In April we got 4 baby chicks from the feed store to raise more laying hens. Of the four, one was a rooster and two were turkeys. The turkeys were mislabeled, and though slightly larger than the chickens, we thought they must be a few days older and a different breed. After a few weeks we noticed that their necks were getting longer, they were growing much faster, and had a strut to their walk. Lo and behold, we were inadvertently raising turkeys, a male and female. They grew up with the chickens, although it didn't take long for them to be the same size as our adult hens. The problem was that they eat like pigs and weren't nice about sharing the feed. Late summer, as soon as they seemed large enough (10 lbs each) Jonathan and Trevor slit their throats, along with the rooster and spent a few hours pulling all the feathers out. After spending a few months in the freezer we cooked them for Thanksgiving dinner. Very yummy moist meat, with little fat for our turkey feast. Jonathan thinks we should do it next year on purpose, but I'm not sure it's worth the work. We have four lovely hens than lay almost every day, and that's good enough for me.
