Turkeys For 2013

[fowlsessed]

Oh boy!! Treebird, that is VERY discouraging. Indeed, I would only be raising them if I really enjoyed them, but would really need them to at least pay for their keep!! Hmm', much food for thought.
As far as the comment on the chickens, eggs aren't the only things people raise chickens for!! And though some prices people are asking may be too high, different qualities for different purposes are worth different amounts. Just like with any other species.

 

[fowlsessed]

And does anyone care to disagree!!? lol Anyone with broody Turkey experience?

 

[KrisH]

Hens are priceless. I tried to help out a local person in my area by giving him a discount. He said that he wanted to try raising turkeys. Well, after a few weeks of him buying them from me, he turns around and tried to re-sell them at a higher price than he paid for them from me. I was steaming mad!!!!!! I will NEVER EVER sell him ANYTHING EVER AGAIN for the rest of my life. That's what you get for trying to help a fellow farmer by "paying it forward.". He BETTER NEVER pick up the phone to call me EVER AGAIN!!! I have no respect for him. He can't even get directions from me.

Oh, Come on...

I bet you would be happy to tell him where to go!

RobertH

 

[Treebird]

I don't want a chicken unless I get eggs and if you look at things culturally, meat and eggs have been the main purposes for chickens around the world. Some where bred for fighting but their function is pretty even across the board. We've bred feathers, colors, and markings on them and lost these valuable characteristics that made chickens worth keeping and now charge more? I have plenty of other exotics that are far more beautiful that eat way less and their purpose is beauty, color that smacks you in the eye. Even in my heritage turkeys, while breeding color is great, I breed some massive birds. Size is a must in obtaining perfection in turkeys. All turkeys were first selected for a nice carcass and this trait is being lost because people don't cull their smaller birds, instead they just see color and don't monitor weight or size development. This has been the reason for failure in Royal Palms. People did nothing but breed the "perdies" into Royal Palms and did not keep their meat value standard high and now the standard calls for a scrauny black and white bird. It could have been saved as a valued meat bird that picks clean.

 

[chicken pickin]

I don't want a chicken unless I get eggs and if you look at things culturally, meat and eggs have been the main purposes for chickens around the world. Some where bred for fighting but their function is pretty even across the board. We've bred feathers, colors, and markings on them and lost these valuable characteristics that made chickens worth keeping and now charge more? I have plenty of other exotics that are far more beautiful that eat way less and their purpose is beauty, color that smacks you in the eye. Even in my heritage turkeys, while breeding color is great, I breed some massive birds. Size is a must in obtaining perfection in turkeys. All turkeys were first selected for a nice carcass and this trait is being lost because people don't cull their smaller birds, instead they just see color and don't monitor weight or size development. This has been the reason for failure in Royal Palms. People did nothing but breed the "perdies" into Royal Palms and did not keep their meat value standard high and now the standard calls for a scrauny black and white bird. It could have been saved as a valued meat bird that picks clean.

Im a chicken girl myself. I love all the different colors patterns and varieties. I love all the egg colors that the eggs can come in. Im a fan of all the exotic, odd, weird, over the top, this chicken is gonna spark some conversation chickens and I also enjoy the common breeds. I have lots of different breeds in lots of different colors and I still want more variety,my egg basket is going to be full of every color. I do chickens for meat and eggs so I do know what to look for but I do not breed I just really enjoy this pass time. And their are lots of people that will breed chickens to be bigger and meatier. I understand what your saying about chickens losing their purpose but I disagree. If you can still get eggs and meat and beautiful variety out of a chicken I say we are right on track. If you dont want a fancy expensive chicken I say just dont buy one. But I will say chickens serve different purposes for different people its all a matter of what your looking for.

 

[Treebird]

I have had coronation sussex, cream legbars, lemon cuckoo orpingtons, lavender orpingtons, sweedish flower hens, non molting pheonix, Davis Marans, Dan Powel Brahmas, and many more. EGG PRODUCTION STINKS, The legbars weren't so bad. I want more then 90-120 eggs a year. Color is one thing but if eggs aren't put in the box. there is no value. People are breeding the production right out of these breeds. Anyone who has chickens knows they eat more then a grown turkey. Why would you put that much food into something with such a little return

 

[kuntrygirl]

So I have someone that wants to buy one of my Toms I posted pics of. But Im not sure how much to charge if I do. I know countrygirl you said $40 but I feel like they are worth more. But then again this is my first year with turkeys so I dont know. Any suggestions. Im still a little iffy I dont know if I can part with one

Were you able to sell your turkey?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Fowlsessed, I've never known a turkey to make a good parent. They maybe hatch 15 poults but only 3 end up surviving. Anymore to be honest, I can see turkeys being more of a luxury bird with the high cost of feed. I see a lot of people backing away from them because of their size and appetite. The only people who will be left raising turkeys will be people who just really enjoy having turkeys. Seriously, I did a feed map of raising 5 turkeys from poult to table and each bird at butchering time had $150-$165 in feed, times that by 5. I keep mine on a turkey gamebird starter (expensive) for 3 months, then went to a maintenance feed then to straight grass and shell corn. The final bird is worth its weight in gold. I think poults should at least be $20 easy. Only a person who raises turkeys can truly appreciate their value. Sorry to hear about your ordeal Kuntry, I've had the same thing happen before with geese. But above all, when it comes to chickens people need to not charge so dang much for fancy breeds! A chicken is a chicken and the only valuable aspect of a chicken is that it puts eggs in the fridge! I don't care if its lavender, cuckoo, gold laced, lavender laced, imported from Bejing China or Antarctica, people are CRAZY!!!!!!! for charging such ridiculous prices for the swine of poultry! Chickens eat your checkbook because they are chickens, it shouldn't be because people want a pretty bird. I wasted so much money on fancy chickens that ate my money and gave me NO omelet. Ok, I'm off that soapbox

Thanks. I have definitely learned my lesson.

Treebird, I'm not into the fancy chicken breeds either. I don't get it either. I'm sure the chicken people don't get us turkey people either. :/

Treebird quoted: I don't care if its lavender, cuckoo, gold laced, lavender laced, imported from Bejing China or Antarctica,

That's my laugh for the day. I'm done !!!

Treebird quoted: I wasted so much money on fancy chickens that ate my money and gave me NO omelet. Ok, I'm off that soapbox.

I was not in a good mood this morning but after reading this. I"m good for the day. Thanks Treebird. I needed to read this today.

 

[kuntrygirl]

And does anyone care to disagree!!? lol Anyone with broody Turkey experience?

Yes, I have several girls go broody.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Hens are priceless. I tried to help out a local person in my area by giving him a discount. He said that he wanted to try raising turkeys. Well, after a few weeks of him buying them from me, he turns around and tried to re-sell them at a higher price than he paid for them from me. I was steaming mad!!!!!! I will NEVER EVER sell him ANYTHING EVER AGAIN for the rest of my life. That's what you get for trying to help a fellow farmer by "paying it forward.". He BETTER NEVER pick up the phone to call me EVER AGAIN!!! I have no respect for him. He can't even get directions from me.

Oh, Come on...

I bet you would be happy to tell him where to go!

RobertH

You are right about that.