Jumping ahead a bit from the last post and to the present day, I have to share our turkey tales. The hot summer is at an end, the autumn crisp air is starting to return. A month before, despite the intense heat of 2018, we felt keenly the small-holders dream, of growing our own Christmas dinner! Quick Google search, best turkeys for the table … Norfolk Bronze, how many weeks would it take from egg to table? 20 weeks, ok we can just about fit this in (please note I’d say you would need longer and most turkey farmers start in June).
We bought the incubator and heat lamp and eagerly awaited the bronze turkey eggs. Via the post, they arrived promptly in a very well packed polystyrene box. 6 eggs. We popped them into the incubator, 28 days to go. We adhered to the rules for the correct temperature and humidity throughout the process.
Day 26: I began talking to them, and even singing – 2 rolled in response, I kid you not, even a turkey egg moves to cover it’s ears. Then nothing, not a pip. We are getting worried now, where are the turkey babes? Where are the cracks? Day 28 came and went.
Then hoorah!, day 29 one small crack appeared, followed by … a tiny hole in one of the eggs.
But alas, time ticked on and nothing followed. Back to Google. The golden rule is … don’t interfere. However, many people have and saved a bird’s life. It’s a fine line to tred and timing is key.
Well our little fellow had now been panting at the hole for days and getting nowhere, we decided to break said golden rule and start a rescue mission, we took out the egg and removed carefully some of the shell, then popped him back in. Still nothing, we repeated the process … still nothing. He continued to pant and struggle. We then helped with the membrane. This was so thick, akin to heavy duty polythene. Poor fellow couldn’t break it and not for the want of trying.
We left him overnight, thinking, hoping he would break on through. Breakfast next morning, alas, nothing at all. We’d reached the point of no return. We took the egg out and slowly, carefully helped the baby turkey from it’s shell. He was alive, just, exhausted by his journey. We made him a little nest from kitchen roll and let him rest, poor soul.
We checked the other eggs, as it was so late in the day post due hatch date. 3 had nothing at all, not even fertilised, 1 possibly had started but failed very early doors. 2 left, our little fellow and another. The another I guess was the 2nd sing song egg roller. He hadn’t made it bless, too weak to crack the egg open. OB1 was our only hope.
Step by step, he started to drink as we dipped his beak into water. We kept him warm in the incubator. He fluffed up. The little man had other issues. Very crooked feet and splayed legs. He couldn’t walk at all and kept rolling over and collapsing. Back to Dr Google. The answer? Scandals. We made a pair of lightweight cardboard bird shoes, and lightly taped his toes in the correct position with medical tape. We also made a fine tape loop around his legs to keep his splayed legs in position to give him better stability. Finally a sandpaper floor for traction. By now he had eaten turkey crumbs so we stayed optimistic. Off he and we went to bed overnight. We all kept our fingers crossed, not toes, under the circumstances.
Morning came, he looked quite perky. We removed the footwear, low and behold his feet looked much better. And wait for it, he stood on them! He wasn’t moon-walking yet but he looked pretty good. Throughout the day his legs grew stronger, and he exercised on his toes, stretching upwards. Turkey Pilates. Later on, about 5pm we removed the splayed leg brace and unbelievably he could walk with his legs together.
Our little man is now in the brood box under a heat-lamp.
Good news, he’s doing well and we are all agreed he’s not for Christmas (or Easter husband), now all we have to do is find him some turkey friends!
Our little poult in the incubator, just out of the egg.
Our little turkey poult with his leg brace for splayed legs.
Looking bright, he can stand and walk.
Well done little fellow!