ONCE the decision has been made to keep some turkeys, how they are obtained then needs to be addressed.

Where the birds are bought will depend very much on the purpose for which they are being kept and the type of turkeys you are after? There is definitely a trend towards keeping rare breeds and the standard varieties of turkey fall very much into this category. These are ideal as pets, exhibition birds or for starting up a small flock for tablebirds.

Early spring is still time enough to purchase some adult birds and breed your own poults for the Christmas table - just! The most popular period to buy adult stock is during autumn and winter for it gives the birds more time to settle into their new surroundings before mating begins. However, it is certainly worth asking around if this is your preferred option.

A stag turkey (male) can happily cope with up to 10-12 hens but buying this number of hens really is difficult. Whether incubation is by natural or artificial means, there are usually more males than females hatched and obviously, turkey keepers do not want to sell a lot of female stock only to have numerous surplus males on their hands.

The satisfaction of breeding your own produce is immense but there is nothing to stop you buying in a few poults this year and giving yourself more time to purchase some adult stock to breed with next year. A point to remember with natural mating of turkeys is that the hens will need turkey saddles to prevent any injury during treading. Outlets for these are obtainable from Turkey Club UK.

If you want to go down the standard turkey route contact people that keep the breed you are after and see if they are willing to provide you with adult birds, poults or even hatching eggs. The best time for fertility and good hatching rates is around April to June, bearing in mind that if you intend the birds for the Christmas table they need to grow on from about May to have fully developed by December, as the older breeds are slower growers.

The rare breed end of the market may not be what you are looking for but I would suggest that you do not go for the intensively reared commercial turkeys because you will not be able to compete pricewise with the end product if you are only keeping a few.

Roly poly poults

A happy medium would be to buy poults from hatcheries that produce turkeys for free-range rearing. One of the most well-known of these is Kelly Turkeys and they provide both the Bronze and White poults. The KellyBronze has been developed over the years to provide certain weights, some of which are quite small. This is in response to the smaller family unit that does not want a large bird for its Christmas meal. The different strains have wonderful names too - not quite in the same league as Bourbon Red or Narragansett - but Tiny, Super Mini, Roly Poly and Plumpie are all available from the end of May. Prices vary from around £2 to £4.28 per day-old poult. A delivery service to a collection point for less than 200 poults is also available across the UK. For the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man delivery can be to the ferry every two weeks. Delivery to Scotland is every four weeks.

Once you have day-old poults they will require heat for about 5-6 weeks. The number of heat lamps will depend on the number of birds but one lamp will be quite sufficient for 12 poults. They should be kept in draught proof, clean, dry accommodation that is wild bird and vermin free. Unless the weather is beginning to warm up make a small enclosure in the accommodation area so that the poults cannot stray too far from the heat. Shavings for litter are ideal but try to keep them out of feeders and drinkers. Also, these should not be placed too near the heat because the drinking water will warm allowing bacteria to grow, plus the poults will not like warm water and it is most important that they drink plenty. You may need to clean and refill the drinkers several times a day because the water will become contaminated by shavings and faeces. Turkey starter crumbs are essential for the first five weeks of life and then they can progress to turkey starter pellets. As the poults grow then enlarge the area of accommodation.

Healthy turkey poults are very active and will run around, play and try to jump up on whatever is available. Therefore do not have anything that they can perch on at this age for occasionally you hear of poults breaking their necks through being over ambitious.

A tiny 'grown-up'

After only a few days minute wing feathers will begin to develop and it is amazing how quickly the natural instincts show themselves. I think one of the most charming sights ever is that of a two - three week old male poult displaying. This tiny bird, no more than four inches high will strut around as though he was hatched grown up! Not all of them do this but if one does it is a magical moment. The young pullet poults take no notice whatsoever of course.

Under heat it is difficult to move them elsewhere until they have grown a sufficient coating of young feathers not to be chilled at night. Therefore letting them out in a netted pen in spring sunshine during the day is usually carried out when they are at least six weeks old. Should the poults have been incubated and reared by a broody chicken or turkey then it can be earlier as she will brood them whenever she thinks they need warming up.

If this natural road of incubation is the one you would like to try then this can be very exciting and satisfying. A large breed of chicken would be needed for some turkey eggs - I did try to set just three turkey eggs under a Silkie broody once but she would have nothing of it and the 'large humps' were pushed aside. An Orpington, Rhode Island Red or suchlike would probably be fine.

Turkeys themselves make wonderful mothers though and if you have a broody turkey then why not let her have a slice of natural life? It is very important however, to put her in a quiet place where she will not be interrupted by any other birds and she will be safe. Never ever, let her 'sit' under a hedge for she will become fox fodder. Should she be the hen of only a pair, then the stag may fret if she suddenly disappears so place her in a shed or dog kennel with a wire front so that she can be seen but he and no other birds can disturb her.

Turkey eggs take 28 days to incubate and this does not begin until the eggs are either at the required heat in the incubator or under the broody. She will need to be taken off the clutch once a day at the same time each day. I usually do the broody rounds around 2.00pm and by that time they are ready for a drink, some wheat and then to empty themselves. Defecating is incredibly important, both for the welfare of the bird and to help keep the nest and eggs clean. The last thing you want is faeces on hatching eggs because bacteria could easily be absorbed through the porous shell. If you carry out this routine at a regular time each day the turkey will get to know the procedure but don't expect her to do it herself as she actually won't want to leave the eggs.

Maternal birds

On day 27 just offer her a drink and a little feed by her side because the eggs may have started pipping and she shouldn't be disturbed. If eggs are pipping and the warm feathers disappear you could lose the poults, also, any disturbance and she could accidentally squash the poults with her large legs and feet. Anticipation will keep her going and with drink offered she will come to no harm for a day or two. Hopefully, the next day, hatching will begin and the hen will be delighted with what is going on. Offer her a drink but do not leave anything that poults could fall into and drown. A chick drinker and chick feeder with turkey starter crumbs can be placed nearby and she will feed with the poults - probably beginning the following day. I always cook and chop up some hard boiled egg to put in with the crumbs and the poults love this, as does the hen. Do not feed her adult feed because she will call the poults and they would choke on large pieces.

The turkey hen will probably sit tight for another two days and after that she will have decided that any eggs not yet hatched are not going to and her priority is with the youngsters. At this point she will get up and just walk around a little. Take this opportunity of removing all the shells, dud eggs and any dirt in the nest area. Put a little fresh litter down so she can brood her poults in a clean bed. Make sure that she is confined in an area with the poults so that she cannot begin to wander around just anywhere with them. This is the natural instinct for wild turkeys but the poults would soon get either lost, killed or die from damp grass etc.