Turkeys For 2013

[Arielle]

thank you everyone for the support, I think we are ok. Update, 3 poults are now hatched and dry, another has pipped. I did a fast add sponges and closed back up. I have talked to soo many people, everyone thinks they should sill hatch if they are strong poults, and the first 3 are definitely that! DH is insisting now that we buy the sportsman cabinet next year, and a bigger backup. I am a little ticked at myself, I had a kerosene heating in the garage and didn't even think about it!

3+ yeah!!! ( Cut yourself some slack--you've done a great job!)

 

[aztuffenuff]

Hey Marcy have you got any poults left to sell or will have later if your eggs in the incubator hatch out? I want a few more...let the hen and poults out with Henry the last couple days and they did fantastic!! Maggie sure is a nice hen...I want another hen if you want to let go of one like her!! I really love her she lets me pet on her and pick her up...the poults are 2 hens and a tom...they are so beautiful and are doing great!!!

 

[chicken pickin]

Anyone have any experience with wild turkeys?

I have what seems to be a lone wild hen that travels alone and makes her way back to my farm every couple of days. She spends the day hanging out around all my coops and pens and the other day I found her in my goat pen hanging out with my doelings. Ive tried to shoe her off my property because I don't know if she carries disease but it doesn't work, she doesn't go far. My DH likes to remind me she hangs out here all the time even if we don't see her so if she was sick it would be here anyway. So I let her hang around. Is this ok to let her be with my animals? My DH and DD keep bugging me to "adopt her" but I don't feel right about that, shes a wild animal and deserves to be well wild.

Any thoughts?

 

[chickadoodles]

Anyone have any experience with wild turkeys?

I have what seems to be a lone wild hen that travels alone and makes her way back to my farm every couple of days. She spends the day hanging out around all my coops and pens and the other day I found her in my goat pen hanging out with my doelings. Ive tried to shoe her off my property because I don't know if she carries disease but it doesn't work, she doesn't go far. My DH likes to remind me she hangs out here all the time even if we don't see her so if she was sick it would be here anyway. So I let her hang around. Is this ok to let her be with my animals? My DH and DD keep bugging me to "adopt her" but I don't feel right about that, shes a wild animal and deserves to be well wild.

Any thoughts?

The only thing I can think of chicken pickin is to check your state laws to see if you can own that type of wild turkey and if anyone sells them to your state. If you can own one then you can keep her if you choose, I would think... But some states will fine you for keeping some wild turkey. So you have to find out what your state laws are! Good luck and please keep us updated. I am very interested to know what you do or decide. Cheryl

 

[desertmarcy]

Hey Marcy have you got any poults left to sell or will have later if your eggs in the incubator hatch out? I want a few more...let the hen and poults out with Henry the last couple days and they did fantastic!! Maggie sure is a nice hen...I want another hen if you want to let go of one like her!! I really love her she lets me pet on her and pick her up...the poults are 2 hens and a tom...they are so beautiful and are doing great!!!

Sent you a PM.

 

[Arielle]

Anyone have any experience with wild turkeys?

I have what seems to be a lone wild hen that travels alone and makes her way back to my farm every couple of days. She spends the day hanging out around all my coops and pens and the other day I found her in my goat pen hanging out with my doelings. Ive tried to shoe her off my property because I don't know if she carries disease but it doesn't work, she doesn't go far. My DH likes to remind me she hangs out here all the time even if we don't see her so if she was sick it would be here anyway. So I let her hang around. Is this ok to let her be with my animals? My DH and DD keep bugging me to "adopt her" but I don't feel right about that, shes a wild animal and deserves to be well wild.

Any thoughts?

Generally you should NOT adopt wild animals. ( I worked at a rehap zoo) In most states it is also against the law.

I have turkeys that flow thru now and then. I live next to a hunting area and these turkeys were brought in years ago and now thrive here. THey are big bronze types and every bit as big as my birds. Only mine stay home and the wild ones leave after a few days. I don't encourage them to stay-- they need to live the wild life and travel the woods.

 

[chicken pickin]

Generally you should NOT adopt wild animals. ( I worked at a rehap zoo) In most states it is also against the law.

I have turkeys that flow thru now and then. I live next to a hunting area and these turkeys were brought in years ago and now thrive here. THey are big bronze types and every bit as big as my birds. Only mine stay home and the wild ones leave after a few days. I don't encourage them to stay-- they need to live the wild life and travel the woods.

Oh I couldn't agree more. I would never think of trying to cage her and keep her. I just wasn't sure about her hanging around my animals and she can fly into the goat yard and she hasn't tried yet but Im sure she could fly into my chicken yard and also I do free range my ducks and chickens(not my turkeys too much as the hens have started wandering off to neighbor houses). Should I not worry about her being with them? I don't want her eating their feed if she flew in and it upsetting her diet. My main concern has been her carrying disease(I hope she is clean).

 

[Arielle]

Sorry I misunderstood.

COncern about her bringing disease is a valid concern. Most animals don't have diseases as it weakens them and they are culled. I have to admit, I am happy to see the wild turkeys leave. Song birds and other wild birds also carry diseases that can effect our flocks.

 

[chickadoodles]

Ok I have a question. I read that you are suppose to let your turkey breed when they become mature at 6-7 months. But I just talked with a guy that has turkeys and he said that his turkey eggs are the size of quail eggs and not fertile and he said his turkey are 13 months old. He said maybe next spring his birds will breed and give him fertile eggs.
Is this normal? Or do they actually breed and have fertile eggs at 6-7 months old?

 

[Arielle]

I had a nice group of SG and BR girls that were hatched late Aug/early sept 2012. THese young girls started laying in April, never soon enough, lol, but I don't push them with lights. THe whole first year the eggs are smaller but I find just as fertile ( if there is a male the same age around) -- I separated my stock before the first eggs appeared but the girls had already been covered by the males in the group becuase I have a lot of mixed poults from them.



( My older BR hens do lay a slilghtly larger egg and started laying at the same time; I have purchased Narri eggs which are HUGE compared to my BR eggs-- almost twice the size.)