Devonviolet Acres

[babsbag]

I was going to raise turkeys this year for Thanksgiving but I keep thinking about Blackhead and knowing that turkeys are very susceptible and that chickens are the carrier made me hesitant. No one can tell me how prevalent it is in our area and I really don't need the turkeys to get sick so I never followed through with my plans.

 

[Latestarter]

I understand your concern, but if you never try, you'll never know... Why not buy a couple of poults if you can find some and give it a go. Worst case, they develop blackhead and then you know. Best case, you have some nice birds for the freezer by the end of the year and will know you're good to go for next year. Or maybe if you luck into a hen & tom, you can keep them through spring and hopefully they'll breed/brood and you'll have your own poults.

 

[babsbag]

I would love to raise turkeys on a small scale, they are beautiful ugly birds in there own way. We used to have a lot of wild ones but with my dogs and fencing they have moved elsewhere; they used to roost in some of the big pines trees at night. I always liked the fact that they helped with snake control.

@Devonviolet I was talking to a USDA vet today about pasteurized milk and your allergy and his suspicion is that it is something in the milk that the goats eat and that heating the milk changes the structure of that protein. He thinks that you will find that it is seasonal change. Interesting theory.

 

[Mini Horses]

Latestarter you are right, I was referring to those huge toms live weight & dressed. Like you, I often buy smaller birds for myself, or just breast meat. But when I cook large ones -- cheap meat @ Thanksgiving time -- I do make & freeze soups, casseroles, etc. Love to "heat & eat" after a long work day.

So, now I need to worry about a disease between chickens & turkeys??? Geesh, will need to look this up. Well, I have until Spring to do that --LOL -- holidays will let me get a couple for the freezer for winter way sooner. Spring is a long way off.

Right now I have to research the horn on my truck -- which isn't working and fuse is fine. Plus the blinkers/flashers won't work on the car -- somewhere there's something in the lines, some cluster thingy. I'll get it done!

 

[Bruce]

I was going to raise turkeys this year for Thanksgiving but I keep thinking about Blackhead and knowing that turkeys are very susceptible and that chickens are the carrier made me hesitant.

Is there any way to test the chicken flock to see if they are carriers?

I eat turkey for 3 days, and so does Mel, none goes to waste, and I'm about "done" with turkey when I'm done.

You'll need to get a bigger bird if you get an assistant for Mel.

 

[Devonviolet]

I was talking to a USDA vet today about pasteurized milk and your allergy and his suspicion is that it is something in the milk that the goats eat and that heating the milk changes the structure of that protein. He thinks that you will find that it is seasonal change. Interesting theory.

Yes, it IS an interesting theory! And it could be a good one. I do know that Now that I'm not pasteurizing our milk, I no longer get phlegm in my throat!

Actually, I've been wondering . . . if the girls eating Poison Ivy, helps give immunities & make a person less likely to get a rash from touching Poison Ivy, then what about the girls eating other plants? I have multiple allergies
- mostly to grass & tree polled. I wonder if they eat the grass & tree leaves, if it will lessen my Spring allergies????

 

[Bruce]

Serious positive there @Devonviolet! Plus, less work

 

[Devonviolet]

Serious positive there @Devonviolet! Plus, less work

Man, you've got THAT right! I was starting to think I was going to have to sell my girls.

You're also right about less work! I was getting to the point I didn't want to do it, because by the time I finished standing at the stove, to pasteurized the milk, I didn't have the energy to get other projects done!

 

[farmerjan]

Works for YOU all! The only time anyone of my family (other than me) will eat turkey is Thanksgiving and fresh leftovers shortly thereafter. Can't make soup stock, DD1 is vegetarian.

I would still make it. She doesn't have to eat it and you would get some very good healthy stock for a winter soup. You do eat meat so a few containers in the freezer would provide for some other meals for you. Not trying to be mean, but there is no reason why you can't have some even if she doesn't eat meat.

 

[babsbag]

If you go back to pasteurizing milk I would invest in a home pasteurizer, look for a used one on eBay. Put the milk in and walk away until it buzzes, much easier. And yes, I would think that the goats eating other grasses and weeds would help with allergies but the naysayers claim that there is no way their milk helps with poison oak sensitivity but I am sure that it does. I don't drink much milk anymore (calories) and my poison oak is getting worse again. More than a coincidence.