Breeding our Turkeys
As many of you know, this will be my first season raising turkeys for breeding stock, which means I’ll only be processing a few bird for a few very special farm supporters this Thanksgiving season - you know who you are! We apologize for not offering turkeys this year, but we hope you’ll appreciate our goal to raise our own turkeys here on the farm which will make them that much better!
*If you’d like to check out the turkey-ordering process, you can click here for 2018 information so you know what to expect for 2020.
The reason for our turkey-break is that I’ll be over-wintering the rest of the birds we raised this year in the hopes that my hens will breed and lay eggs in the spring. This helps us reduce the cost of purchasing new stock and the poult loss that often happens due to the stress of shipping and not having a mama bird to raise them.
I’m so excited to start this new phase of turkey farming! The first challenge has been creating a nest that my hens might enjoy. Turkey hens are notorious for being picky layers. The spot must be just right.
I found a few ideas that involved building huts with wood but I’m short on power tools here on the farm, so here is what I came up with: a Rubbermaid tote, a sharp knife, and some serious elbow grease (not recommended for those of us with no medical insurance and no hospital access within 20 miles - but what’s life without a little risk?).
I’ll post again soon and let you know if mama turkeys approve!
