Baby Turkeys have Hatched

[CrealCritter]

Two Burbon Reds sitting, 3 baby turkeys hatched this morning. Cute Lil things aren't they?

I counted about 15 eggs per clutch so hopefully they will hatch out a few more over the next few days

 

[CrealCritter]

Yes absolutely I will process them when they mature. We have two big freezers so lots of freezer space. That's the main reason to got turkeys is to eat. Am a bit of a turkey-a-holic.

Both hens laid clutches in Jan this year but not a single egg hatched - I believe the eggs got too cold before they decided to sit. This is the second clutch this year and success - I'm very happy.

This is a really good picture of Tom standing guard over the hens that we're sitting on their first clutches this year.

 

[CrealCritter]

Six little baby turkeys following there momma where ever the go. They are spunky little things wondering off, getting lost and crying weep weep weep until one of the momma's purrs back the the lost chick will follow the purr and run back to momma when it sees her. But the buff orpengton chick stays right by momma turkey at all times.

The 6 baby turkeys are on the far right hand side. Their little tiny things. The buff orpengton chick is right next to the second momma turkey. They sure are cute - I'll give you that.
,

 

[CrealCritter]

Since that darn wasp messed up my hand and it rained today - decided to observe my turkeys for a little while instead of going out to the garden.

Couple things I thought we're cool:

1) Momma turkey would catch a bug (cricket) and hold it in her beak, lower head down and the baby turkeys would flock to her to eat the bug from her mouth.

2) My Tom did the same thing as the hen did (catch a bug and feed it to the babies)

3) My roosters I have in the turkey yard are getting a run for their money. Both the hens and the tom keep them far away from the chicks.

4) Both mamma's and tom step carefully when the babies are under foot.

5) the lil buff orpengton chick they hatched seems to be right at home.

6) they sure are cute

In all honesty... I really think these turkeys could stand a chance living in the wild. Maybe not... but they seem to have good instincts anyways.

A few pictures.

I took the feeder down off the cinder block, so the babies could reach it. They took right to it and started eating.

First time I got to catch a baby and hold it. Both mommas ran over to me when it started chirping real loud. But after they seen I wasn't gonna hurt the baby the we're cool with me holding one and walked away to the other babies

 

[CrealCritter]

I'm with you on letting the mamas raise the babies...they can do it better in all ways. Great hatches!

I'm also a fan of ACV and used to use it regularly in the poultry water until I switched to fermented feed, when it became redundant. Still use it for the dogs water, though, when I can remember and the chickens drink out of there, so they do still get a shot of ACV.

I drink it also in the winter months to help my body regulate warmth. I used to be cold all winter long (feet and hands were like icicles) until my doctor told me to try a table spoon of Bragg's ACV every day. I mix it up in Chamomile tea every night about an hour or so before bedtime. I sleep well and am no longer cold all the time.

 

[CrealCritter]

My son and I put chicken wire around the bottom of the turkey yard fence this morning. No sooner than we were done - Momma's and babies took a stroll under the cow itch to inspect our work.

Do you see something wrong in this picture?

Exactly... What the heck is that baby buff orpengton chick doing in there?

Well I found the buff orpengton hen in with the turkeys and put her back in the chicken yard. She had to have been in the turkey yard for a while and laid some eggs in with the turkey clutches. The turkey hens hatched out a chicken. My wife said "Your Adopted". So that makes 6 baby turkeys and one buff orpengton chick.

I put roosters in with the turkeys and feed them 21% meat bird to fatten them up before the they go into the pot.

 

[CrealCritter]

Too funny! What do you use for fencing for your turkeys? Do they have a covered area or just high fencing?

Here are some pictures. When we moved here the roof had fallen in on the cider block building you see. My sons and I tore it all off and framed up a new roof using white pine we cut on my sawmill. We also reused what we could... like old roofing tin. I can't seem to find the time to paint the building and roof. It's kind of low on the priority list actually...

This is the layer yard looking west. Inside the layer yard on the north side, you'll a little shelter and fenced in area - I call the nursery yard. That's where I put a momma hen and her chicks she hatched until the chicks get big enough to let go into the layer yard.

Here's the north side of the layer yard still looking west.

Here's the turkey yard looking south. The turkey yard actually has two yards. I raised like 50 CCX in the center yard last year and wanted to keep the isolated from the layers and turkeys. But I cut a hole in the fence to allow turkeys to have more space.

Here is the west side of the turkey yard looking south east. Lots of shade over here with the cow itch I let grow up on this side.

Then here are my two turkey hens working hard to hatch out more babies

This completes our tour of the outside of the lil Crealbilly protein factory -:lol

 

[CrealCritter]

Just checked best I can tell we're up to 7 cute and DELICIOUS baby turkeys I see a really nice meat slicer for turkey breasts in my future. Ah oh... Lots of huge pots of turkey soup... Gotta keep my wife busy canning, she loves to can. Of course I'll name a Tom Thanksgiving and another Christmas.

Latest pictures - some are up and running around. One is still and wet looks like it just hatched.

It's so tempting to gather them up and stick them in the brooder. But I'm going hands off and let momma hens be momma hens. I think they know how to tend to their babies better than I ever will.

 

[CrealCritter]

I've read in numerous places on the internet that burbon red hens aren't good mommas.

I beg to differ but I think they are really good momma's. I even seen one YouTube video where a guy took the babies from the hens as soon as they hatched claiming he could brood them better than the hens could. I'm glad all that internet information turned out to be incorrect. Because this guy really doesn't want to try and play momma hen to a bunch of baby turkeys.

 

[CrealCritter]

Your birds are just gorgeous!!!! Most folks' turkeys you see are kind of ratty looking in their feathering.

Thank you

I feed them 21% protein meat bird feed and wild bird seeds as a treat occasionally. I also add Bragg's apple cider vinegar at the rate of 1 cap full per gallon of water. I think that has a lot to do with the condition they are in...