NH Homesteader- turkeys!

[CntryBoy777]

One of the 2 that we have is fixing to find out just how tolerable I am of such. He hasn't attacked either of us, but has started to do his strike dance, and he is pretty rough with the hens too. It won't be long that he won't be around.

 

[NH homesteader]

We've kept ours because he is so good to the hens. But I'm getting sick of it. Our tom doesn't ever look like he's interested in going after us, but this roo....

 

[NH homesteader]

Made the mistake of going to TSC with my mom and daughter today. Chicks and ducks were there! One of the ducklings was dying, obviously, and my mother flipped out. She's nearly crying, panicking and telling the employees someone needs to help him. She tells them (thank goodness) that she's not a farmer but we are and she can't handle it... Holy moly no kidding. I didn't tell her the poor thing really needed someone to put it out of its misery.

The girl at the store gave us a not so friendly look. My daughter's reaction to the whole thing? "Poor ducky, look cute chicks!"

I doubt my mother is sleeping tonight. This is why she doesn't hang out at our house much. She can't handle reality. I keep telling her she either needs to become a vegetarian or suck it up and learn where her food is coming from. Because if she thinks the pork from the grocery store is raised in the same manner my pigs are raised.... She's mistaken.

I was sad to see the duckling doing poorly, but I also know mortality rates of day old chicks and ducks.

Sigh... She'll never be a farmer.

 

[Southern by choice]

On the flip side sounds like she has confidence in you!
That's somethin' ... right?

 

[NH homesteader]

True, sort of. I'm pretty sure she would prefer we get rid of our animals and live like "normal" people. Sounds boring!

 

[Hens and Roos]

What fun is being "normal" I have a few siblings like your mom!

 

[Bruce]

He would have if I wasn't dressed for winter. He attacked my coveralls and Muck boots. And I was nowhere near his hens so this is his first non-defensive attack.

Time to show him who is boss. Don't let him even get close to "possible attack" posture again. @Beekissed's method (as best I can paraphrase it) is to get a long stick and use it to move the roo around. No need to hit him, just keep him moving. Never walk around him, walk "through" him, make HIM move. Do these things on purpose at no particular time, for no particular reason. Make HIM be the one looking over his shoulder for a possible "attack". Force him to stay away from the food when you feed the flock, he eats when YOU let him eat.

And it doesn't matter if you ARE near his hens, he should NOT be protecting them from you, the TOP rooster (even though you are a hen ) in the flock. He is #2 and he needs to know that.

If he doesn't figure it out, soup.

 

[NH homesteader]

Yes I know the tricks. We'll see how he is after mating season is over.

 

[farmerjan]

NH I am wondering why you are not only ordering more chicks but wanting to raise some more up at this point when you will be moving to a warmer climate, the seasons will be longer and the less you have to deal with the better until you get set up down there? Here in Va we have alot of hens starting to lay in Jan/Feb if we give them a little light and if collecting eggs a couple of times a day, can be setting eggs in the inc. in Feb if not before. I don't rush it, but know alot of show people that have chicks hatching in mid-feb. Really, you will have 6-8 months of good producing time to get hens setting and even if chicks are hatched in Sept, they have time to get a good feathering before it gets cold. I am just curious....one thing to have a big garden and get it canned/frozen/dried etc....but more chickens and stuff to deal with and get yourself resettled....You're a better person than me!!!!

When I moved to Va I was in my late 20's and I pared down to the barest numbers of animals except the cows that were going directly on pasture, like the beef cows. Still, I sold a couple and put some in the freezer before I moved so I had less to worry about and could get settled in, and in a routine. Good thing because the following year we had 2 back to back snowstorms totally over 3 1/2 feet in 4 days and it was a real JOB to try to get things milked and fed with still minimal things set up the way I wanted. Yes you will get snow there, like we did here, just not as much or as often and it won't last as long.

 

[NH homesteader]

Well, mostly because I ordered them before we decided we wanted to move! We are only getting 15.

Also we have no idea if our house will sell so I am not going to stop what we are doing in the hopes that it does. I will not eat chicken from the grocery store, so I don't want to have to do that while we get ready to move and actually move.