Well, in theory any way.They can leave their coop but their wings have been clipped so they will stay in their yard.
The Boy hated having to cut their beautiful wings! It was a matter of their life or death though and given the choice I am sure they would choose not being eaten by dogs over their wing tips! The turkeys are so funny, they will follow us every where.We can be standing there watching them and turn and walk away.Then we will here all this rustling and wing flapping behind us and turn around and there they are! They follow The Boy all over just like dogs,it is so funny!
We had a very hard time with these turkeys.I ordered 10 the first time.They we're nice healthy little things.I kept them inside for about 2 weeks.
Then I moved them out to the rabbit hutch.It is about 3 and half feet off the ground and,of course, covered in rabbit wire.The next morning only 3 remained.Possums climbed up and got their little toes and pulled their legs thought the wire.I was crushed,my sweet little babies.I have wanted these turkeys ever since I read about them several years back.They are nothing like baby chickens.They are not afraid,they do not run or scatter when you come near.They will come right up to you, curious and friendly.This was probably my second hardest loss of our life on the farm.Things die on farms,it is just how it is.I accept that pretty well.For some reason loosing these sweet little things in such an awful way got to me.
So I tried to order more but everyone was sold out.I finally found one place that I had never heard of and order 15 more.Some of these were not so healthy.One had a deformed leg and one was a weak little runt and died right away.6 in total died over the next week or so.Then we put them in their coop,which was apparently the possum buffet.No matter what we did we could not keep the possums from some how getting them.Every morning one less turkey.Finally this coop had multiple kinds of layers of wire around it and on the ground and layers of boards around the bottom.When we finally got it like some kind of turkey armored car we were down to seven.Seven out of 25.You want to know how many turned out to be hens?Two,just two.Guess what we are having for Christmas dinner?Yep,excess tom turkey!
I really have my heart set on raising these beautiful,friendly birds.I hope my 2 hens make it so I will have eggs this Spring.If they laid eggs all year round those chickens would be in trouble!I would keep turkeys instead of them!
So, it took me and The Boy all week to get their area done. That's one thing I can cross of my list! Now only 99,467,382,736 more things to go !
9 comments:
We had ordered one of these from HomemakerAng last year, but the little guy just didn't grow fast enough, so she gave me a refund. He is still running around their farm, and his new name is Lucky. Ang sent me a note from him, saying "Thank you for choosing life"! What a hoot!
Will you do the butchering?
Where did the original healthy 10 come from? I want to put in an early order somewhere, to make sure I get some.
I had an order in with SandhillPreservation once, sent the money in Jan and they didn't tell me until June they didn't have any available. By June, eveybody else was out. Mike and I were so disappointed with them. Up to that point, we were big fans of SandhillPreservation.
Our egg customers beg us for more turkey eggs but we only have 3 girls.
Once they get into a routine, knowing where to sleep at night, etc, you won't have to clip the wings. And we have one daughter, which we never clipped her wings because she just followed the other adult turkeys around.
Where we used to live, I'd have to crouch down to put feed in some chicken houses, when I'd swing back around, Franklin would be in my face. Too funny.
Obviously, I can talk turkeys all day! Love 'em.
Farmgirl Cyn,
That is funny!I love her sense of humor!
Joanna,
I ordered from Mcmurry hatchery.That is where I order all my poultry and have yet to be disappointed ,they also have a refund/replacement policy if you loose any thing within 3 days I think.They sold out of Reds quick last year and have a minimum order of 10 at around $10 a piece.
I love these turkeys too!
Yes,we butcher all our poultry and rabbits and sometimes sheep.Nothing bigger than sheep though.
Hmm, turkey eggs? What do they taste like?
We butchered our chickens but took the goat to the butcher.
I don't think my comment made it before but if so just ignore this one LOL...
I really like your Turkeys, I have never seen them before.. do they dig up the place like chickens?
Would be fun to see them roaming around if they don't dig up everything! I never knew chickens could rototill 27 acres! Okay I might be over stating that bit but none the less the chickens I have now don't free range, first for their own safety against predators and second they dig up everything!
I think it would be a hoot to see these Turkey roaming around here! I have that McMurray Hatchery Catalog... its like getting the Sears Christmas Catalog isn't it LOL...
Texan,
This is my first try with turkeys so I don't know if they will scratch up everything.That is the reason we keep our chickens in their own pasture away from the house and garden!The Bourbon Reds are a heritage breed that is on the critical list,You should ask Joanna at BooneDocksWilcox, she has been raising Bourbon Reds for awhile now.
We drool over that McMurray catalog! It is like the Sears toy catalog! The Boy wants 10 of everything!OK maybe I do too!
Pricilla,
I don't know I haven't eaten one yet!
Excellent post, first visit here and am going to have to follow this blog. I have raised turkeys for 10 years now, they are as awesome as you say. Off to read more, this is my kind of reading. Peace for all
Ruralrose,
Thanks,I always love to hear from fellow farm sistas! Peace right back!
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