little turkeys here, and on the way!
My first batch of turkey babies arrived via the mail
Tuesday, the first goat babies arrived. Wednesday I got the call that the turkey babies arrived! What more can a gal ask for than baby animals coming in from all over the place? TYpically hatcheries send chicks of all types through the post office. Crazy, but true.
here they are snug as a bug in a rug
So here are my little ones, all snug in my bathroom brooder: a giant chip box, lined with newspaper, pine shavings and outfitted with water, food and a heat lamp to keep them around 75-90 degrees. They can move from super warm to a bit cooler, as they need. These little poults (the more official turkey baby term) are amazingly calm, attentive and active. but sleepy too. Their journey to my house was a stressful time. Because baby birds hatch out of an egg outfitted with the yolk, they have all they need food wise, for about 2 days. That’s why they can be shipped overnight in the mail, right after hatching. But let the feeding frenzy begin once they arrived here. These little guys are chowhounds! I have both Bronze and Giant White Broad Breasted poults. I am raising them for the 4th of July backyard BBQ celebrations, thinking I will have a nice market for turkeys for deepfrying. this has become a kind of phenomenon, as of lately. I haven’t tried it yet, but have heard it leads to the most succulent meat ever!
they run around, eat, then fall fast asleep on each other after all the excitement
The other exciting news here is that my Bourbon Red (heritage breed) hen turkey started laying eggs! After seeing at least three breeding attempts, I am quite sure these eggs are fertile. I have two eggs collected so far.
uh huh, that looks serious!
My plan is to collect each egg, except the first which is left in the nest as a lure for her to keep laying eggs there, from the nest for a month for my own incubation. Then I’ll see if she builds up her own nest and let her decide if she wants to sit on them. Heritage breeds have these usual behaviors left intact, not messed with by genetic selection.
a turkey egg from my lovely, crazy hen!
Everything I have read about Bourbon Red turkeys suggests they are great mothers. And I may return the collected eggs to her to sit on. Or have one of my broody chicken hens sit on the eggs instead of the incubator. We’ll see. I am glad to be pulling the eggs out of the cold night air though. What a blessing each day out here is!
