We've decided on Jersey Buff Turkeys! New Pics pg6

[DawnSuiter]

Deerman, thanks. I did let them sit overnight upright, but I do feel as though the chick was stuck somehow.... upside down

Next hatch is next week.... contemplating using a carton or something for hatching

 

[DawnSuiter]

Well, it may have been a stupid decision, but I decided to let it ride. Hoping that these last 3 eggs (from the 2nd batch) will just magically work out. I know that the humidity was lower for them than it was the first batch but it would appear that the temps may have been a tad too high.

The day AFTER i put them in hatching position, one pipped, a real hole in the egg pip. THE NEXT DAY.. its the small end of the egg but it is ontop of the egg. It pipped 2+ days early and as of today, day before hatch day, it's still alive. I can see it through the egg moving around a touch and breathing. Yesterday/last night we got a 2nd pip on another egg. It's not open, just a flap of shell.. big end and ontop. Its flopping around in there I've never seen an egg wiggle that much. But its still a day early! Nothing from egg 3.

I candled all before putting them in the hatcher and they were all alive & had movement.

Now, I can only wait and see... I dont have my hopes up though

 

[DawnSuiter]

It's been quite the ordeal but I have TWO TURKEY POULTS!

Here they are.. aren't they DARLING!!!!

now.. I better go finish that brooder I was stalling on... I guess I really didn't expect anyone to hatch.. maybe that's why they did

Added: I posted a bunch of hatching photos here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=939988#p939988 for those of you who want to see more hatching photos.

 

[silkieluver_07]

They are adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did your third egg hatch?

 

[DawnSuiter]

The other egg didn't hatch. I gave up today when it started to smell in there something AWFUL from the other hatchers.. I tapped on it.. heard nothing... candled and saw no movement or progress.. i did NOT open the egg, I've had enough heartbreak the last week or so... I kept waiting & tapping.. but nothing. So I gave up on it after 24 hours had passed..

Here are the little tykes now... I had to give the yicky one a bath of sorts.. dunk his bottom in some warm water to get the dried up goop off... lots of goop... it was even preventing him from pooping I suspect because after drying his bum and putting him back, he immediately pooped!

With human babies that's a good thing, so I'm going with that theory.

Because they are more fragile I'm going to brood these two inside the house for a few days in this bird cage. They are tucked away in the 3rd bedroom where the bator used to be.

 

[DawnSuiter]

So.. the turkeys are a couple of weeks old now, and they are living outside in their brooder. We had an incident with cannibalism in the bird cage brooder so we had to put them in something larger and seperate them for a couple of days, but all is back to normal now, I suppose.

If normal is a turkey who crys constantly if your not there! OH BOY these turkeys need a mama! They cry and cry and cry for hours it seems. Hopefully they'll stop soon. Today to get some rest from the crying I just went & picked them up and brought them back to the computer to sit with me... they were so cute, curled up and went right to sleep... coudln't get up of course for the real camera but the cell phone was close...

see how cute turkeys are!!!!
this is the yellowish one we're calling a girl

and this is the more brown one were calling a boy sleeping on my lap (sorry I couldn't get a good angle due to the fact I had the other one cuddled in my other arm!)

So far I must admit.. turkeys actually seem very smart and intuitive. But they are CLEARLY more needy than chickens emotionally (if they have emotions)... they are just darling though...

 

[DawnSuiter]

2.5 weeks old! They are darling! As big & sturdy as 3 week old chickens

Pretty sure ones a girl and ones a boy due to their very different markings, but don't know which is which! One is light with a pattern, the other seemingly mostly solid.. both show the same brown tone, just different patterns

 

[deerman]

Great job getting them started!!!!!!!!

Nice little turkeys, Nice brooder pen also. great for raising turkey or peafowl. Seen and hear about so many losing them because they place them on the ground to soon.

Yes wild turkey do,also some people do raise them on the ground. The losses are higher.

Again GREAT JOB!!!!!!

 

[DawnSuiter]

THANK YOU SO MUCH DEERMAN
I really appreciate your comments, so unsure about myself, it's nice to know I have a vote of confidence out there.

The brooder is quite large... large enough to put in a divider and keep 2 full grown turkeys. It's intended as the brooder which wich will connect to a much much larger "sun porch" which is where I'll keep poults through 3 months of age or so.

Because there is only 2 of these guys, I'm going to keep them here and in the sun porch (yet to be constructed) all winter long until spring breaks.

Thanks for keeping an eye on me!

Will keep posting developments as they happen.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Here we go with another update. These little guys will be 6 weeks old in 2 days and they really are just pretty cool. Hey Deerman (or anyone in the know) can I start giving them cracked corn or scratch or anything? I don't even know if I should wait on cooking veg scraps here... any advice? Are they ready?

Here they are...

I point a heat lamp on part of their roost & they sleep there at night right in front of it. So far the turkey brooder is working wonderfully! They are currently playing host to a GLW pullet who was attacked in the hen house, but Turkeys love her and allow her to be with them.