It is spring here in New Zealand and the Turkeys have returned to our homestead.
In winter they go somewhere- I am not sure where exactly but they are not seen on our land.
In spring they come back in large groups of up to 40 birds and start looking for nest sites.
This year we have been finding several of the nests and harvesting the eggs.
If we don't take them others like the possums, wild cats, stoats and hawks do.
There are already a lot of broken eggs around the place...often suggesting a nest site is nearby.
This morning had fried Turkey eggs with bacon and salad.
Surprised the eggs taste very similar to ordinary chicken eggs, but about double the size and a bit creamier.
Last year there was a bumper crop of chics and so there are more of the birds than ever before.
Perhaps over 100 in total and they are struggling to find enough nesting sites as most of the land is cultivated and grazed but there are hedgerow strips like along the boundary of our property and the neighbour where they can find places for nesting.
So far have found 4 nests and got 13 eggs and the season has just started.
Last summer I caught and ate one of that springs hatchlings. It was about the size of a medium factory farmed chicken but with firmer tastier meat.
Hoping to scale up the capture and consumption of them this year.
It took several hours to pluck and dress that first one but should get faster with practice.
Have a 15 litre stainless steel preserving pan but probably need something even bigger for scalding the full size Turkeys.
Very cool that you can forage for turkey eggs! I've been seeing a group of turkeys in my pastures every day for a while now. Been thinking about what they would taste like. Probably have a diet of GMO corn and soy just like the deer around here.
Good point to think about what they have been eating- we've fought long to prevent GMOs in NewZealand crops and the fight goes on but so far I think they are still prohibited. There's big dairy farms (grass grazing based) to the north and west but the Turkeys seem to come mostly from the beef and sheep farm to the south and east. Hes an old school farmer- uses a bit of urea and sprays probably but fairly low input farming style. South of him is a large braided river with huge areas of scrub and trees which is perhaps where they spend winter. I see them roosting in the sheep farmers pine trees in autumn and he goes out with the shotgun to harvest a few each year. They leave my property in autumn so hoping to harvest some more before then.
Sounds a bit like a duck egg. I'm surprised I haven't seen them at a farmers market before.
Searched last night on their nesting and brooding habits and it seems they lay on average 10-12 eggs but if the nest is disturbed often no more or try again but with a smaller number. So it seems there is an annual limit to their egg laying capacity that ducks perhaps don't have so much. Found 15 more yesterday for a grand total of 28. Might have to take some down to the farmers market at this rate!