The Turkey Habitat is still under development. Selecting the proper location and providing adequate space is essential to raising healthy birds. We tried in 2008 to hatch 2.5 dozen Jersey Buff eggs, and all of our efforts yielded 2 healthy turkey poults. We have recently learned that we are the parents of 2 lovely turkey hens and as of 2/14/09 one has started to lay eggs. Our turkey brooder is quite large & the two turkeys have a large play yard for the time being.  They are very healthy and beautiful and they are from Porters Rare Heritage Turkeys

We chose Jersey Buff turkeys because they are highly endangered and desperately need to be developed.  That being the case, it is also going to be extremely difficult for me to obtain a Jersey Buff Tom.  The 2009 season is already sold out and there are very few breeders that have any.  Its unlikely that they will have any to spare.  Because the gene pool is very limited, one option is to breed these hens with a lovely Tom of a species that was used to create the line originally.  The other is to keep my fingers crossed and hope to find one.  I am currently considering crossing in a Heritage Bourbon Red Turkey as they may be easier to aquire then the Buff.

I decided today that extending myself for this special breed is what I’m going to have to do.  I filled out my order form for Sand Hill Preservation Center in Calamus, Iowa to receive 13 more of these beauties.  Sand Hill says they kept 2 bloodlines for these birds so I hope that crossing in the Porters line will help the vigor. Over the years I will keep up the search for lightly colored Bourbon Reds as they are a good choice for diversification of the bloodline. Or so I think right now anyway.  I won’t be able yet to keep a flock that size so a few of those poults will be available for sale when they get here! The earliest available hatch at the time I’m sending in this order form is June 2nd 2009 and if I’m lucky it won’t get pushed back at all.

June 2009
I’m expecting an order of 13 turkey poults from Sandhill Preservation Center on the 16th of this month.  I was finally able to get an order in, and am very excited at their arrival.   The two turkey hens I already had, I sent off to live with my friend Cher in Knoxville and her Bourbon Red turkey Tom.  He lost his hens, and my hens were so desperate for a Tom, that it seemed like the best thing for them.  It made sense as the poults I’m ordering wouldn’t be fit for breeding or mating for another half a year, that’s a long time to make the hens wait. I was right by the way, because they immediately fell in love with the Tom, who’s name is Jake by the way, and began mating and immediately started incubating their eggs. Right now as I type, my little grand-turkeys are growing inside their eggs and will soon be hatching into the world.

I should have some photos of the ladies in their new environment soon and will post a photo update. I may get some of their offspring for my breeding program, but right now I’m re-deciding if I am going to do a breeding program or not.

We no longer have our turkeys. They unfortunately met with the likes of a predator in their new home and we were not able to secure any eggs for future hatching. We miss them.

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