Eastern Turkeys

[MO_HUNTER]

I have seen comments on here and heard a few people raise eastern turkeys.

Where does a person find poults or eggs?

[Spring Creek Calls]

I'm interested in any replies to this post. Been thinking about this for years.

[MO_HUNTER]

I worked on a farm several years ago, the had Rios. I've seen people with Easterns and would absolutely love to have a few at the house to raise and watch. Figured there might be some folks on here that might have some insight.

[tjh24]

I'd also like to do that. We have chickens and ive been wanting to build another pen to raise a few turkeys to observe.

[Wvdanimal]

Just Google hatcheries and you can order which kind you like.  We grew up with them around all the time and raised a bunch.  Parents nearly whooped me when my one hen hatched about a dozen jakes that roosted in a tree about 20feet from their bedroom window that fall.  They would gobble at everything that made a noise day or night.  They could make some noise!  My uncle had my favorite gobbler, a big black/white strutter that would follow you everywhere always against your leg like a puppy.  He roosted on the peak of the house.  Like a rooster though, some of the tame gobblers get a nasty mean attitude  and will flop the crap out of anyone they can.

[Hobbes]

I had a few bronze turkeys that looked like Rios besides the fact that they were bigger.  They were honestly a pain in the........  They are pushy as heck when it comes to being fed and three of them can make one heck of a mess. All three of mine were males.  One of them died around 6 months old for unknown reasons. I was tired of them so decided to kill them at Thanksgiving when they were jakes, so 9 months old that November.  I didn't realize how big they were.  The bird that I cooked went into the oven at 32 lbs and the bird my buddy cooked was 26 or 28. 

[Hobbes]

This is all they are good for

[Hobbes]

Even better at this point

[shatcher]

Predators will get them.

[MK M GOBL]

I would contact your state agency if they are true wild birds, otherwise you can pickup domestics easily. Buy as poults and they can ship right to you door and they are sexed. A lot of local place have "Game Fairs" buy/sell/trade, our local was monthly through the season.


MK M GOBL

[Hobbes]

I suppose mine may have looked more like Merriam's than Rios.  I think in most cases, the suppliers are feeding you full of turkey crap when they tell you they have any sort of wild strain.  In Montana it would actually be illegal for me to have them if they were.

[The Woodsman]

Kip Feroce used to have quite a few. I'm not sure if he still does or not.

Denny

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I raised some easterns alongside some domestic turkeys.  Eastern poults were wary straight out of the egg.  Took a while to get them semi-tame.  I had 4 hens.  When spring came they were almost a year old and the call of wild gobblers pulled them away and they never returned. 


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[ferocious calls]

Have raised them for 8 years, 5 years under permit from our game commission. The permit is needed in PA to sell, barter, trade or offer to do the same. True Wild strain Easterns do not do well in captivity, especially a smaller enclosure. They are very hyper in most cases.

We originally bought our birds online but they had lighter bands and rump feathers. Not all but most would pass for Rio. We had no permit and free ranged the dark hens in the yard. We had a band of wild toms come and fertilize them. By our 3rd year we had what I call Easterns.  Chocolate bands and rumps.

We hatched 170 the 3rd year. Ya shoulda heard that. If anyone would care to discuss raising Easterns send a message and a number. Kip

[The Woodsman]

I can attest to that! Crazy to say the least and birds everywhere!

Hello Kip

Denny