Turkeys

   The turkeys are about four months old now, and are starting to get to a good butcher size. Raising them has turn out to be pretty easy to do. We started them in a small brooder, which was four foot by ten foot, then put them in a portable garage tent that is ten foot by ten foot. We used an automatic waterer and an automatic feeder, which helps in the day to day chores of taking care of the animals. For the front of the garage tent that they’re in now we used a pallet that is on its side which allows air and light to get in. I cut out an opening for me to get in and out, and then screwed a piece of plywood to the front as a door.

   The double breasted bronze turkeys having been growing faster than the Narragansett, and are a lot easier to take care of. Because of their size, they don’t fly, the Narragansett turkeys do fly. I found that out the hard way.

   My wife called me one night and said that one of the neighbors called. They said that they heard a weird bird noise coming from the woods and upon further investigation; they thought it looked like a turkey. Knowing it could only come from one place; they called my wife and asked if we had turkeys. I assured my wife that he will be alright through the night and that he’ll probably be waiting for me in the morning by the tent. The next morning, as I was walking to go milk the goats I saw him by the tent waiting to go back in. I tried to grab him but he didn’t want any of that, so I milked the goats and went inside to eat breakfast. After breakfast me and the kids tried to catch him. We chased him all around the yard diving for him a couple times and cornering him, but he always got away. He finally flew up into a tree; about thirty feet up and stayed up there for awhile. We all went inside and left him alone for awhile. After lunch, I went to go check to see if he was still up in the tree. He wasn’t there, but I could hear him all the way down the driveway making his funny noises. I walked down the driveway listen for him, and found him standing on a mound of dirt at our neighbor’s house. I tried catching him but he ran, so I chased him. I chased him through a creek, through tall bushes, and through the woods all a long dive left and right for him. He finally ran over to another neighbor’s house where he flew up another tree. My legs where all cut up from the thick brush and diving after him, so I wasn’t going to give up now. I threw sticks at him until he flew down. As he was flying down I ran as fast as I could to try to catch him in the air, but all I did was roll my ankle. As I was chasing this dang turkey, the neighbors beagle was barking at us but didn’t go past his electric fence. Once the neighbor realized that the dog was barking at something she came outside and asked me if I want her to bring the dog inside. I said no, and asked her to take the collar off so he could help me. She did, and I chased the turkey towards the dog. As soon as the dog got close to the turkey, the turkey just sat down as to say, I had enough of this. I quickly picked him up and thanked the neighbor and walked back home with my trophy, bloody legs and all.

   The reason he got out in the first place was they roost up on top of the pallet I use for the front of the garage tent. When he got down, he just flew down the gap between the pallet and the flap for the door. I stapled the flap to the pallet so I don’t have to go through that again. The Narragansett better taste really good or we will just raise double breasted bronze turkeys next year.