Turkeys

Our turkeys came yesterday.  My husband called me at 7am to let me know that the post office in Hartford, VT had called to rudley let him know that "our chickens are in & that we MUST come get them." Sorry to put you our Mr. Post Man. Don't you value job security? He was rude when I picked them up too. That's another subject! I packed up a heat lamp & some turkey starter crumbles before I left the house. They hatched out on 6/21/11 and shipped via priority mail through the post office in this box.

15 Bronze Breasted Turkeys, the minimum order through Welp Hatchery, occupied one half of this box. My children were estatic. "Mommy, do we get to play with them today at work?" I set up the heat lamp and plugged it in and wouldn't you know it, the bulb blew! A 200 watt light bulb came to the rescue and warmed them up quickly. My two legged kids played with them all day, making sure they had clean water and food and were doing ok. I packed them up after a long work day and headed home. Once home I set up a temporary brooder for them for the next week.

Next week I'll transfer them to the garden shed until they are big enough to go in the turkey hoop house where they will be moved daily to fresh new grass. Last year I raised Bronze breasted, a couple of White Hollands, and a one Bourbon Red. Seeing as I don't want to let them breed naturally I opted to just go with the Bronze this year.  Last year the bronze was 31 lbs dressed. The Hollands were 7 & 9 lbs and the Bourbon Red tom was 17 lbs. The Hollands and the Bourbon Red. could fly and the Bronze could not so it will be easier to keep them in this year.  I will probably sell all but 4.  This is what I have done for the past three years and it has worked out well.

My two year old gently holding one of her new turkeys.

"I wan dat un."