Turkeys about breeding time

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,843
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
A bit of an update... So there was a break in the water main last week. We we're under a boil order. Today I seen a water Dept worker flushing out the line on our road (opening up the fire hydrant). So I walked up there to talk to him.

I asked him if the water department is putting clorine in the water he said no, that all the EPA tests have always come back with no additional clorine needed. I said wait a min... Let me ask again in a different way. Is there any clorine in this water at all? He said yes, the town where they buy the water from clorinates the water.

I said oh this all makes sense now... I had 13 turkey chicks hatch out over the summer all but 4 survived. He said he's raised chicken chicks on this water and never had a problem. I said yeah but these are turkey chicks and their livers are not fully developed when they first hatch and I didn't buy them from the farm store, so they were just hatched, not 1 week plus old like in the tubs at the farm store. He said he has no experience with turkeys.

Then the conversation turned to filtering and zero water filters but I really wasn't interested in any of that... So now i'm fairly sure (although I have no evidence) that my turkey chicks died of clorine poising. Next hatch will get spring water until they are 2 to 3 weeks old and their livers are fully developed.

Anyways I'm just a learner about raising turkeys... Here's a few pics of my 7 turkeys soon to be 6.

Here's the 4 of the 13 that survived. 2 Jake's (Young Tom's) & 2 hens.They are growing like weeds and have their adult feathers now - good looking birds. Both Tom's have a nice constant white band on their tail feathers when they display.
IMG_20181217_120742512.jpg


Here's my 2 mature hens and Tom that's going to become Christmas dinner right quick.
IMG_20181217_120719309.jpg


When I process the mature Tom, I'll put one of the Jake's in with the two mature hens then I'll have two breeding Tom's with two hens each, both seperated in their own yards. The Tom's need to be separated, if not they fight to the death come breeding time. If all goes well, and I can keep eggs in their clutches from freezing late winter / early spring. I'll have 4 hens sitting and should have a bunch of chicks (if all goes well of course)...
 
Last edited:

Mini Horses

Sustainability Master
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
7,074
Reaction score
14,460
Points
352
Location
coastal VA
Glad you got that info. At least you now know to harvest water for those young ones next year. Man really close to me raises the white with black (Royal Palms). Beautiful birds! I keep wanting some just to look at them. Think I'm gonna get a picture instead. :D
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,843
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
Glad you got that info. At least you now know to harvest water for those young ones next year. Man really close to me raises the white with black (Royal Palms). Beautiful birds! I keep wanting some just to look at them. Think I'm gonna get a picture instead. :D

I would rather raise turkeys than I would chickens. But since turkeys lay in clutches twice a year, I still need both really.
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,843
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
Ole Turkey Tom is chilling in the refrigerator just waiting to become Christmas dinner.

Pics... Son in law helped me. Since we had only one to process, we plucked by hand.

In the killing cone.
IMG_20181222_112248601.jpg


Bleeding out
PART_1545506816613_IMG_20181222_113035721.jpg


Big feet
PART_1545506850807_IMG_20181222_113056606_TOP.jpg


Ready for plucking
IMG_20181222_113348693.jpg


Plucking
PART_1545506880479_IMG_20181222_115151270_HDR.jpg

PART_1545506896431_IMG_20181222_120721546.jpg


Gutted and cleaned up
PART_1545506908118_IMG_20181222_130418326.jpg


Bagged and weighed
IMG_20181222_131328005.jpg


All organs were good and clean, he has a nice layer of fat inbetween meat and skin. He's gonna be delicious, stuffed with corn bread stuffing. I can't wait to get him in the oven :)
 

Mini Horses

Sustainability Master
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
7,074
Reaction score
14,460
Points
352
Location
coastal VA
He looks like it will be a great meal. Of course, these are always sad/glad times.

I have a question -- The dog in the photo -- what kind is he/she? Asking because one at pound was so, so alike and I am torn about leaving him there. :( Of course, can ask them but, wondering.
This one is a mix but I swear, almost identical to yours there, size & all.
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,843
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
He looks like it will be a great meal. Of course, these are always sad/glad times.

I have a question -- The dog in the photo -- what kind is he/she? Asking because one at pound was so, so alike and I am torn about leaving him there. :( Of course, can ask them but, wondering.
This one is a mix but I swear, almost identical to yours there, size & all.

He's some kind of Shepard mix, I also got him from a shelter. He would be in misery if I tried to keep him in the house. He loves the outside and stays outside 24x7x365. I have a place for him to sleep under my woodworking bench. I also feed and water him in my wood shop. I keep the doornopen all the time so he can come and go as he pleases.

He has a path worn around the perimeter of our 18 acre property that he patrols nightly. He also goes up to the neighbors a few times a night to check and make sure his horses are ok. He is a really awesome gaurd dog and great at keeping wildlife off our property. He would absolutely be in his element if he had some sheep or goats to look after.

Like I said an awesome guard dog, he barks anytime anyone pulls up of if some other animal enters the property. But he knows which animals and people are allowed to be here, for example he'll Shepard the chickens but won't hurt them.

He's also a pretty good small game hunting dog (rabbits and squirrel) he'll tree a squirrel quicker that you can say squirrel. He also drags home deer parts from the woods that hunters left behind, like legs and eats them. He has also brought me several deer antler sheds and turtles in the spring. He also has prevented me from getting bit by copperheads a few times.

I call him my hunting dog but really he's my bud.
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,843
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
He looks like it will be a great meal. Of course, these are always sad/glad times.

I have a question -- The dog in the photo -- what kind is he/she? Asking because one at pound was so, so alike and I am torn about leaving him there. :( Of course, can ask them but, wondering.
This one is a mix but I swear, almost identical to yours there, size & all.

Turkeys - that's why I raise them, to eat. They are pretty goofy birds and surely aren't pets. So no sad feeling here really, although I do ensure they live a good life and always have food and water and plenty of room to be turkeys. I also respect it's live that it gave to me so it will feed me and my family. It's quite a bit different, raising, processing and eating ones you have raised from chicks than it is one you would buy from the store that's for sure.

It's a good feeling to know he was never abused, never had any "otics" or "mones" and always had good food, clean water and fresh air.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top