Sundance - Sorry to hear you're in the hospital! I hope you mend quickly!
Red - Have you heard of the book, "
The Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day"? Some years are just like that. I feel awful for your roo, being pants'd like that. I still hold a grudge over all turkeys though. Last year was my first with poultry. I had assembled what I thought was a nice, mellow, dual-purpose flock, and was content to learn as I went. Three weeks into this my sweet smart alec DH comes home with a day old turkey poult, and another chick to raise him with. The turkey was so dumb I had to dropper-feed it water the first three days. The poor chicken chick was bored out of his mind, lacking social interaction. The poult provided none. So I found a few other breeds I thought I'd like, some Salmon Faverolles, and a Marans, and they were all raised together. The Faverolles turned into these gorgeous white and salmon birds with full beards and feathered feet. And the turkey was fun. He'd gobble at every noise, the door shut, the dog bark, and the neighbors, who love to hunt and work at home, would practice their turkey calling skills with him every time they walked from the house to the shop, many times a day. My 85 yr old neighbor, who was raised with turkeys, would bring a chair over and visit with him, recalling fond childhood memories. He matured and got very pretty, dark feathers, blue head, and the little beard/patch thing. He'd strut around fanning his tail feathers from side to side like an oriental lady. Then one day he got to eying the hens like they were cute. But the only ones he could catch were the little demure Faverolles. He suffocated one, and ripped the other's back open. I was ready for turkey freezer camp that instant! DH says he's never seen me so mad. "Pumpkin" got booted out of the henhouse and dispatched to camp a few days later. People ask if we're going to raise another one. DH tries to get their attention (SH, SH, Zip it!, don't go there!!). So I'm sorry for you, but not yet for your turkey.
Delarooshen - I keep studying these Leghorn EE's. One minute I can see only one boy. The next I see four. Then its only 3. Last time I looked it was back to one of six.
Cynthia - Thanks for the egg tutorial. Would love to have one of your silkies, but I will have to wait till I decide how many active pens I realistically want to maintain over the winter. I'm thinking about separating the more and less aggressive breeds. Or I might let the aggressive ones go, and keep the Amers and EEs in Fort Knox. Hmmmm
TJ - Welcome!!
Lisa - Did you take pics? We want to see this famous barn set-up.