Turkeys about breeding time

[frustratedearthmother]

Maybe they just need to be penned up in a brooder type area a little longer - they obviously aren't smart enough to go in out of the rain!

 

[CrealCritter]

Maybe they just need to be penned up in a brooder type area a little longer - they obviously aren't smart enough to go in out of the rain!

Could be... IDK I'm at my wits end with these burbon red turkeys. They are way to much work and horrible to try and raise. They just don't have enough survival sense about them... Maybe I got a genentic line that are a few fries short of a happy meal... But I can say for sure they are not very smart!

 

[baymule]

That is a shame. I always heard that turkeys are stupid, this confirms it.

 

[CrealCritter]

That is a shame. I always heard that turkeys are stupid, this confirms it.

I can confirm absolutely YES they are as dumb as a box of rocks.

 

[baymule]

I can confirm absolutely YES they are as dumb as a box of rocks.

Could that possibly be construed as an insult to the box of rocks?

 

[NH Homesteader]

Turkeys are not all stupid. Mine never have been. Where did you get yours? Are they from a hatchery? They tend to breed out mothering ability. Sorry you lost another one. You've got bad turkey luck.

 

[CrealCritter]

Turkeys are not all stupid. Mine never have been. Where did you get yours? Are they from a hatchery? They tend to breed out mothering ability. Sorry you lost another one. You've got bad turkey luck.

I purhased 5 unsexed chicks from a farm over in the mountains about an hour from me. I brooded the 5 myself and they all grew to maturity in to two Tom's and 3 hens. One of the hens jumped up and got tangled up in the poulty netting I have over top of the turkey yard and broke it neck. I witnessed it and I plucked and baked the hen (delicious). Then I butched one tom for Thanksgiving, again delicious. This left 1 Tom and 2 Hens which I still have today and for breeding. Although Tom is going to become Thanksgiving dinner because the 5 chicks I have remain 4 are Tom's and 1 is a hen.

 

[sumi]

Sorry to hear you lost another one.. They are cute, but hell, thick as planks and twice as dense. Hope the remainder will grow up for you

 

[CrealCritter]

The 4 lil turkey Jake's are starting to display. I walk into there yard to feed and water them and they move away from me, then they cluck (pop), drop their little wings and fan their little tail feathers. It pretty funny that they think there all that and would scare me off. The little hen pretty much stays to herself and away from the Jake's.

I've been reading up on raising turkeys. I decided to give these burbon reds one last try. I'm going to change up a few things with the next brood. Mainly their feed, I'm going to feed them 28% protien feed, electrolytes and vitamins instead of 21% protien and apple cider vinegar. See if that helps any. I could be entirely possible I need to adjust, instead of them. But I can say if anyone ever says raising turkeys is the same as rasing chickens, they are full of BS and either have never raised turkeys before or read it somewhere. Turkeys are very different from chickens, excpecially when they are young.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like a good plan!