We are often contacted by well-meaning people offering us free animals, but realistically, we are unable to take in every stray that needs a home. Our growth is planned.
Today, we keep about 100 chickens of various ages and breeds.
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Photo from Lally Broch Farm |
(We breed Black Copper Marans, Cochins, and Americaunas.) We have 3 China Buff Geese, which we breed. We keep 18 ducks and breed Mallards and Black Swedish ducklings. We keep a small herd of 13 dairy goats and breed Oberhausli and Lamanchas. We added fiber bunnies this year and will harvest angora fiber. Next year we will focus on developing our skill at producing fiber and add that to our farm before we add cashmere goats in 2015.
Eventually, we decided that we wanted to raise Bourbon Reds.
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Turkey poults on Lally Broch Farm |
First, we wanted to make sure that the turkeys we were raising were able to naturally reproduce, retained their ability to fly, and would grow to a good size. Since we planned on raising our turkeys as naturally as possible, it was important to us that we begin with stock that had not been genetically manipulated through breeding. We also liked the idea of helping to preserve a line of turkey that had been endangered or is still on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy “watch list”. Bourbon Reds are reported to grow to about 30 pounds for Toms and hens grow from 12 to 14 pounds. The Bourbon Red is ranked No. 2 on the Mother Earth News taste scale. We loved that they were reported to be very curious- we like poultry with personality. Since we plan to breed the turkeys and sell poults, it was important for the hens to be good sitters and mothers. Added to all of that was that we liked how they looked the best.
(This is one of the places we found a great comparison list of heritage breeds: http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/heritage-turkey-breeds.aspx#ixzz2YD1wiUOQ)
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Photo Credit: American Livestock Breeds Conservancy |
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Turkey Poult–Lally Broch Farm |
When they were ready to move outside, they had a 3 foot square coop to themselves and an attached yard. We’d used this set up for chicks over the years and are used to having to move the yard daily for fresh grass. Ten turkey poults did FAR LESS damage to the grass. It was nearly a week before there was any noticeable wear on it. They do eliminate waste more than chickens, but it is more solid and easy to clean up comparatively.
Their final coop is a 8 foot tall, 4 foot square tower for them to roost in. We will clip flight feathers as a precaution (like we do the mallards) once they are old enough. Their 400 square foot yard is secured from predators by a wire covered 6 foot tall fenced run. We actually have 2 runs available for them, so we can rotate when one is trampled or eaten down.
No. We will enjoy family gatherings that will feature turkey on the menu- just not our turkeys!
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Summer day at Lally Broch Farm |
3 Comments
I’m glad your turkey raising went so well. I have raised ducks and chickens my whole life (I’m….well….over 50) but never turkeys. Dad always told me that at least half would die. I still bought 15 turkey poults this spring, a mix of some Narragansett, some Blue Slate, some Bourbon Red, one Royal Palm. I set up a brooder, complete with thermometer to be sure of temperature. I cleaned the brooder/coop with apple cider vinegar and a deep layer of fresh sand on the floor. I dipped each beak into the water and the food. I had two older (2 week old) turkeys in the mix that (according to the breeder) were supposed to show the others how to eat if they didn’t know. I lost 3 the second day, another about a week after that. They are now 6 weeks old and I thought I was home free but found another one dead yesterday. I now have one Royal Palm and a mix of Narragansett and Slate, all the Reds died along with two Narragansett and the other Royal Palm. (sigh) And I haven’t even let them out of the coop into the yard yet!
We will have turkey on the table this fall for the various family members then I doubt I will ever raise turkeys again, having lost 1/3 of the flock. It’s just not cost effective when raising them simply for the family table.
I dream of adding turkeys Thank you for telling how you got started!
What a great article. I see myself headed down the same path…starting with just a few chickens and turning in to a full fledge farm one day. It is just too easy to say yes to another chicken, or adding a goat or two, or three, haha. I love reading about how your farm came to be 🙂