August 30, 2004
There is some agression in there
The turkeys have every since we put them with the chickens, seemed so docile. They would allow salt, one of the female hens, to run them around for fear of a pecking. But the other day we were able to add the four chicks that we hatched that are now getting quite big to the pen. This time the turkeys went after the chicks! We were very surprised since up to this point they had never showed even an inkling of agression toward the other animals. But they have already accepted the 4 chicks but love to chase them around every once in awhile, strutting thier stuff!
Here is a current picture of our male turkey. We started out with 5 turkey chicks, but we lost 3 during a particular wet period where they contracted colds and died. Thankfully we were left with one female and one male. They have gotten so big!
September 6, 2004
Love is in the Air
Today while we were outside I heard this strange song come from one of the turkeys. I wasnt sure if it was the male or female making the harmonics, but then all of a sudden I see the male pecking at the females neck and all the barnyard animals come running to the corner to find out whats going on! They must have reached thier full maturity and I am pretty sure this was the first mating, since all the chickens and goats came running to find out what was up with the turkeys, something they have never done before! It was funny that they did that! It is interesting to note that afterward the turkeys necks were both very outstretched and bright bright red, I am not sure about before since I wasnt paying attention.
So now I wonder how long it will take the female to lay eggs. We plan on incubating them when she does.
December 6, 2004
Turkey Egg
Yesterday Brian collected 2 eggs from the chicken coop. One was consistent with our regular laying Rhode Island hen Cinnamon, and the other was a very light tan, as opposed to the dark pinkish tan of Cinnamon's eggs, and the egg was very bumpy and rough, as opposed to Cinnamon's always near perfect smooth beutiful eggs. The yolk was much bigger than any of the chicken eggs we have gotten, even tho the size of the egg itself was close to that of the Cinnamon's. Since we have a hen who hasnt even started laying yet, whom we have named Speckle, we concluded that was much to large of an egg for her first and the yolk itself lends it to be the Turkey's. So based on that evidence we believe our Turkey has entered upon true female turkeyhood and will be producing eggs, tho probably not nearly as many as chickens, since that is what I read. We would have tried our egg out but it had two tiny pin holes in the shell which rendered it no good for eating.
February 25, 2005
Turkey Dinner
This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Biography of Westinmoreland in the Animals: Turkeys category. They are listed from oldest to newest.
Animals: Snakes is the previous category.
Farm is the next category.
