Travelling with Turkey's

Today we took the turkey's to Cub Run...A trip of 480 miles. They are 12 days old. How do you haul young turkey's that far....better yet why?

We wanted turkey's as soon as we could get them, however the last hatch was in August so we had to get them before we were really ready. It was a chance we felt we had to take and as we sit in the garage at "home" listening to them peep and chirrup in their new pen we are glad we did.

We hauled them in the lawn mower box, it is big, 40.5 long by 17.5 deep by 27.5 wide and it fit perfectly across the flat area behind the car seat (the seat folds down).

We left at night when it was cool and the poults were sleepy and easy to catch.

We decided not to have feed or water free choice as it would be likely to tip over and be wet or mucky.

The first check was about 3 miles down the road and they were pretty nervous. Then we stopped to top up the vehicles fuel and we checked them again . They were all lying down in a group quiet and still. Not as nervous. At the next fuel stop we took time to give them water and food. They took right to both and ate and drank well. The food and water woke them up! Loud peeping turkey's behind you in a small car is an experience every one should have. We had our cell phones and Ralph called to see how I was doing....I answered: Peep, Peep, Peep!

This peeping behind me went on for almost 200 miles, until our next fuel stop.

There we got a bite to eat ourselves and again fed and watered the poults.

Did they get sleepy......Nope!

When we got to the farm we made a bigger pen for them and unloaded the still chirping turkey's.

It was wonderful to see them run and play, try to fly and to catch up on their food and water.  Now they are sleeping, scattered about the pen, they seem well but we are going to watch them closely for the next while. Time will tell.

Peep peep peep to you all.

Time for Turkey's

Our first 'stock' arrived last Friday...small, feathered and peeping. The turkey poults, 31 of them. Three breeds of heritage turkey's, one on the critical list [Chocolate] and two on the ALBC watch list [Blue Slate and Royal Palm].

We felt that if we were going to have turkey's then we wanted the older breeds and maybe we could do some good for the breed numbers.

 Ralph with the crate of peepers!

They were purchased from Meyer Hatchery and were the last of the 2015 turkey hatching. Shipped from New Mexico USPS, our post master called us as soon as they arrived and Ralph basically stampeded out the door!

 The Cat was mystified, then since there were no treats involved she went and had a nap.

It was like Christmas, it probably seems trivial to anyone who raises large numbers of turkey's but to us it is a part of our future and very exciting. We opened the crate to loud and vigorous poults, all alive.

 Blue Slate

 Royal Palm

You wonder where the photo of the Chocolate poults is?  They had started to jump out of the open box so we decided we had better get them settled. 

Ralph had purchased a bag of Koop Clean for the litter. It spreads well and makes a nice soft but firm bed for the poults. We used a 50 gallon sheep water trough as a brooder box. 

  

 The Koop Clean

 Spreading out the first layer, Ralph shook it and made sure there were no lumps in it and that it was uniformly spread.

 

 

Here is the trough ready for its inhabitants.

 

 Ralph gently setting the Chocolate poults into the litter. The Chocolate were still trying to jump out of the shipping box.

 

 Here is a mix of the poults. They were really glad to have room to run.

 Right to the water, as soon as Ralph put the waterer down they were drinking. The Blue Slate were first!

 Humnn....a trend, the Blue Slate started eating first as well.

Here they are just before we added the food and water, we are trying a clear light but after a few days I found it is not as diffuse for heating and the poults are calmer under the red bulb.

We also decided to use non medicated feed but treat the water for the first while. We are in town here and the water is treated heavily so it smells when we turn on the tap. We fill a gallon jug and then let it sit on the counter with the lid off for some of the chemicals to evaporate off. This helps when we water plants with the water so we think it should help with the turkey's.

I am posting this after a week of turkey sitting while Ralph deals with the farm and getting power hooked up, hay cut and all sorts of other things that have to be done.

Not all has gone well. Four poults have died.Two of the Chocolate, one Blue Slate and a very small Royal Palm. No clear reason, which has always frustrated me when something dies. [I was not really surprised at the little Royal Palm, but the Slate was a well grown poult and the entire group has been really vigorous]

Meyer have been very helpful, answering questions about feed and litter.

They can jump out of the water troughs, there are now 2 as they needed more room! 20" up so now I have a barricade around the brooders!

They come right to see me as soon as I open the porch door and they are starting to make turkey noises!

However despite the losses I am so very glad we got them now, having animals die is an unfortunate part of raising them. [I am no where near as hard hearted as I thought, Ralph teases me abot that] So goes the continuing adventure and we so look forward to the day we and our turkey's are settled in at the new digs for good.

Shades of The Beverly Hillbillies as we move lock, stock, turkey's and tomato plants to Kentucky!