gettinaclue
Almost Self-Reliant
:/ That just plain sucks. Sorry about the little guy.
Broody turkey hen with chicken eggs! Sheesh! ***new ???? p 9***
- Thread starter freemotion
- Start date
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- #72
freemotion
Food Guru
I am feeding this batch of chicks sprouted barley as an experiment, and it is working out GREAT. They have a home-ground mix free-choice, and I toss in a handful of sprouted barley twice a day, starting at two weeks old. They are 3.5 weeks old today, and are eating a small handful each and favoring the sprouts over the ground feed. They are thriving. I won't need to grind any additional grain for them, as they are almost off the ground feed. They are not free-ranging, since my turkey hen is raising them. I am nervous about putting her out where the tom can squash her flat along with the chicks, which spend a lot of time under her. It is cold and rainy, too, and my pasture fence is not chick-proof. So they will have to wait a bit longer. I did dig some worms one day for them, and they went berserk over them, they knew exactly what they were without being shown by mama. So fun.
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Cool, Free!!
I think we need updated pics of the little sweeties!
I think we need updated pics of the little sweeties!
- Thread starter
- #74
freemotion
Food Guru
I'm late with updates here.
The chicks are 6 weeks old today, and there are only two left. One definitely got smooshed by mama or papa.....mama steps on them regularly, and papa has become quite amorous and I have been shooing him out of the pen every morning, where he is displaying his glory and making his intentions known to anyone who will listen.
She is not laying eggs yet, that I've seen, so he is getting nowhere with her.
The wall is four feet high, so when he jumps into the pen, I think he may be landing on a chick. The first one to go was all wobbly for a few days. I actually thought it stood a chance of recovery, as it was eating with its siblings and getting under the hen with no really difficulties. Then yesterday morning, it was gone, along with one other chick. Three chicks remaining.
Rats. No really, rats.
This morning I am down to two chicks.
I think I'm down to one cat, too. I haven't seen the black cat in about a week. When I go into the storage area to get hay or barley, I see the grey daughter looking at me from her basket, then she silently disappears behind the hay. I only caught two glimpses of the black one since I moved them, and one was of her tail disappearing into the coop via a ventilation hole by the ceiling. She may still be around, as she is quick, feral, and like a shadow. My eyes don't adjust quickly enough to see her before she disappears.
One of the times I saw her it was through a crack in the door late one night when I'd left the light on. This caused the guinea cock to make a huge ruckus for hours, so I finally went out around midnight to shut the light off. I peaked through the crack, and saw both kitties sitting inside the door, looking at me. Then the black one melted away.
I think they have killed a couple of rats, because egg production has been up.
I am considering separating the two remaining chicks and putting them into a dog crate for now....but am hesitating.....do I want to see this experiment through and most likely lose the last two chicks? Or do I want the inconvenience of taking care of the two until they are big enough to go in with the flock? If I do that, what happens if one dies and the other is alone? Ick, farm decisions.
The chicks are 6 weeks old today, and there are only two left.
One definitely got smooshed by mama or papa.....mama steps on them regularly, and papa has become quite amorous and I have been shooing him out of the pen every morning, where he is displaying his glory and making his intentions known to anyone who will listen.She is not laying eggs yet, that I've seen, so he is getting nowhere with her.
The wall is four feet high, so when he jumps into the pen, I think he may be landing on a chick. The first one to go was all wobbly for a few days. I actually thought it stood a chance of recovery, as it was eating with its siblings and getting under the hen with no really difficulties. Then yesterday morning, it was gone, along with one other chick. Three chicks remaining.
Rats. No really, rats.
This morning I am down to two chicks.
I think I'm down to one cat, too. I haven't seen the black cat in about a week. When I go into the storage area to get hay or barley, I see the grey daughter looking at me from her basket, then she silently disappears behind the hay. I only caught two glimpses of the black one since I moved them, and one was of her tail disappearing into the coop via a ventilation hole by the ceiling. She may still be around, as she is quick, feral, and like a shadow. My eyes don't adjust quickly enough to see her before she disappears.
One of the times I saw her it was through a crack in the door late one night when I'd left the light on. This caused the guinea cock to make a huge ruckus for hours, so I finally went out around midnight to shut the light off. I peaked through the crack, and saw both kitties sitting inside the door, looking at me. Then the black one melted away.
I think they have killed a couple of rats, because egg production has been up.
I am considering separating the two remaining chicks and putting them into a dog crate for now....but am hesitating.....do I want to see this experiment through and most likely lose the last two chicks? Or do I want the inconvenience of taking care of the two until they are big enough to go in with the flock? If I do that, what happens if one dies and the other is alone? Ick, farm decisions.
- Thread starter
- #75
freemotion
Food Guru
Last night I couldn't stand it anymore so I went out and set the chicks up in a cat carrier, the airline type. I set that in a nest box frame to protect it from getting roosted and pooped on, and put the whole thing in the turkey pen (which, by the way, is actually a goat stall that the turkeys tool over in spite of my protests.)
