With turkey day quickly approaching I thought I would give you a final update before the weekend chores and work on the homestead.  The next 10 days are sure to be busy and an entry when I return promises to have pictures and stories.

 

Last weekend I got a lot of work done in preparation for our poultry.  After the turkeys get slaughtered (more on that in a bit) I plan to move the new chickens outside where the turkeys are living out their final few days.  It really is a pretty good set up being that it is a dog run with a tarped top and wind screen all around the sides.  I would not call it warm by any reasonable definition but at least the harshest of our weather is kept out.  The chicks are still in their brooder box in the garage under a 40 watt light bulb.  They are completely feathered out now with the exception of a couple that are missing all feathers on their back.  I am sure it is some sort of pecking problem but there is no visible sign of other trauma.  The brooder box is a long shipping container made out of wood that I acquired on Freecycle.  In order to insolate the box better I glued large pieces of Styrofoam on the outside of the top and sides.  Next I covered the entire box in the vinyl billboard tarp I picked up a few months ago.  Not only can the chickens not eat the Styrofoam but the box is now protected from the rain.  I call it my first upholstery job and am quite proud of how it turned out.  All that is left now is to tack the bottom up, cut a door in the side, install the ladder/steps and move it to the pen.  I think the birds will be comfortable in their winter home.  By spring time we will know how many roosters and hens we have.  This will determine where they get housed when the weather warms up since the roosters will be mostly culled and the hens kept for eggs. 

 

The homestead is being prepped for slaughtering our two turkeys on Saturday.  One is heading to Amarillo with us for Thanksgiving and the other will be frozen for a later date.  I was not able to find a shrink bag large enough for the turkeys (24 & 15 lbs live weight) so the plan is to kill, eviscerate and rest/age on Saturday morning.  On Sunday morning we will wrap the birds in freezer paper and take them to our local grocer friend who said he could wrap it real tight in plastic meat freezer wrap.  I will then return the birds to the refrigerator to age for another day or two. Since the small bird destined for the freezer won’t be there very long I don’t think drying out will be a huge problem.  I sure hope these turkeys taste good because I am sure they have cost me $40-$50 each.

 

Despite my high costs I have learned a lot about these animals and plan to hatch quite a few in the spring and sell next fall.  My feed bill will be much lower as I will have them on pasture in a pen that will be moved to fresh grass daily.  The quality of the bird should improve also since I am going to use a heritage breed instead of the Broad Breasted Whites I currently have.  I originally thought I would get Naraganset turkeys but finding eggs for them has proven difficult and poults are very expensive at almost $10.50 each after shipping costs.  I have located a source for Royal Palm turkey eggs for about $2.50 each plus shipping costs.  Even if I get a 50% hatch rate, which I think I can do much better, I will be way ahead of the game financially. 

 

The pig enterprise has taken a bit of a set back lately as Susie is now digging her heals in again and saying she does not want them.  I think I can still use my daughter’s enthusiasm and convince her it is a good idea.  My milo field is now plowed and should be a good place to raise the pigs as there is a lot of rooting to be done and grain to be found out there.  I have the fencing already acquired and a good idea for building a shelter out of wood palettes. 

 

Since I will be out of town for Thanksgiving and next week is sure to be busy I do not plan to add an entry until I get back from Amarillo, TX.  I just want to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving.  Please keep in mind the true spirit of Thanksgiving and thank God for all of the good we really have.  Even with all of the negativity we hear on TV, the financial strains we may be experiencing, family issues and health problems we are truly a blessed people and nation.  Spread the good word next week to all that think negative thoughts and lift their spirits.  A smile is contagious and appreciated by the sad.  Eat, drink and be merry but if the holiday cheer gets the best of you be sure to have a designated driver or call a cab.  To use a cliché, the life you save could be your own!

...just a couple of notes... we moved to the smaller heritage breeds on turkekys too this year...The ones I hatched in May are just right for slaughter...I have a beautiful burbon red...however, I'm saving her for breeding purposes ... also, we have one rio grande tom... he's about that age and is now strutting around... a good size for slaughter...still much smaller than your meat market turkeys...I purchased poults in July...Royal Palms and Blue slates... they are a little small for Thanksgiving...still...and maybe even for Christmas...You may want to get those eggs hatching by May on the heritage breeds. I invested a lot last spring on eggs through ebay autions...I did not get a good hatch rate. Part of it could have been my incubator...but be sure you get eggs from a reliable source. Also, noticed you are using styrofoam...I know there are many kinds...we tried to use some big white sheets with the little round pieces in them here...they were left here on the farm when I got here from a previous greenhouse project...well... the birds pecked and ate them away! But it didn't seem to hurt them...thankfully!...Also, have you seen the articles on building hay huts..you build them out of the hay and put a little roof over the top?...might be useful as you expand for the winter in the future. It's cold here for us in Georgia... got our first freezing temps this week... know they wont last long...but will come in spurts here.
Happy Thanksgiving!