Incubator

[CrealCritter]

This isn't the first time I've thought hard about an incubator for turkey eggs. Any recommendations? I've been thinking for a while about the ReptiPro 6000 ---> http://www.incubatorsusa.com/reptipro-6000-incubator-byc.html they say it will hold around 20 turkey eggs with the 2 automatic turner trays.

I'm looking for something that's pretty much "plug -n play" I have no idea what I'm doing... Never used a incubator before.

Or my other option would be to have the turkey hens sit untill the eggs hatch and take the chicks as soon as they hatch to brood my self.

I really wished my burbon reds wouldn't kill their chick but I guess theirs a reason they are an endangered species.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Ya know, I understand that some folks will tolerate mean roosters. When I first got chickens about 40 years ago - I was the same way.

Not too many years after I started raising chickens I had a big ol' red rooster. One day, to my dismay that rooster flogged me when I wasn't looking. Isolated incident right? I was sure he'd never do it again. But - he did. I always kept an eye out for his mean a$$. I started walking backwards in the chicken area so he couldn't sneak up behind me. I wouldn't let my kids go into the pen with him.

And yet, that rooster would still get me... he did it again....and again...and again.

One day when I had my hands full with two buckets of feed he came at me again - from the front this time. He'd gotten so much bolder. I have to admit that I screamed like a little girl and threw a bucket full of feed in his direction. The bucket hit him and he went down. I didn't really think I could hit him - but I did. And when he jumped back up I was horrified - he had a broken leg. I felt awful. I cried. I picked him up and splinted that leg and put him in a cage and fed him treats and nursed that rooster like he was one of my children. I kept him up for about 3 weeks and when he finally got released from that cage he was a much nicer rooster. He was still wearing a splint and couldn't move very fast so he sure wasn't a threat anymore - until he was again. About a month later that piece of crap rooster flogged me from behind again. He got both of my legs and I had blood running down into my shoes.

Separated his body from his head about 5 minutes later.

Moral of this story - don't tolerate a mean rooster!

 

[tortoise]

Dear husband. Or Damn husband. One or the other, I can never remember.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

The worst bird I ever had was an itty bitty bantam rooster - about 25 years ago. I swear that bird tried to kill me every time he saw me. When he came out of a tree at my face - that was his last conscious thought. But, he was so tough I had to kill him twice, lol I thought I broke his neck the first time...but he came back to life and I had to finally separate his head from his body. He was a nasty little creature and had gotten my kids the day before. That will not work at my house.

 

[baymule]

EW!!!
I don't even eat my own CHICKENS let alone OSTRICHES!

Most of us do eat our chickens. When they quit laying, they then feed us. Lest you think me some sort of a barbarian, I say a prayer over each chicken, thanking God for the chicken and thanking the chicken for giving up her/his life that we might eat. I kill it quickly and humanely in a cone and don't let it flop around.

I do not run an old folks home for chickens. My feed bill is high enough than to carry an animal that doesn't contribute. For those that do want to keep a bunch of old chickens for pets, I am happy for them and their chickens.

My 2 year old grand daughter loves MEAN Rooster Soup!

 

[CrealCritter]

We have a Hovabator and bought an egg turner as well. Works great. Have used it for turkeys, chickens and ducks. Side note- expect not so great hatch rates, turkeys are notoriously difficult to hatch in incubators. They're difficult birds.

Yeah I'm finding that out...

Thinking about raising ostriches. Maybe a couple hundred pound ostrich might be enough feed my family for Thanksgiving. I wonder how they taste and what would you bake them in? -:lol

 

[sumi]

Thinking about raising ostriches. Maybe a couple hundred pound ostrich might be enough feed my family for Thanksgiving. I wonder how they taste and what would you bake them in? -:lol

Ostrich meat is delicious (and healthy) and very versatile. You can even make bacon with it. You can eat nearly the entire carcass too, including the tail, knees, etc. We used to make curry with the stomachs and grind up the hearts for mince meat. The skin leather is divine (and big $$$$$) and the feathers are sought after and useful. The chicks are a royal PITA (Pain In The Arse) to rear and drop dead for the stupidest reasons. Where I used to live in South Africa we were surrounded by ostrich farms and the farmers often paid people to raise the youngsters for them, so they didn't have the hassle.

And you're going to need a bloody big incubator to hatch those eggs

 

[NH Homesteader]

No kidding! An angry tom coming at you is bad enough... Ostrich? Nooooo way!!!

 

[Hinotori]

That's your prerogative.

I've been spurred and had the infection that comes from a dirty puncture wound, as well as the scars that remain. Aggressive males here are taken care of immediately. They do pass it on genetically to their offspring. You can breed for friendliness.

To improve livestock breeds, there are always way to many males and no pet homes. The best solution is humane slaughter. This also provides the highest quality meat from birds who have had happy chicken lives.

If you cannot slaughter, do not breed chickens. I know some people just cannot do it themselves. I bawled the first few I did. Hubby was insistant that if I wanted to raise chickens, I take care of them.

 

[Beekissed]

To improve livestock breeds, there are always way to many males and no pet homes. The best solution is humane slaughter. This also provides the highest quality meat from birds who have had happy chicken lives.

If you cannot slaughter, do not breed chickens. I know some people just cannot do it themselves. I bawled the first few I did. Hubby was insistant that if I wanted to raise chickens, I take care of them.

Or even raise them at all. Eventually there will come a time when a chicken needs a merciful end, even if they aren't going to be eaten. Knowing when to kill and then killing is an important part of raising animals, if you don't have that capacity or someone nearby who does, it's best to never take on the care of another creature. IMO, love that allows suffering is not love that I would want for anything or anyone.

I love every chicken on my place, love them from chick to the last day and even past that, when I consume their energy into my body. Loving an animal does not preclude killing them and consuming them. I'd rather kill a chicken in its prime of life, when they are feeling wonderful and their meat won't be wasted than to let them live long enough to suffer from illness due to old age, then are thrown away like an old shoe.

I also enjoy the privilege of being the one who insures each chicken has a quick death conducted in a quiet manner and place, with as little drama and fear as possible. I wouldn't entrust any of my chickens to anyone else for that.

On a homesteading forum, it's likely that there will be many who love the taste of the livestock they raise and so will also kill them for food...that's the whole point of raising them as a homesteader, isn't it? To be more "self sufficient"? How can one become more self sufficient if they depend solely on the grocery store for their food?