tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post2428243924653013608..comments2024-02-27T15:19:59.496-08:00Comments on Backyard Farming: How about turkeys!?Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-27239013096515396142013-01-09T18:16:55.688-08:002013-01-09T18:16:55.688-08:00After finding out that the local "organic&quo...After finding out that the local "organic" turkey and chicken producers are feeding wheat to give their birds "flavour" I decided to raise my own turkeys in the backyard. Thanks for the great information! Have one concern: neighbourhood cats. Are they a problem for the birds? Also how much backyard space would each bird need if I wanted them to eat as much of their natural diet as possible. My yard is small but completely fenced in. Thanks.Cherry Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08084060553591326544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-13385222302343674192012-08-14T05:28:56.127-07:002012-08-14T05:28:56.127-07:00I found your blog very interesting.Turkey rearing ...I found your blog very interesting.Turkey rearing is very exiting and a very good source of generating income. Keep up the good work.NaijaBizComhttp://www.naijabizcom.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-63214510562256376422012-08-01T22:13:03.799-07:002012-08-01T22:13:03.799-07:00Ok. My question is this. We have two Whites and ri...Ok. My question is this. We have two Whites and right now they are living in a screened porch area turned coop. Now that they are getting larger I want to put them outside. Our yard is one acre and we have eight foot chain link fencing around the perimeter. We have tons of trees and the lots on three sides of ours are uncleared. If turkeys like to go up in the trees, do I need to worry about them flying away? I would hate for that to happen.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06614969609114219456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-83705609994957562532012-04-25T10:51:58.611-07:002012-04-25T10:51:58.611-07:00Eric,
Each hatchery has its own particular white ...Eric,<br /><br />Each hatchery has its own particular white breed. For example McMurray Hatchery calls them Giant Whites. They are all very similar no matter which hatchery they come from. There is still plenty of time to grow them for Thanksgiving.Dale Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01806698744292076677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-64388519638529063932012-04-17T19:38:44.277-07:002012-04-17T19:38:44.277-07:00What white breeds do you recommend and is it too l...What white breeds do you recommend and is it too late for this year to have a bird ready for thanksgiving?Ericnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-18549720431185049182012-04-17T04:47:59.758-07:002012-04-17T04:47:59.758-07:00You said the largest white turkeys. What breed do ...You said the largest white turkeys. What breed do you suggest? Am I too late for this year?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-31232148117333843412012-03-26T05:41:06.983-07:002012-03-26T05:41:06.983-07:00Have mum dad and 2 boys 4 girl turkeys. Now male...Have mum dad and 2 boys 4 girl turkeys. Now males are fighting want to keep theum how do I handle them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-8940312155361097692010-03-27T04:46:24.879-07:002010-03-27T04:46:24.879-07:00Mike,
Turkeys do not destroy lawns because they d...Mike,<br /><br />Turkeys do not destroy lawns because they do not scratch like chickens do. They simply cut your lawn for your and they really clean out the insects. Turkeys are very friendly and they will come up to your back porch and poop all over it. If you yard is small, there will be enough poop on the lawn that it is somewhat of a problem. <br /><br />Turkeys are social animals and it is best to get at least 2-3.<br /><br />DaleDale Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01806698744292076677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-82984856788489554232010-03-25T14:20:43.464-07:002010-03-25T14:20:43.464-07:00Dale,
I am thinking about raising a few turkeys th...Dale,<br />I am thinking about raising a few turkeys this year. I have 4 chickens that I have to keep penned so they do not destroy the lawn. Will turkeys destroy the lawn if I leave them loose in the whole backyard? How bad will the poop get on the backporch and in the yard?<br />Thanks,<br />Mike JMike Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-56462191954328705882009-01-27T12:56:00.000-08:002009-01-27T12:56:00.000-08:00I just had 3 turkeys this year ,24lb,26lb and a ne...I just had 3 turkeys this year ,24lb,26lb and a new record 55lbs,I had to have him cut in half.This sunday is superbowl he will be on the tregerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-5874527231585502642008-03-12T19:09:00.000-07:002008-03-12T19:09:00.000-07:00Mike, The greatest value of turkeys is the enterta...Mike, <BR/><BR/>The greatest value of turkeys is the entertainment value. We have had horses, goats, rabbits, layers, broilers, capons, dogs, cats, tropical fish, and assorted vermiin. But turkeys are the funnest. It is fun to watch them. It is fun to show them to friends. And there is the incomparable Normam Rockwell moment of carving a home grown 30-40 pound turkey at the Thanksgiving table. I would guess that it cost $1.00 to $2.00 per dressed pound to feed turkeys out to these heavy weights. The larger your yard, the cheaper the cost. Turkeys eat all kinds of plants and bugs. <BR/><BR/>Our table scraps go to our layers. We have 28 layers and average 24 eggs a day. That is a $5.00-6.00 value for the eggs. Our feed costs are about $2.00 a day. When the layers go out on pasture this spring we will drop the feed costs 30-40% and the eggs will have less cholesterol, less saturated fat and more vitamin A, beta carotine and Omega 3 fatty acids. Raising backyard layers is economical. My mantra - Liberate the Layers. Grow your own eggs.<BR/><BR/>DaleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-2566603839344669372008-03-12T18:37:00.000-07:002008-03-12T18:37:00.000-07:00Megan, Last year we got 5 poults on May 9. One die...Megan, <BR/><BR/>Last year we got 5 poults on May 9. One died and a fox got three. I will tell that story sometime. The remainging turkey was slaughtered on November 14 and dressed out at 42 pounds. We put it in ice water in a cooler until thanksgiving. You have flexibility if you have a deep freezer (which I think is a must for backyard farming). But these large turkeys take up a lot of room. A couple of years ago we raised 4 turkeys and they took up a third of the freezer. Turkeys are a little more fragle than layers but are alot hardier than broilers or capons. If you treat them good like any chick, you wont have much problem.<BR/><BR/>DaleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-76945958512607074502008-03-12T14:38:00.000-07:002008-03-12T14:38:00.000-07:00Dale,Could you venture a guess on how much it cost...Dale,<BR/>Could you venture a guess on how much it costs per pound to raise a Turkey. I understand there are a lot of unmeasurable benefits of rasing your own turkey (healthier, life lessons, better life for the animals) but I was just curious if you new the cost. I have chickens and have read that if I can provide my chickens 20% of their food from table scraps I break even on the cost of eggs.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-72862399356913032642008-03-11T14:24:00.000-07:002008-03-11T14:24:00.000-07:00I'd love to get some for Thanksgiving/Christmas ti...I'd love to get some for Thanksgiving/Christmas time - when should I start? Also, the fact sheet seems a little overwhelming - are they really that much harder than chickens?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com