BOURBON RED TURKEYS: ONE HEN, 4 TOMS

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HI, have a query about my bourbon red turkeys. we have 4 toms and one hen, they are 8 mos. old. we're hoping for some chicks. reading the forum, i've learned they might start breeding at 9 mos. Also heard from a neighbor that the hen picks which tom to mate with. these are not the usual bronze turkeys that people have for thanksgiving. they are pretty slow-growing, not as big, but very pretty. Anyone out there have experience with Bourbon Reds? thanks.

-- jeannie (mmp@theofficenet.com), March 24, 2001

Answers

My poor hen is jealous, she wants one of your boys, shes lonely I guess some girls have all the luck LOL

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), March 24, 2001.

Our bourbon reds were kept together all the time. The hens mated with the most "handsome" showy Tom. We incubated the eggs the first year and after that let the hens raise what they could. They did just as well as we did. Turkeys are very hard to hatch as the humidity must be just right. At least that was my experience. Our hens did not mate until after the age of one year. Right now all the hens and Toms are "making eyes at each other" and the hens are sneaking off into the woods to make nests. Our hens are excellent mothers and I have seen them fight off the cat who got too close to the babies. Usually the hens will raise six to seven babies, but sometimes if they brood too early in the spring, the cold weather gets some of the babies. Good luck with yours. By the way, we also learned the hard way, if you have too many toms, they will worry the hens to the point of distraction and she won't be able to nest.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), March 25, 2001.

Just some interesting info I thought you might like to have:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/BRKBourbonRed.html

http://www.albc-usa.org/wtchlist.htm Check under 'poultry' for the Bourbon Red.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 26, 2001.


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