Turkeys For 2013

[Arielle]

The poults passed away this afternoon, gonna miss the little guy. I wonder if it had something to do with his peeping problem.. :,(

Sorry Josh---

I hope someone will answer that has more wisdom than myself. That sounds like something I've heard of before but just can't remember. I'm so sorry. I lost 2 poults a couple of days ago. They didn't act just right when they were born. One felt puffy. Or squishy, if that makes any sense. Right before they hatched our temps (outside) spiked in the 90's, so the incubator temp went up too high also. I had 15 eggs. 2 hatched fine, 2 died and 11 didn't hatch. They all should have. It's too late in the year to hatch eggs, I( guess).

Never too late to hatch!!!! I still have p eople ordering hatching eggs!

 

[desertmarcy]

I have a hen that has the side of her face all puffy. From the beak all the way under her eye. I have looked in her mouth and nostril and dont see any thing. (I had a turkey last year that got a small stick wedged in her nostril that looked similar, I removed it and put her on antibiotics.) she is sneezing every once in a while but no discharge. Her eye seems to be watering.
Since I'm not seeing any foreign body I'm reluctant to put her on antibiotics what do you think?

Is it possible she got bit or stung by a spider or insect? A lot of insect bites cause swelling, or a bee sting. Any number of biting/stinging critters where you are I imagine.

 

[marans]

He is huge I can't even lift him up. I have him with a royal palm, bronze and two whit hens. He still struts and stomps his feet and (breeds)? I guess ill find out when I get eggs

 

[popsicle]

I've got one BBW poult and have been looking for some more poults. I ordered some poults, even though I know the BBW will be ready for butcher by the time they can be introduced to each other. Anyhow, in my searching I was looking on Craigslist and somebody has been trying to sell Black Spanish poults for $20 each. That seems high, is it? This is for day-olds. I think they've had a couple hatches since I've seen this ad a few times this spring.

 

[Sally8]

I have a hen that has the side of her face all puffy. From the beak all the way under her eye. I have looked in her mouth and nostril and dont see any thing. (I had a turkey last year that got a small stick wedged in her nostril that looked similar, I removed it and put her on antibiotics.) she is sneezing every once in a while but no discharge. Her eye seems to be watering.
Since I'm not seeing any foreign body I'm reluctant to put her on antibiotics what do you think?

I have read in many places about poultry getting sinus (respiratory type infections) Some have names, others not. I follow the Natural Chicken Keeping thread and they are all about natural means of treating their birds. I would be more inclined to giving her antibiotics. You didn't say how old she was. I know that when I have sinus issues, I don't always have a runny nose or sneeze. Even though I typed in sinus in poultry to try to support what I was saying, I did see that treatment is feeding homemade chicken soup. lol I hope she is still ok. sue

 

[Arielle]

I've got one BBW poult and have been looking for some more poults. I ordered some poults, even though I know the BBW will be ready for butcher by the time they can be introduced to each other. Anyhow, in my searching I was looking on Craigslist and somebody has been trying to sell Black Spanish poults for $20 each. That seems high, is it? This is for day-olds. I think they've had a couple hatches since I've seen this ad a few times this spring.

All the heritage turkeys are hard to find. THey are still rather rare. I have been to a couple big poultry shows and there are no turkeys. I can charge $15 for boubon red poults.

 

[desertmarcy]

All the heritage turkeys are hard to find. THey are still rather rare. I have been to a couple big poultry shows and there are no turkeys. I can charge $15 for boubon red poults.

I think it depends on your area. Here, I always have an ad on CraigsList for heritage turkeys. I have multiple breeds and sell poults up to one week of age for $10, after a week, I bump it up to $12.
I have a lot of turkeys right now to sell and locals are not exactly knocking my door down to get them. A lot of people don't use or think to look on CraigsList, either. The local feed stores around here order in birds and it is easier for buyers just to pick them up there, making it harder for the small breeder to sell them. There seems to be a lot more people here now with heritage turkeys. When I first started breeding mine, there was hardly anybody and I had a long waiting list.

Just because there are no turkeys at the shows does not mean there aren't any around. Turkeys are very large and hard to transport. The only time I've taken a turkey to a show is to one small show that our Tucson poultry club puts on that is only 15 minutes from my house. My partner took the turkey down for me in the other truck because I was already filled up with chickens. Otherwise I wouldn't have room. Also, depending on parking, it is harder to get your bird into the show building. A lot of times it is easier for me to carry my large cockerels in my arm than lug a heavy crate with a heavy bird in it. But I can't carry a big heavy tom like that. So if you have to use a dog crate and a cart on wheels to get your turkey to the show, that is more space taken up in your vehicle. I don't have a huge travel trailer or something to transport birds like some people do. I think this is the big deterrent to taking turkeys to a show and why you don't see many there.

 

[Arielle]

My point was it is very easy to get a layer chick, but much harder to find a turkey poult. My feeds and needs only recently started carrying chicks. If they carry turkeys is it the BBW/BBB. I can look at craigslist and find only a few listings for turkeys. MANY for eating eggs and chicks.

 

[Dragon Lady]

I have a hen that has the side of her face all puffy. From the beak all the way under her eye. I have looked in her mouth and nostril and dont see any thing. (I had a turkey last year that got a small stick wedged in her nostril that looked similar, I removed it and put her on antibiotics.) she is sneezing every once in a while but no discharge. Her eye seems to be watering.
Since I'm not seeing any foreign body I'm reluctant to put her on antibiotics what do you think?

Both of my hens got too close when we were moving some bees about yesterday. Today they both look like they went through 3 rounds in the boxing ring! I'm told that the fact they are drinking ACV in their water is helping. They are both eating fine, although their calls are slightly altered. Poor things :-(

 

[Dragon Lady]

I should think that the local feed suppliers would know who has/breeds heritage birds