There’s always a lot going on at Moss Mountain Farm home of the heritage Poultry and Conservancy this time of year. Even though we had an arctic blast in February and it seems to slow things down suddenly as temperatures warmed and more sunshine blanket at the farm spring began to kick in high gear very quickly.
My internal farmer clock seems to always remind me toward the end of March and early April that I should be looking for turkey eggs, but this year they started coming much sooner. Presently at Moss Mountain Farm, a Heritage Poultry Conservancy maintains seven colors of heritage turkeys. This past Sunday I had a great time walking through the pens looking for eggs and grabbed a few photographs of some of our flocks. They were all loving the warm temperatures and radiate sunshine. What a beautiful day!
Black Spanish Turkey
Narragansett Turkey
Royal Palm Turkey
White Holland Turkey
Burbon Red Turkey
Heritage Bronze Turkey
As you can imagine the Tom’s are constantly strutting this time of the year as they vie for attention from their female suitors … and it’s hilarious when one Tom Gobble’s there’s a whole chorus of gobbling that follows. Our many visitors who walk the farm always enjoy seeing and hearing this display of a part of farm life that is now almost forgotten.
We mark all of our turkey eggs by the breed pen Number and color as we gather them from the nests. Then each 7 to 8 days we set the eggs in the incubators. It takes four weeks or 28 days to hatch a baby turkey or poult. They’re adorable and curious little creatures... and so friendly.
More later when our first poults hatch in the weeks ahead...