Everyone was very upset, but they survived the night, and are surviving a second night. I hope to put some wire on the bottom of my tiny hoophouse, aka 2-hen-power garden tiller, so they can grow up safe from predators until they are big enough to join the flock.
The turkey hen is very down-hearted today, and was moping around outside with the flock. I actually left the door to the stall open, so everyone can come and go as they please. Since she can't get to her chicks, she is starting to abandon them. I hope she starts laying eggs again soon. Two hens layed eggs in her nest this morning. I hope I can keep her from going broody on any chicken eggs....we need turkey poults from her if she is to justify her existance for another year here!
Everyone was very upset, but they survived the night, and are surviving a second night. I hope to put some wire on the bottom of my tiny hoophouse, aka 2-hen-power garden tiller, so they can grow up safe from predators until they are big enough to join the flock.
The turkey hen is very down-hearted today, and was moping around outside with the flock. I actually left the door to the stall open, so everyone can come and go as they please. Since she can't get to her chicks, she is starting to abandon them. I hope she starts laying eggs again soon. Two hens layed eggs in her nest this morning. I hope I can keep her from going broody on any chicken eggs....we need turkey poults from her if she is to justify her existance for another year here!
- Thread starter
- #76
freemotion
Food Guru
Silly turkeys....take, take, take, and never give! I have been looking in vain for a couple more young adult hens for my tom, in the hopes that several females can contribute eggs to one nest. Or that several females can contribute enough eggs that I can sneak some underneath a broody chicken!
Some may remember what became of the last two chicks the turkey tried to raise from my kidding thread:
A week ago I was taking my mom out to see my pasture gardens, and there was a turkey egg in one of the piles! I left it there, hoping it would grow into a pile of eggs. It didn't. So today I went out to take it away before it gets too ripe, and in the next pile of trees, there was another nest with FIVE eggs! Woohoo! That was definitely not there a few days ago, because I checked the wrong pile a couple of times when peaking on the lone egg. So I quietly snuck away without getting too close. The hen roosted next to the tom tonight, but I am just waiting for her to "disappear" on night soon and set on those eggs.
Maybe they will earn their keep after all.
Some may remember what became of the last two chicks the turkey tried to raise from my kidding thread:
A couple of weeks ago I noticed that someone has been going into the pile of xmas tree skeletons and messing around in there. I have several piles of the leftover trunks and gnawed on branches from dragging them home so the goats could eat them in the winter. I have almost fifty. I didn't get rid of them, thinking that they would make great fuel for a rocket stove for maple syrup boiling next year, after they dried for a year.
A week ago I was taking my mom out to see my pasture gardens, and there was a turkey egg in one of the piles! I left it there, hoping it would grow into a pile of eggs. It didn't. So today I went out to take it away before it gets too ripe, and in the next pile of trees, there was another nest with FIVE eggs! Woohoo! That was definitely not there a few days ago, because I checked the wrong pile a couple of times when peaking on the lone egg. So I quietly snuck away without getting too close. The hen roosted next to the tom tonight, but I am just waiting for her to "disappear" on night soon and set on those eggs.
Maybe they will earn their keep after all.
TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
Are you afraid something might get at the eggs?
I went to my feed store today and they had a bunch of turkey chicks. Royal Palm, and some grey ones. I forget the name. I am mulling over the idea.
Oh funny thing, I was in line to leave and this young girl at the counter asked if the store will buy roosters. I started laughing, because I just gave them one last month. The lady said no but if they have space they will take them for free. The Hispanic man standing next to me says "roast them" The girl turned and gave us a major glare. I couldn't help but smile.
have a great day.
gina
I went to my feed store today and they had a bunch of turkey chicks. Royal Palm, and some grey ones. I forget the name. I am mulling over the idea.
Oh funny thing, I was in line to leave and this young girl at the counter asked if the store will buy roosters. I started laughing, because I just gave them one last month. The lady said no but if they have space they will take them for free. The Hispanic man standing next to me says "roast them" The girl turned and gave us a major glare. I couldn't help but smile.
have a great day.
gina
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
The grey ones are probably blue slates.TanksHill said:
- Thread starter
- #79
freemotion
Food Guru
I have not yet fully resolved the rat problem in my barn. If she had left an egg unattended anywhere in my barn, it would be gone by now! It seems to be safer out in the pasture under that pile of brush/trees. 
They are still there after a week, so I will just wait and watch and see what happens.
If a chicken goes broody before the turkey does, I may steal a few and put them under the chicken. Who knows? This is new territory for me, and I love an experiment!
They are still there after a week, so I will just wait and watch and see what happens.If a chicken goes broody before the turkey does, I may steal a few and put them under the chicken. Who knows? This is new territory for me, and I love an experiment!
TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
Free that's very scientific of you!!
Thanks Quail. I guess I need to get my turkey book out and start reading.
g
Thanks Quail. I guess I need to get my turkey book out and start reading.
g
