My 6 BB Turkeys and 6 Cuckoo Marans came in today's mail. For warmth I received 13 additional chicks. Everyone seems in good health- eating and drinking. I left 5 of the unknown chicks w/ the turkeys as recommended by the hatchery. I guess turkeys aren't the brightest in the bunch so they need help being shown where the food and water is. They said to remove the chicks after 2 days to prevent BlackLeg.
Can anyone tell me what the unkown chicks are?
Here's a pic
Here's a pic of the turkeys, as you can see, one is very curious:
whatever the hatchery has an abundance of they usually put in the box. Probably some kind of rooster. Kinda look like a New Hampshire or Rhode Island Red.
What a cute pic! LOL Cute lil chicks!
Good guess Inn!!! Could be a red star or Catalana,. Or a number of other birds.???
They are are doing well this morning. I took out the remaining chicks so the turkeys are by themselves now. I wasn't sure if the higher protein feed would be harmful to the chicks(28%). I'm probably just being a nervous momma.
Thanks everyone on the possible breed. Well, I guess we'll find out as they get bigger to see what breed they are however I'm guessing it's probably all roos!
I can't believe just how friendly the turkeys are. When you pick them up they snuggle right down into your hand just as comfy as can be!
They are adorable!!! I have no idea what they are. Just cute!!!
How are they doing now Sue. i so want to get some more turkeys, I just love mine, they follow me everywhere, I know they are protecting me but in all reality they are waiting for me to drop something on the ground so they can get to it before the ducks or chickens. You know the pied piper how he was followed around well yea that is how it is here.
I want a couple of turkeys too.. I read somewhere they sit around trying to figure out a way to die.. I just am scared to get some!
I have plenty of Marans to keep them company! I'd like a big scary one to follow me around and chase the cats away. :)
Mine dont sit around like that, they are very very active.
My friend told me you have to keep them on a special diet so they don't get "too" big or they will just sit around
Oh, My turkeys just eat what I feed the chickens. During the winter I did give all of them the sunflower seeds and rolled or cracked corn. Mine are free range.
Hers were in kind of a open fenced area they ate them and sold them she only fed them at certain times of the day.
She said it kept them lean and they had less fat at slaughter we were in the pen with them and they would come up and poke you in the back wanting a treat.
One step on my foot and the other kept trying to eat mt string on my jacket and sticking it's beak in my pockets.
I laugh now thinking about how funny it was to be pick pocketed by a turkey LOL
They are doing wonderfully. I love they way they "sing". It's different than the peeping the chicks make. Very sweet, they seem more friendly than the chicks and seem to enjoy being picked up. I think they are smarter than the hatchery gave them credit for! lol
Right now they are on a 28% medicated game starter. I'm putting in a vitamin/electolyte powder in their water(recommended for 3 days). So far so good! I'll try and get some pics!
To me, the one in your hand looks quite light buff colored, like it might be a buff orpington?
Well, they are now developing dark barring on their wings! So I think the BO's are out. They have a dark streak going down their heads and across their shoulders. They are pretty friendly whatever they are. :-)
Here are some updated pics:
Oh, my...hope y'all enlarge that last one! It's not just a pic of a flluffy butt! lol!
Ok, this is one of the turkeys:
And last but not least, Cuckoo Marans:
I'm pretty sure these are not RIR. They are much paler than mine that I hatched in January, and mine had the chipmunk striping on the fluff, plus the dark V shaped head spot. Red star might be possible, but I'd be surprised in a way because the reds would be the pullets, right? I'd think the hatchery would be unlikely to use confirmed (color sexed) pullets as "packing chicks" and more likely to use straight run.
I've never hatched NHR, so not too sure on those!
Oooo, it's abit exciting though; wondering what kind they are. I've always been,er, well, too chicken to order a hatchery surprise. Hoping some are pullets though. I was going to do Harm's chicken flip but for some reason it just won't stay in my head which are which!
It's very exciting! I can't wait to see how they turn out.
One leg out = pullet, two legs out = roo.
I just love the Turkey that is so cute !!!!
The light ones are just adorable. They look so soft and the wing color is beautiful!
They are very good natured. They like to perch up on your hand and survey everything below them.
Here's a pic of the Cuckoo Marans(and friends!):
I have them in an addition we built onto the original chicken coop. They can run in and out during the day also we have them in an outside enclosure so the big girls can see them so hopefully it will help during intergrating them.
Here are the turkeys, I can't hold them in the palm of my hand anymore!
You sure can't! Wow, they got HUGE so quickly! They look great though!
Thanks! I just love them! They make the most beautiful songs plus the gobbling just cracks me up. Everytime my husband used his hammer this weekend(putting up gutters on the barn for rain barrels) they would gobble an alarm. :-)
Here they are in their outside run:
I like the way they look up at you! FUNNY!!!!! They have grown so much. :D
