I am about three weeks into my first batch of turkeys and have a quick question. they all seem to be doing well (thankfully), seem alert and feeding nicely and (getting to the point) are just a notch less stinky than the ducks I raised in the dining room. so I'm wondering: is the timeline for introducing turkeys to the great outdoors similar to chickens? in the past I have kept chicks in warm confines until 8 weeks or so then put them with the existing population - carefully. worked out well but am unfamiliar with turkeys. have heard they are a bit more cold intolerant - is that the case? guess the real question is are they pretty much feathered out by 8 weeks? any other turkey quirks (other than that blackhead business) that I should keep in mind before kicking them out of the nest? thanx.

-- B. Lackie - Zone3 (cwrench@hotmail.com), April 15, 2002

Answers

It would depend on the weather. I lived in Michigan and raised turkeys. I started them in an old bathtub. I usually couldn't turn them out before they could hardly stand up straight in it. I always waited till the nighttime temperatures stayed above 50. I don't really remember how old they were. As far as quirks, I wouldn't leave any open water where they can get to it. I had one lay down in a two- inch-deep puddle and drown. Too stupid to get up.

-- Gayle in KY (gayleannesmith@yahoo.com), April 20, 2002.