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Turkey chicks

Discussion in 'The Water Cooler' started by brucelanthier, Jun 6, 2012.

  1. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    These 3 hatched last night. We are still waiting on the other 4 eggs to show some action.
    chick2.jpg Chick1.jpg
     
  2. Vito

    Vito Grizzled Veteran

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    Are you raising them as pets, food, or other? How long did you have the eggs before they hatched?
     
  3. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    They are food, specifically thanksgiving and more. That's my answer. My wife and daughter would say pets that are going to be food LOL.

    The eggs incubate for 28 days +/-. Stop turning them at day 24. These eggs went in the incubator on May 9 and 2 of them hatched last night before 11:00. The third sometime during the night. We took those 3 out and put them in the brooder (modifed dog crate) this morning around 8:00. We candled the eggs each week so chicks definitely grew in the other four, they just may take another day or two to hatch (hopefully).

    Out of 8 eggs, 7 definitely developed and one did not. I would be happy with 4 hatching out. Maybe we will be lucky and get more than that.

    Next year we start the real turkey operation :) .
     
  4. Vito

    Vito Grizzled Veteran

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    Cool, just curious. We raised turkeys, geese, and chickens when I was a kid. The geese and some of the chickens were for eggs, and some chickens were for food. My Mom loved the turkeys though, so we didn't kill/eat them. She had too much fun making the toms gobble everyday.

    Eventually a couple foxes made them food.
     
  5. TJF

    TJF Grizzled Veteran

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    Did anymore hatch ??? The boss used to hatch a few chickens, ducks and geese every year before getting out of it to compete with his horses ( reining ). He hatched some wild turkeys eggs out one year. He really enjoyed that part and seeing them grow.

    Tim
     
  6. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    Nope, no more hatched. We opened the eggs and 3 of them looked like they quit growing after about 3 weeks or so. Either I must have screwed up the temp somehow or they just stopped. Don't know. I'm gonna get this egg incubation thing down but won't be doing anymore until next spring. So, we'll get these chicks raised and see how they taste.
     
  7. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    So far, so good. Looks like thanksgiving dinner is growing nicely.

    009a.jpg 010a.jpg 011a.jpg 016a.jpg 017a.jpg
     
  8. Muzzy Man

    Muzzy Man Grizzled Veteran

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  9. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    LOL, Well, only 1 maybe 2 will be had at thanksgiving, just don't know which one(s) yet. The other 1 or 2 will get processed somehow, we just haven't had to figure out what we want to do with them yet. May just grind them up for turkey burger.
     
  10. Muzzy Man

    Muzzy Man Grizzled Veteran

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    50/50 mix with ground venison sounds pretty good. Turkey sausage... hmmm... maybe that would work. Or just plain turkey breasts for special occasions. I am sure you'll figure it out but be sure to share your recipes.

    Question, are you going to put wire over the top of your pen or let them fly?
     
  11. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    These 3 probably would not be able to fly but, when 21 eggs we have incubating hatch and they get older we will likely clip their wings. I am going to run some fishing line across the top of the enclosure but that is to keep the owls from getting the chicks once we keep them in there permanently.
     
  12. TJF

    TJF Grizzled Veteran

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    Looking good !!
     
  13. TJF

    TJF Grizzled Veteran

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    Are owls a big problem for you. They were for the boss. He had to have the State trapper come in and remove a few since we couldn't legally do it when it got really bad. Pretty simple to catch them.

    Tim
     
  14. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    We see them somewhat rarely but hear them often. Barred owls mostly. I also forgot to mention hawks. We get a lot of those too. If the fishing line doesn't work.....;)
     
  15. Tony

    Tony Legendary Woodsman

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    How the heck did I miss this thread?! Way cool! How much food do those suckers.eat?
     
  16. brucelanthier

    brucelanthier Grizzled Veteran

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    I can't really say for sure right now. They are still eating the first bag of starter but we also have been giving them lots of grubs (my wife finds them in the garden), cucumbers, watermelon and other stuff. Plus they are eating the bugs they find in their turkey pen and the tractor (in there at night and part of the morning). These are Broad Breasted Bronze & White so they should eat more than regular, knd of like a Cornish X chicken just not as extreme.
     

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