turkey for christmas

[brendajc]

Anyone thought of growing their own turkey for Christmas?

[Bigmallly]

When do you sow them?

[veggiechicken]

Hello Brenda and welcome.
I keep a few hens for eggs but I don't eat meat so "growing" a turkey has no appeal.

[bearded bloke]

I have hens as pets (with eggs a welcome bonus) & killing a pet then eating it has no appeal to me at all

[Greenleaves]

Only if you can get one with 4 legs....never enough to go around otherwise

[bearded bloke]

nutter

[Bigmallly]

Only if you can get one with 4 legs....never enough to go around otherwise

That's called a pig but you don't get many seeds to the packet.

[Guest]

Hi and welcome to the vine

I grew a turkey for christmas but him and his missus have now made it through 3 christmasses and are very much pets. I think stag turkeys are great and are more impressive than peacocks. Thankfully my stag has a good temperament.

Any particular reason why you asked?

[Guest]

That's called a pig but you don't get many seeds to the packet.

150 seeds for .99p how ever many seeds did you want. (No comments about you only get part of the pig)

http://www.nutsncones.co.uk/wildflow...-r/pignut.html

[Snadger]

Its been tried at our allotments. They are noisy beggers turkeys and the noise seemed to stop well before Christmas! They are normally bought a month or two before Christmas and fattened up for the event.

[Scarlet]

I've kept turkeys for the table though not for 3 Christmases now. They can be hard work if your set up isn't right. My pens are very large so I'm unable to keep them in a covered run. They fly over the electric fence, don't put theirselves to bed- come dusk I had to pick them up and carry them. My back couldn't cope any longer. I also had a lot of trouble with one breeding stag who during mating season would become very nasty.

The last couple of times I bought eggs (fantastic poultry auction in Salisbury ) in March, incubated for a month, and fattened for Christmas and Easter.

Alternatively you can buy some growers. Personally I don't think it's worth it unless you have the space for at least half a dozen, it's not a cheap option but you do know what you are eating.

[Scarlet]

I grew a turkey for christmas but him and his missus have now made it through 3 christmasses

Do you keep a saddle on her all the time? With just 3 girls to one boy I had to keep saddles on them during the breeding season or they would get very battered and bruised

[Guest]

^^^No. He seems to be a bit hormonely challenged (which suits me just fine) although it may change as he gets older .

[Bill HH]

I reared 20, one year from chicks but plucking and gutting 20 huge turkeys just before Christmas when I had many other demands on my time was very difficult considering the meagre profit involved. I decided not to do it again.

[Jay22]

Couldn't think of anything worse! Being me, when the time came I wouldn't be able to do the deed...it would feel like eating my best friend!