It is that time of year when all turkey breeders need to consider ringing their turkeys, and I accept that many keepers have their own strategy for managing and monitoring this within their flock. However, only PCGB rings are permitted on show birds and any other form of identifier, other than wing tags or tattoo, will result in the judge…
Just a quick reminder that early eggs are an indication of early breeding. So, make sure that your birds are paired up before breeding starts. Most important to remember is that a hen visited by a fertile stag can remain fertile with his ‘deposit’ for the rest of that season. The fertility from the initial deposit will diminish as the season progresses,…
Well if one thing stands out from 2017 it was the increase of ‘cross bred’ badly managed turkeys with a doubtful provenance becoming available. This is so disappointing because, other than as pets or table birds, all they do is ‘dilute’ the core breeding stock and undermine what is being undertaken to save our heritage varieties. So, the New Year’s Resolution…
Well where did that year go… Regards the Heritage Turkeys, TCUK and RBST joint turkey project a lot was achieved with a few breeding groups being placed in key locations. In particular we have Buffs well placed and breeding, and it is now a case of networking and selecting and managing them sensibly. Other varieties such as Bourbon Reds, Crollwitzers and Norfolk…
We are often asked what we look for when breeding our turkeys. Although essentially a simple question there is an element that we consider which is often forgotten. It goes without saying that only fit and healthy birds should be selected for breeding, anything other than that and you are heading for trouble. Of course, we breed to the ‘show…
With the turkeys now showing strong signs of mating, it is important to remember the necessity for segregation if you want to effectively manage your breeding groups. You really must put your breeding groups together early and keep them segregated. By early I mean before treading actually begins. If you wait until you see dislodged feathers in a pen before you…