one as a pet, and in days he was loose and the cops were chasing him in their squad cars trying to herd him.

He was a pussy cat and they could have just picked him up with out a fuss, but they don't know a thing about turkeys!! lol

 

[r4eboxer]

The lilacs from Porter are bronze-based, with two slate genes: b+b+DD
Lavenders are black-based, with two slate genes: BBDD
Slates are black-based, with one slate gene: BBDd. When you breed two slates together, you get 50% slate, 25% black, and 25% lavender.
Kevin Porter's lilacs will breed true. Some other bloodlines may not.

I'm going to try to get some lavenders next year, what needs to be bred to get a lilac? Do you know how many years it takes to get them to breed true? I"m also going to start a blue palm program next year. I talked to Kevin about that and he said eventually I'd get blue palms but I didn't ask him how long it would take, do you know?

I have two bronze turkeys, the hen is sitting on her eggs in a dog house in the fenced area, and the Tom keeps pacing back and forth by the fence. I let the Tom out because he is starting to lose feathers from pacing so much, but I want to get him back in his pen. Is there any way to get a turkey to stop pacing in his fence?

My toms were missing all the feathers on their breasts too, they have just started growing back in though they still pace the fence.

I cleaned up the smashed eggs and the yolk too. Went from 17 to 11 but she doesn't want to budge. I have an incubator but have never used it before. I think I will leave her alone and let her continue to try. She is not on the nest now but my Narragansett is... They seem to share the nest for mutual advantage

I hope she hatches the rest, can you separate your Toms?

 

[joshm97]

I want too but when I first started this project I had no idea we were going to Ghent toms the man from the hatchery said the were all sapped to My father they would be hens and my dad not knowing a lot about these turkeys was told they were a different breed so I honesty have no place for them to go right now..... Could I let th roost in the pines on my hill

 

[cws451]

hello everybody so i am getting my first batch of BR turkeys this next fri. I have been reading this forum and had some questions. There are not any grain mills anywhere close to where i live and if TS doesnt carry the right food then what should i start them off with and eventually use when they get bigger. I have some chickens that i are about 7 weeks old can i use the same food for the turkeys. It is the purina starter/grower. my next question is that i see people talking about not liking dark feathered birds because when u pluck them u still see some pin feather...is that a deal breaker to some people? I plan on using them for meat but i have heard good things about the BR.

 

[chicken pickin]

BR s have white pin feathers so when you dress them they are clean, no dark spots. Here is a pic of my BR tom we had at Easter this year

 

[chicken pickin]

Also for the feed you were asking about, poults need higher protein of 28-30% protein feed. At TSC they should have something that is like a Gamebird start/grower, that should have enough protein. If you have a Blue Seal near you they carry Turkey specific feed and also a Multi flock feed that is good and gamebird feed. If you need to feed them a little lower protein they will manage but for optimal growth I would not feed them chick starter its too low in protein.

 

[frank53061]

BR s have white pin feathers so when you dress them they are clean, no dark spots. Here is a pic of my BR tom we had at Easter this year

That looks very much like the one I had for Christmas I smoked ours I know I have a 50/50 chances that I would say that's a Tom by the shape of the strucher .

 

[chicken pickin]

That looks very much like the one I had for Christmas I smoked ours I know I have a 50/50 chances that I would say that's a Tom by the shape of the strucher .

Yes he was a 9 month old Tom

 

[kuntrygirl]

Looks like I missed a lot over the weekend. I will have to go back and read all of the posts.

Congrats to anyone who had new hatches. Sorry to anyone how lost any poults or who didn't have a good hatch. I hope that everyone has healthy poults as of today and not experiencing any problem.