Turkeys For 2013

[Sydney Acres]

Hi everyone,
I just found out the livestock conservancy has a heritage turkey manual. It can be viewed at this website (http://albc-usa.etapwss.com/index.php/resources/internal/turkey-manual), or downloaded free by conservancy members, or purchased in printed form. I've only had time to skim parts of it so far, but it looks great for the beginner, like me.

 

[Reyvaughn]

Hi everyone,
I just found out the livestock conservancy has a heritage turkey manual. It can be viewed at this website (http://albc-usa.etapwss.com/index.php/resources/internal/turkey-manual), or downloaded free by conservancy members, or purchased in printed form. I've only had time to skim parts of it so far, but it looks great for the beginner, like me.

I just read that and it claims you can house 30 birds in a 10x10 shed. I wouldn't house more than 10 and only if I needed to. My 8-10lb LF chickens need 4sq ft per bird, how can a 20-30lb bird only need 3-5sq ft? And 1000 birds on 1 acre of sandy ground? Are you kidding me? Someone please tell me I'm wrong to be a bit upset about what I read.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote: I'd never consider keeping 30 turkeys in a 10 X 10 shed -- they'd be miserable, and unhealthy. If all they did was roost in the shed, and were let out to free range at first light, then it might work. It'd need to be well ventilated and kept clean, but it could work, especially with really cold nights. Unfortunately, birds are often overcrowded, sometimes severely, by well-meaning people who read something but forget to apply the common sense test. Or empathy!

I can't imagine what 1000 birds per acre would look like. Probably one big manure pit!!! My seven heritage turkeys and seven LF chickens in the 2013 flock have a 15 X 30 foot covered pen that is predator proof, and they have a one acre fenced area to free range in. They rarely fly over the fence (although the turkeys can easily) because they enjoy where they are. The pen is big enough that they can fly in circles and play if they can't be left out the entire day. But even with only 14 birds per acre, the yard is taking a beating. It still has grass everywhere, but it's quite trampled in places, with probably a bit more fertilizer than ideal. But 1000 birds is more than 71 times what I have! I don't think there'd be a blade of grass left after one day, and I'd be more than ankle deep in droppings in less than a week.

I have only skipped over two sections of the manual, and have not read anything about housing yet. but I would never consider such overcrowding. From what I've seen of their personalities so far (they're 6 months old), these are birds that need to spread their wings and MOVE! And they can't do that if they're so crowded that they crash into each other every few feet. Real farmers meet the needs of their stock, not maximize density regardless of the consequences. Thank you for being upset. We all should be.

 

[Momhunter]

I completely agree. I had my 2013 5 turkeys and three peafowl growing up in a 30x40 pen and couldn't wait for them to be big enough to turn out daily. They love cruising around the farm and only go back in the pen for their feed.
To many books are talking about max production, that's why the commercial poultry industry is so in humane. All they care about is the number of birds that they can raise to sell.
I'm building another 30x40 flight pen to separate my turkeys and peafowl for breeding season. I still hate to pen them up, but if I don't I won't be able to find their eggs.

 

[Lorilyn Farms]

I'm thankful that once my turkeys outgrew the 10 x 20 chicken coup, they just roost above it at night. Some still turn themselves into the coop, but most can't flap enough in the cooped up place. Other than when they were only a couple of months old, no predators have climbed up to get them. I built them a nice roost with a metal roof, but they enjoy staying next to the coop. And even though they fly as a group sometimes when scared, they stay on their own two acres. The wild turkeys stay out of the fence, and my turks don't have any interest in the wild ones. Sometimes they meet at the fence, but my turks just say hi then continue walking around the farm. The young wild turkeys want to come into the yard, but since they are not people friendly, they run away when I show up. Of course, my birds run AT me when I show up... Mom said she saw them mating this week, so maybe I'll have some eggs soon. They are just turning 6 months and look much older than the juvenile group of wilds. I thought turkeys had to be a bit older before mating and laying eggs. Anyone know? These are heritage birds fed 28% protein plus whatever they find on the farm.

 

[Lorilyn Farms]

This is snow day on the farm...






When does that funny bunch of feathers grow out of that wart thing on their chest? Do both male and female have it? My friend always said he can't hunt anything that doesn't have that tuft.

 

[SA Farm]

The funky feathers that grow on the chest is called a beard. Both males and females can grow one, though it is more rare in the hens. Most grow one in the first year, though some breeds don't grow one until the second year and some don't grow one at all.

 

[uphilljill]

We processed a 7.5 mo old Midget White tom today.

Before at about 20 lbs:

After at 15 lbs:

 

[Sydney Acres]

I'm new to turkeys and need some advise. I have 7 heritage birds (3 blue slate, 2 blacks, one bronze, and one Royal Palm) which are all 6 months old. Two of the blue slates are toms, and all the others are hens. They live in a 15 X 30 foot predator-proof pen with seven chickens (also 6 months old, all brooded together), and have a one acre fenced yard to range in during the day.

The two toms have always had their little standoffs, but after it's all over they're back to being best friends. They have had a few long fights, longer than an hour, but a few favorite treats and separate yards out of each other's sight for an hour and it's forgotten.

This fight is worse. It started yesterday afternoon, and hasn't stopped. After a few hours they were both exhausted, and one had a long thin piece of skin torn from his snood. I went out to break it up and they both just laid their heads in my hand and panted for 10 minutes. I separated them out of sight from each other, and divided the hens between them. When it got dark I allowed them to both go back to their pen (luckily, they started roosting on separate roosts a few months ago). I picked them both up and put each one on their separate roosts, and they both jumped off to continue the fight, even though it was almost dark and all the other birds were trying to sleep. I had to stay out there with them until it was totally dark and they couldn't see at all before they would settle down.

And the fight has continued this morning. It's been light for 2 & 1/2 hours now, and they haven't stopped. They're totally exhausted, but neither will give up.

Should I just let them continue indefinitely until they eventually stop? Will they eventually stop???? One is a beautiful bird, appears to be breeding quality conformation with good size and color, although both his eyes are partially blue. The other is not breeding quality, has a "crow head" and is a bit smaller size. I was hoping to not cull that bird yet, but if they plan to fight to the death than I may have to. How long do these prolonged fights typically last, and is there anything I can do to stop it, short of housing them separately or culling one of them?

 

[Arielle]

As you only have 2 toms, this is my advice assuming you plan to breed them--- separate ONE tom out completely into another pen, and give him one hen for company.

I have not had fights go on this long, but in shorter events it has resulted in a death of one of the toms.

I know this is very stressful to watch-- I hated watching it and as I'm still new to turkeys the only other suggestion is to butcher one, but then if you want to breed, keeping 2 toms, with one as back up is best.