A couple years ago we got turkeys & Farmer John built them a shelter, which we referred to as the Turkey Hut. We no longer have turkeys, but the hut worked well for chickens. So well that Farmer John built a second hut just for the chickens.
In the Spring of 2012, we decided to raise turkeys for the first time. It was a great experience, but cost more than we expected. Here’s the run down on our expenses.
Our turkey hen laid eggs under a fir tree. She was very well camouflaged & it took us awhile to find her.
Hatching turkeys wasn’t in our immediate plans, but then Farmer John found where our year old turkey hen has been laying her eggs. We could have just left them for some critter to eat or we could see if any would hatch. We chose to try hatching them.
We have tried a variety of watering methods & the thing that has worked best for us are the use of waterer nipples. Farmer John attaches 2, 3 or 4 nipples in a bucket or similar container then hangs the bucket in the coop or brooder. Sometimes he adds 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the water, as well. This keeps the water clear
A number of years ago Farmer John told me about chicken tractors. I thought he was crazy. Cuckoo. It did not go with my vision of a cutesy coop surrounded by flowering perennials and a picket fence. I also couldn’t imagine why you would want to move your chickens throughout the yard. Let’s be realistic, my cutesy coop was not practical. The majority of our
Like many birds (including chickens), turkeys have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane. This eyelid is used to moisten the eye & clear out debris.
Before we raised turkeys, I didn’t know they had caruncles. I also didn’t know caruncle was even a word. I’ve since learned that the bumpy non-feathery skin on their face & neck is known as their caruncles. Technically the wattle is also a caruncle. The coolest thing about their caruncles is that they change color. Typically they are a peachy color. As the turkey’s mood
One day a few weeks ago Farmer John let the turkeys out & didn’t get them put back in their turkey hut before roosting time. They all decided to roost on our front porch. Is it weird that I didn’t mind them there? They were kind of fun to watch. I don’t normally get to see them during the night. I learned two things. One
