Heritage turkeys, anyone?

[freemotion]

I'm off to pick up my new turkeys, four adults, a tom and three hens all under a year old (5-10 months).

I have not put up a feeder yet as I can't find info on how high to put it! Also the roost....how high? Nest boxes? On the floor or raised?

I will just eyeball the turkeys and quickly put up the feeders using the chicken principle.....around the height of their backs.....unless someone tells me different.

I do not want to copy the industrial model on my very tiny scale. I can do things that are not viable on a larger scale, so I can't find the info I am looking for. I won't be buying a feeder or waterer, using what I have here. I will use a bucket for water and a scrap of 4" pvc pipe for a feeder with a two compartment mineral feeder from TSC for oyster shell and grit (confined until spring, then free-ranging.)

How big a board for the roost? Or can I use a length of a tree, and of what diameter? I have lots to choose from here without buying anything, so....

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Wow, free, you sure are putting more effort into your turkeys than I did. I just tossed mine out there.

 

[TTs Chicks]

I know nothing . . yet . . I am going to get me some turkeys this spring from a BYCer that is close to me so I am glad you are asking what we both need to know

 

[farmerlor]

Woot!!! Congrats to you! That's fantastic! What kind did you get?
Can't tell you about the feeder, we just put ours on a cinder block. They like their roosts big-a 2x4 should work nicely.
Best idea I've heard for nests is a 55 gallon barrel cut in half attached to a board so it doesn't roll around but a medium to large dogloo or something like that would work nicely otherwise just make 'em a box about 18x18. Yes, on the floor is best.
Can't wait for my new turks to get here!!!

 

[freemotion]

Well, just in the house for a quick break, I put two Narragansett hens, 5-6 months old, into the pen, and the two Bourbon Reds, a tom and a hen, under a year old, are still in the car in a large dog crate. That tom is huge! I won't be able to get that crate the 70-80 feet across an icy yard and into the barn by myself, and dh won't be home for another half hour, so they can nap in the car.

I learned a lot about turkeys today! The guy I bought the Reds from has a very organized series of pens with runs with just about every kind of bird you can imagine, many turkeys, chickens, pigeons, ducks, peacocks.....every color and size, too. He formed a club that meets at his house. He showed birds as a kid and hopes his very young sons become interested, although he doesn't show now, he enjoys quality.

He seemed to be having some seller's remorse....he said if I ever want to get rid of them he will buy them back for the same price, no matter how old they are, and he also wants to buy back offspring if I get some to spare. He offered to be available for advice, too. So nice. He took an hour to teach me and answer all my questions, at least the ones I could think of then!

But he doesn't do things the way I will, so I'll have to muddle through some parts. He has too many to free range them. He free ranged some of his ducks one year, because he liked seeing some of them living naturally, but hawks were getting too many, especially as the weather turned colder and the squirrels and rodents were less available. So he doesn't anymore.

Anyways, he had some feed pans on the floor, those rubber ones, for feed and water, which is easy. And since he isn't letting them raise poults, he incubates, he doesn't have nest boxes for the turkeys. But he said to put them on the ground, too.

And the roosts, they will go almost whatever height you supply, and use something at least as sturdy as a wooden closet pole. I will cut a small maple or oak tomorrow, my little swampy woods could always use a thinning.

Oh, heard dh's car door, gotta go! And yes, Quail, I ended up "tossing them in there!!!"

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

And yes, Quail, I ended up "tossing them in there!!!"

ROTFL!

I am so happy for you! Congratulations on your new turkeys!

When your Bourbon Red starts laying, Please let me buy some eggs from you? DH would love some Bourbons!

 

[Beekissed]

No heritage turkeys....but I may be getting a heritage hog breed soon!

http://www.largeblackhogs.com/question_and_answers.htm

I'm planning on grazing her in with my sheep!

 

[freemotion]

And yes, Quail, I ended up "tossing them in there!!!"

ROTFL!

I am so happy for you! Congratulations on your new turkeys!

When your Bourbon Red starts laying, Please let me buy some eggs from you? DH would love some Bourbons!

Sure! Are you gonna come to MA to get them along with the baby goat? Trade for some EE chicks?

Seriously, as long as there are plenty and I can tell who laid what, (the Narragansetts are in there, too....tossed them all in!) I'd be happy to share. You'll have to educate me, when the time comes, on how to handle packing and shipping.

 

[freemotion]

No heritage turkeys....but I may be getting a heritage hog breed soon!

http://www.largeblackhogs.com/question_and_answers.htm

I'm planning on grazing her in with my sheep!

I want one, too! Things will have to get MUCH worse before dh lets me raise one of those for meat! Oh, but imagine a freezer....and canning jars....filled with fresh, HEALTHY pork! And jars and jars of gleaming white lard!

You can graze it with your sheep??? What about fencing? Won't the hog decide to go walk-about?

 

[Beekissed]

Well, the sheep and the hog will be confined with temporary electric paddocks during the rotations. I have a perimeter fence around the property that's pretty sturdy in case of an escape. When I need to pen her for some reason, she will be in my old chicken run with hot wire on extenders about 6-8 in. from the bottom to prevent rooting out of the fence.