Turkeys For 2013

[Lexiluke]

Hey. Yes, I did begin my spreadsheet but then I got frustrated when my girls were sneaking out and going in the woods, in the neighbor's yard, hiding in the bush in the front yard and everywhere else to they could hide to lay their eggs, so I stopped. I knew my documentation would not be accurate because I couldn't accurately document the number eggs they were laying.

I will try again this year being as though now I know what they are up to. I kinda know where there hiding places are, so I will be able to check. It will be just my luck, they will change up on me and lay somewhere else.
I can say that the the 5 different hiding places that I found had anywhere from 12 - 22 eggs in each nest. However I did see a few broken shells in a couple of the nests, so I don't know if the girls stepped on them or if something got in the nest and ate the yolks.

I am hoping that my bourbons will lay while in the pen in the morning just like my chickens and then I can let them out for the afternoon. Is this not the case for turkeys? Are they not as predictable as chicken hens?

 

[Arielle]

My hens didn't lay on a 24 hour cycle, more like 25, so most often I would could pick up the eggs by late afternoon. If they laid earlier in the day and I didn't pick up the eggs, they liked to peck and dent the eggs.

I try to pick up twice a day. I keep my breeder hens penned.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Hey. Yes, I did begin my spreadsheet but then I got frustrated when my girls were sneaking out and going in the woods, in the neighbor's yard, hiding in the bush in the front yard and everywhere else to they could hide to lay their eggs, so I stopped. I knew my documentation would not be accurate because I couldn't accurately document the number eggs they were laying. :/ I will try again this year being as though now I know what they are up to. I kinda know where there hiding places are, so I will be able to check. It will be just my luck, they will change up on me and lay somewhere else.

I can say that the the 5 different hiding places that I found had anywhere from 12 - 22 eggs in each nest. However I did see a few broken shells in a couple of the nests, so I don't know if the girls stepped on them or if something got in the nest and ate the yolks.

I am hoping that my bourbons will lay while in the pen in the morning just like my chickens and then I can let them out for the afternoon.  Is this not the case for turkeys?  Are they not as predictable as chicken hens?

Mine are not that predictable. They tend to do everything so different from everyone else in the chicken yard. It seems like every day is a new day and new behavior. I wish that I could pen my BRs up but it's so many and I enjoy seeing them free range and walk around the chicken yard.

As far as what time they lay, mine lay later on in the afternoon. They are not early birds like the chickens. They are very sneaky. Mine will in a sneaky way, fly over the fence, sneak into a bush, lay their egg and fly back over the fence. I hate when they do that. So, now I have to check everywhere. I know it would be easier, if I just penned them up but I kinda don't want to do that. I like to see them interact with the other animals and boss around a guinea, goose or duck or 2. It's funny. I especially want them to free range because they tend to scare off crows and other predators in the sky. One year I had a terrible crow problem. The crows were actually flying in the chicken house and stealing eggs. My turkey hens put a stop to it. I returned from work one day and I saw a crow on the gate with an egg in it's mouth. A turkey hen had jumped on the fence and was about to fight with the crow. They kept going back and forth. The crow was trying hard to keep the egg in it's mouth but it dropped it. Once the egg dropped the turkey hen tore the crow's butt UP! The hen didn't stop until the crow flew away. The turkey hens terrorized the crows so much and put up fights every time the crows landed on the fence and in the yard until the crows threw up their hands and just flew away for good. It wasn't worth the fight. Anything that is not supposed to be in that chicken yard gets ran away by the turkeys AND guineas of course. They will immediately start making noises to alert the other turkeys if they are not in that immediate area and start flying to scene of the crime.

A while back one of my guineas escaped and flew in a wooded area and the turkeys knew that the guinea wasn't suppose to be out. Well, believe it or not, the turkeys went to get the guinea and herded it back in the yard. I took pics. Here is a link to the story below:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ys-aka-animal-control-pics-and-story-included

 

[kuntrygirl]

My hens didn't lay on a 24 hour cycle, more like 25, so most often I would could pick up the eggs by late afternoon. If they laid earlier in the day and I didn't pick up the eggs, they liked to peck and dent the eggs. :/    I try to pick up twice a day.  I keep my breeder hens penned.

Have you ever eaten a turkey egg?

 

[Bettacreek]

Haha! I have two silkie mixes around here, and they stay with the turkeys. The pure silkies and other bantams have been eaten by hawks, but those two girls know to stay close to the turkeys for protection. I love my turkeys.

 

[Celie]

My hens didn't lay on a 24 hour cycle, more like 25, so most often I would could pick up the eggs by late afternoon. If they laid earlier in the day and I didn't pick up the eggs, they liked to peck and dent the eggs.

I try to pick up twice a day. I keep my breeder hens penned.

I thought a chicken produced an egg every 25 hours? At least that's what I have read and the Guinness book of world records for the most eggs laid in a year (last I heard) was held by a Black Arstroloup with 364 eggs laid in 365 consecutive days! She was every 24 hours, for sure. Most of my chickens are late risers, laying most of their eggs after 10am! My turkeys always laid in the afternoons between 2 pm and 7 pm. Each day would be a couple minutes later than the day before and after they passed the 7pm mark, I could expect them to skip a day and lay right around 2pm the following day! I guess I should have my turkey hens penned, but around here everybody has free range, unless they get injured, then they go into the hospital pen so they can get special treatment . Except the rabbits, they are caged.

 

[mamawolf544]

I love my turkey's and have a waiting list already for eggs and poults. I sold a Tom this afternoon.

I raise Midget Whites, they have such a personality, and yes they are white but beautiful.
Royal Palms which seem to be everyone's favorite
Blue Slates
Rio Grandes
Chocolates

This year I am getting already ordered from Porter's
Sweetgrass
Bourbon Reds
Self Blues
Red Pencilled Palms

And then I think I am done.

They are just so entertaining, I feed mine sprouts and meal worms on top of there turkey feed. They love them, the chickens act like I'm killing them with the sprouts.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Yes, more like chicken eggs than duck eggs. I don't waste anything-- what we can't eat goes to the dogs or chickens.

 

[kuntrygirl]

My hens didn't lay on a 24 hour cycle, more like 25, so most often I would could pick up the eggs by late afternoon. If they laid earlier in the day and I didn't pick up the eggs, they liked to peck and dent the eggs. :/    I try to pick up twice a day.  I keep my breeder hens penned.

Have you ever eaten a turkey egg?

Yes, more like chicken eggs than duck eggs.  I don't waste anything-- what we can't eat goes to the dogs or chickens.

Those turkey eggs taste so good. Sometimes, it's hard to keep them under a hen and let them hatch. They are soooo good!

 

[Celie]

Those turkey eggs taste so good. Sometimes, it's hard to keep them under a hen and let them hatch. They are soooo good!

Do you hatch all your turkey eggs under a turkey hen or do you incubate them?