Turkeys For 2013

[Sally8]

Thought I would share with all my turkey friends . . .those that love turkeys, NOT that you are turkeys, lol . . . I am buying a presto 7 qt pressure canner. Do wish I could buy american made but finiances are too tight right now. ANy way, I'm planning to roast a few birds and can them to save freezer space. Hoping to order it this weekend for next week. Time to knock down the feed bill and lessen the chores.

DOes anyone else can?

I do but the only meat that I've canned is venison. It makes the meat so tender.

 

[Zootopia]

Haven't posted on here in a long time. I got some RP's this spring, they were hatched April 17. I only ordered 4 with some chicks but they have done great! I think I may have 1 tom and 3 hens but I am not sure how to tell. Also how big a nest will an RP require for laying? This is the one I am sure is a tom. The other 3 are quite a bit smaller than this one and none of them are strutting. As you can see they are still very young. About 3 months in this pic taken a few days ago.

What a pretty boy ;-) I have found that the turkeys like large dog houses to lay in. We had some extra plastic ones sitting in the barn and the free range hens have used them alot this year.

 

[Jake Levi]

I bought a couple Black Spanish with some BRs a month ago, so they are little guys yet, the are my first BS, they are all in an outdoor brooder with my chicks. They will go to a larger outdoor pen once they are ready.

Anyone here have experience with them? My favorites have been Naragansetts and BRs for some time, but I find these guys are interesting, they found the roost in the brooder before all of the others, so I find that interesting. The outdoor pen will be covered, so the roosts in it are a bit lower then I want. One of the group will be guest of honor for Thanksgiving, I am hoping for more BRs in the spring. Time will tell.

 

[chickadoodles]

Haven't posted on here in a long time. I got some RP's this spring, they were hatched April 17. I only ordered 4 with some chicks but they have done great! I think I may have 1 tom and 3 hens but I am not sure how to tell. Also how big a nest will an RP require for laying?

This is the one I am sure is a tom. The other 3 are quite a bit smaller than this one and none of them are strutting. As you can see they are still very young. About 3 months in this pic taken a few days ago.

He is very handsome!

 

[Sally8]

What a pretty boy ;-) I have found that the turkeys like large dog houses to lay in. We had some extra plastic ones sitting in the barn and the free range hens have used them alot this year.

Haven't posted on here in a long time. I got some RP's this spring, they were hatched April 17. I only ordered 4 with some chicks but they have done great! I think I may have 1 tom and 3 hens but I am not sure how to tell. Also how big a nest will an RP require for laying?

This is the one I am sure is a tom. The other 3 are quite a bit smaller than this one and none of them are strutting. As you can see they are still very young. About 3 months in this pic taken a few days ago.

He is very handsome!

x2
All of the turkey pic's are so pretty. I really miss Chuck and Rosie. At least the grand kids can run around safely now.

Mumsy-I had never heard about the the slate turkeys before. Aren't they just gorgeous?

 

[chickadoodles]

 

[MumsyII]

x2
All of the turkey pic's are so pretty. I really miss Chuck and Rosie. At least the grand kids can run around safely now.

Mumsy-I had never heard about the the slate turkeys before. Aren't they just gorgeous?

I have not raised turkeys before them. There are two feed stores that sell chicks. The big chain store only would sell commercial Whites. The smaller mom and pop store had a list of heritage turkey varieties. I saw Blue Slate on the list and had never heard of them. I ordered them with no knowledge, just on name alone. They took a long time coming from the farm. I brought them home May 1 and kept them on a wire floor for two weeks. I think they are gorgeous too! It's almost like I can see them grow. Very friendly birds. No fear of me. And they are so curious! They stand and stare at things that are new and it seems like they are figuring things out for themselves. Remarkable. I would like to keep a breeding pair but I have small Grand Children too. Need to know they will be safe with a tom around.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
I had heard that-- figured to can older birds and that would make them tender. I remember eating venison, loved it but it was like shoe leather!!

DO you add salt when canning meat?

 

[Zootopia]

I have not raised turkeys before them. There are two feed stores that sell chicks. The big chain store only would sell commercial Whites. The smaller mom and pop store had a list of heritage turkey varieties. I saw Blue Slate on the list and had never heard of them. I ordered them with no knowledge, just on name alone. They took a long time coming from the farm. I brought them home May 1 and kept them on a wire floor for two weeks. I think they are gorgeous too! It's almost like I can see them grow. Very friendly birds. No fear of me. And they are so curious! They stand and stare at things that are new and it seems like they are figuring things out for themselves. Remarkable. I would like to keep a breeding pair but I have small Grand Children too. Need to know they will be safe with a tom around.

I have a RP tom who is several yrs old and a just turned 5 grandson. Tomtom is free range and friendly, very food oriented. We have never had a problem with him. We also have 2 7+ mo old BR toms who have now taken over the pasture, so Tomtom stays in the front yard. The BR boys have not been aggressive to anyone so far, and I just traded them for 2 goats to eat down all this grass since we have actually had rain. They will be named Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think that's a pretty good trade, don't you?

 

[Arielle]

I haven't had a naughty tom yet. ANd of all my chickens-- only one bad rooster. None of his sons are bad though they have a sweet mom. I have kids to consider. It is actually their job to put the pens of turkeys away at night and gather the turkey eggs.