Turkeys For 2013

[Celie]

You are welcome. I go outside and sit down just to see what's gonna happen. Drama as always.

And we so look forward to all your amusing stories, too! LOL How do you find the time, between all your animals to care for, a full time job, finding all the bargains, all the helpful postings you do and you still find time to be ready with your camera to keep up all smiling? Not to mention.......WINE making, MATCHES, and HUNTING CRITTERS ! WOW !!!!! LOL
Thanks for making my day, too!!

 

[Celie]

THe benefits of growing our own!!! NO shortage on turkey.

I made soup yesterday of the latest one to meet the knife. SO so so good just meat and garlic salt-- ate 3 bowls today. Yum. Of course keeping count of the remaining birds is getting harder-- the number keeps changing.

And every time they notice someone is missing, pecking order is going to start over again!

I still have 11 Toms, 11+ rabbits, 6- 16+# meat roosters, a dozen or so ducks(at least), and a few extra roos to process by the end of the year !!! I have been whittling the numbers down, so this is all that is left that won't be wintered over! I accidentally had a younger- than-I-usually process age tom get pushed in front of my golf cart, that I hit and had to process early a couple days ago. It was at last feeding just before dark and I had to just put him out of pain and remove the innards before dark, ice him down and pluck the next day. Will post pictures tomorrow, when I find the cord for the camera to get them on my laptop. He will make a couple days meals for the 2 of us, so he will go into the freezer, but you will see what I say about the weight gain being greatest the second 9 months. This little guy was about 7 months old. We'll probably have him for Christmas day, since the family celebrates together, the weekend before Christmas, with the big guys, if we are not too turkeyed out or have too many leftovers from 3 or 4 35# turkeys, with our big family and friends, depending if my brother got a deer or moose, this year!

 

[uphilljill]

That white pea is simply stunning

 

[Arielle]

Celie, I ws really hoping to over winter some of my stock to increase the growth but the prices of grain are rising again. We were expecting a bumper crop-- and my contact at the mill said the price will be going up anyways. THe prices are at the highest I have ever paid. Last year the hay prices were the highest ever because of the MIdwest drought ( took hay from the NOrtheast for the first time) . . .

I would really like to come up with a viable method of feeding everyone for the winter . . . I just don't see how it is possible to grow enough to feed over the winter . . . I"m brain storming how to extend the fall availabiliy, increase the summer foods tuffs, and improve an early spring feed. Will still need to buy for the winter I think.

 

[kuntrygirl]

You are welcome. I go outside and sit down just to see what's gonna happen. Drama as always.

And we so look forward to all your amusing stories, too! LOL How do you find the time, between all your animals to care for, a full time job, finding all the bargains, all the helpful postings you do and you still find time to be ready with your camera to keep up all smiling? Not to mention.......WINE making, MATCHES, and HUNTING CRITTERS ! WOW !!!!! LOL
Thanks for making my day, too!!

I always make time for the critters. They keep me sane. When people get under my skin, I always go out and talk to them and watch them and create these stories in my mind as far as what they are saying to each other and of course, I have to take pictures of their rambunctious behavior and post with a story so others can see what I see.

 

[TamTurkey]

Don't tell the chickens, but I like the turkeys more than them.

Me too!

 

[kuntrygirl]

 


Don't tell the chickens, but I like the turkeys more than them.

Me too!

me 3

 

[chickadoodles]

me 3

Me 4

 

[desertmarcy]

Our local public media station had a story on heirloom plants and included a segment on my heritage turkeys. You can watch it here:
https://www.azpm.org/s/16626-az-illustrated-nature-monday-november-18-2013/ My segment starts at minute 18:32 but the whole show is rather interesting, I think. Weird watching yourself on TV.

And a related print story is here:
https://www.azpm.org/s/16628-northwest-farmer-raises-heritage-turkeys/

 

[Celie]

And every time they notice someone is missing, pecking order is going to start over again!

I still have 11 Toms, 11+ rabbits, 6- 16+# meat roosters, a dozen or so ducks(at least), and a few extra roos to process by the end of the year !!! I have been whittling the numbers down, so this is all that is left that won't be wintered over! I accidentally had a younger- than-I-usually process age tom get pushed in front of my golf cart, that I hit and had to process early a couple days ago. It was at last feeding just before dark and I had to just put him out of pain and remove the innards before dark, ice him down and pluck the next day. Will post pictures tomorrow, when I find the cord for the camera to get them on my laptop. He will make a couple days meals for the 2 of us, so he will go into the freezer, but you will see what I say about the weight gain being greatest the second 9 months. This little guy was about 7 months old. We'll probably have him for Christmas day, since the family celebrates together, the weekend before Christmas, with the big guys, if we are not too turkeyed out or have too many leftovers from 3 or 4 35# turkeys, with our big family and friends, depending if my brother got a deer or moose, this year!

I found the cord, and as you can see, at 15 1/2 pounds processed weight, his chest is not filled out yet, at about 6 to 7 months:








Now compare to a processed 18 month old tom of the same breed:


Notice the big difference in the size of the breast.
I realize that it might not be practical in some areas to overwinter your turkeys, but the closer you can get to their 18 month max weight, the more meat you will have on each turkey.