Turkeys about breeding time

CrealCritter

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Everything I've read says poults are dumb, hard to raise, get cold easily and poor survival. You have sure confirmed these.

I saw 2 trios of 1/2 grown, beautiful Royal Palms at an auction Saturday. Wanted them bad! Sold for $75 a trio and that's a good buyer price, IMO. Nope, didn't buy. Good girl!!

So then coming home I see a passel of wild ones! Like 20 in a group with a couple hens -- just sailing along fat & happy. Guess people shouldn't domesticate. :idunno Sure are a LOT of them making it to adulthood from the looks of the freezers in the stores. Wonder what the losses are on a turkey farm??

I've read the nags do ok and another...want to say a black one...???? Not sure. Just decided if it can't set and care for the poults, it's not for me. I'll eat chicken.

I have 6 left from 13 that survived the hatch, that's more than 50% loss. It's pretty disheartening, they are so fragile when they are young. Chickens are way easier!
 

Mini Horses

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Geesh. :(
Can't imagine how commercial farms handle this. Imagine thousands of poults to start...……:ep Of course, they use full shelters situations but, still.
 

sumi

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Oh man, sorry to hear about the losses. They sound very difficult to raise. I hope the remainder will hang on and grow up for you!
 

CrealCritter

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Geesh. :(
Can't imagine how commercial farms handle this. Imagine thousands of poults to start...……:ep Of course, they use full shelters situations but, still.

I believe almost all commercially raised turkey is broadbreasted. I've raised broadbreasted before they are about like raising chickens but a lot larger. As a matter of fact I brood them with chicken chicks and they lived in the same yard and coop as the chickens also.

Google image of commercial turkey farm.
turkeyfarm3.jpg
 

CrealCritter

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5 weeks old now and I do believe I have 5 Tom's and one hen. Boy this should be interesting when they get a little older... I sure hope my other two hens take to the new hen because it would be bad for her come later winter in with 5 Tom's. They are so skittish, when they see or hear me they freeze and become motionless.

The 5th one from the left is a lot smaller than the other five and she tested to be a hen a few weeks ago.
IMG_20180919_233036573_HDR.jpg
 

Mini Horses

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GUN!!! Bring the gun DW!!!! :lol:

I see so many wild ones here, groups of 25-30 not unusual. And deer. Wow, 10-20 at a time. Yep. We have a lot of corn, p-nuts & soybean grown here, so plenty to eat.

Hey, you're from NC -- same thing there.
 

CrealCritter

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They sure do grow in a hurry. I have to smaller ones I checked the all today. 4 Tom's and 2 Hens. To bad the weather is going to turn into fall. I got volenteer tomatoes growing in their yard.

IMG_20180923_145350676.jpg
 

baymule

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the losses suck, you sure trying hard for those ungrateful dumb birds. I know that you are going to enjoy every bite, come Thanksgiving. If anybody ever worked hard for their dinner, you sure have.
 

CrealCritter

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Yep :( it was cold and rainy last night. It' been raining on and off since last Friday. I guess one of the hens decided it was going to stay out in the rain instead of in the coop with the other turkeys under the heat lamp. Best I can tell it got cold and drown??? Really disheartening... I told my wife I lost another one last night. She replied "Are you kidding me?". Anyways, down to 5 now, 4 Tom's and 1 hen.

This is what I found this morning. I'm trying hard not to take this personally but then again it's hard not too either.
IMG_20180924_142106904.jpg


Here are the remaining 5, this afternoon eating earth worms, happy as can be (singing even) after the rain stopped in the partical sun.
IMG_20180924_142308610.jpg


I obviously suck really bad at raising turkeys and it's making me quite sad.
 
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