Homestead

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This is a community for people who are working toward a sustainable personal environment. This includes crofters, homesteaders, hobby, small, and family farmers. Hunters, gatherers, cultivators, and keepers are all welcome.

There may be discussions of animal harvesting and processing. This is part of the homesteading reality. If you don't like it leave and block the community.

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Backyard Chickens

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The turkeys are looking good. (lemmy.ca)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

These are Bronze Orlopps and Mini Whites. They are 242 days old as of today. They have lived a good life with all day access to outdoors, good, high quality, local drug-free feed, and clean water. They are friendly and very calm. I like turkeys far more than I like chickens.

These guys go to the spa next Friday, September 22.

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[+] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

My experience with raising turkeys is that they are much easier to deal with than chickens. We've had very few losses over the years among out turkeys. They tend to be pretty chill and friendly. They will LOVE you if you feed them chickweed or dandelion greens. In hot weather they like to be misted with a hose. They follow me around when I'm doing chores. They like to get in with the ducks when I'm feeding and watering them and I have to shoo them out when I'm done. The ducks don't seem to care.

[+] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Oh hells, no. My turkeys are totally chill. We're very hands on, though. We handle them every day for the day they arrive. I get in when them every day to feed them and clean out their waterer bowl. I feed them chickweed and dandelion greens by hand. They are very calm around me. Ours get up to 50 lbs on the hoof and I've never had a problem with them other than them getting in and crowding me when I'm trying to do something. I can touch their heads and move them around without any issues. I think that the large, breeding males are likely to be territorial when its the season but I've never had issues with any of ours.

One thing to keep in mind is that you have to stay at the top of the pecking order. Never, ever let them push you around. As long as you make it very clear from the very beginning that you're in charge most birds won't challenge you.

Chickens on the other hand are assholes, all the way to the bone. They will kill and eat each other and our roosters often challenge my wife. I described on another thread having to go out and catch our rooster and carry him around upside down by the legs to remind him that humans are at the top of the pecking order. That generally fairly quickly puts him in his place.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

So what I'm reading is, gobble gobble bird = gentle giant chicken. I might have to show this to the missus. I'm afraid it's chicken math time.

What size coop door do they require? My doors are about an A4 sheet in dimensions... So maybe this will be the reason for a 4th coop, with XXL doors. Do turkeys roost at night

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

I like turkeys a lot better than I like chickens. You have to handle them a lot and you have to stay in charge. We had a big male with hens that was aggressive. Meat birds go to the spa before they get mature and aggressive.

The door on their hut is around 16 inches square. Even a really big turkey can get through that. They do roost at night.

[–] Okokimup 3 points 9 months ago

That is the most distinguished looking turkey I've ever seen. Guy needs a monocle and tiny top hat.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (2 children)

How your turkeys start the life at your place? Did you buy chicks, incubate bought eggs or your own, or something else? I'm asking because I learned from dirty jobs with Mike Rowe, that turkeys only do artificial insemination.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

It took me a couple of minutes to find a picture. This is from last year. I didn't take any pictures this year.

I asked my wife and she reminded me that we had a trio of turkeys that laid eggs and that we hatched some. No artificial insemination.

I also made turkey egg salad sandwiches.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

We order them as day olds from Frey's. They arrive in a cardboard box.