how can it be..

…December tomorrow.  How did that happen?

The turkeys might well look worried…

We weighed them last week (not exactly scientific as it involved himself holding a startled looking turkey and standing on the bathroom scales, then taking off his weight etc..)  and they came in at approx 8.5  kilos.  A little lighter than we hoped, as they will be less than that once minus their feathers and insides…

However they have longer yet.  We have, I believe, 3 boys.   Two are definiately absolutely all male.  They look a little unsure in this picture, that is because I snuck up on them before they had time to puff up.  The two butch boys spend a lot of time ‘showing’ all fluffed up and strutting around and clicking at each other, and I suspect wasting energy that they could use putting in weight on.

The other one.. who is at the back in this picture looking decidedly girly, has also done a little bit of fluffing and strutting, but I think he is mainly undecided and probably just a little bit squashed but the macho vibes of the other two.  Not a bad strategy though, as he(she) spends must less time trying to prove anything.

They are quite different from last years, they are more athletic for a start, perch on the inner dividing wall of their house  and we have had to add extra fencing as they kept flying out of their pen! They weren’t really sure what to do next and would walk about on the roof of their house whistling and gobbling.. as they do. Last year’s turkeys could hardly hop on to a straw bale – but they were heavier.

Still, we shall see.

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boris and the jumper of many colours

Normal routine: checking and feeding the animals this morning, letting the turkeys out etc, but different clothes.  I usually spend my whole time in torn and muddy clothes, as anything will become  torn and muddy, but as I was on my way out this morning,  was wearing a nicer jumper, the stashbustering jumper I made out of many scraps of yarn.  (Yes.. this jumper is my idea of tidier clothes.)

Boris the larger of the two stags, always shows off to me, big fan tails etc, but I only have to take a step towards him and he backs off.

But not it seems, if I am overly colourful.. I think I must appear like a large peacock to him, and he felt threatened?  I dunno.. but he had a go at me this morning.

This afternoon- back in working jumper, and he was easy going again.

Still.. we ultimately will have the last say…

and it might come sooner, as the other turkey – also a stag, Becker, is Mr limpy.  He doesn’t seem unwell, droppings are normal, looks ok. but it’s obviously painful to get around.  We have checked for obvious treatable injury. Nothing.  Perhaps, he is just to heavy for his own legs.. they do say this happens in the commercial breeds. or perhaps he has hurt himself.  Possibly in a scuffle with his mate.

The thing  is, we want to raise our animals humanely, and this is getting a bit borderline.  And they are now over 20 weeks of age.  So perhaps it is time for Becker.  And then will be it mean to keep just one?

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turkeys

yesterday, we went and collected our turkey poults. We bought them from Sandra from Bellecross Hens.

It was lovely to catch up with them, and look around her place – I am impressed with how well organised everything is, and the birds all look great, and happy and healthy.

Turkeys are a new venture for us, and I am a tad worried they will be ok – turkeys,they say, are the lambs of the poultry world.. ie good at dying.

We shall try our best to keep them, at least until Christmas…

still sticking with the B names.. they are Boris and Becker.  Which amuses us, given we think they are girls….

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