Thanksgiving has me thinking about raising a couple of turkeys. Which has me thinking about space needs for my various flocks.

Right now I have 17 chickens plus 2 ducks in a side yard. Ducks should be slaughtered, but so far I haven't done so, and there is something to be said to have one as a sentinel to deter raccoons.

Larger fowl take space. Looking at hatchery catalogs ... 15 bird minimum - there's a combination package of 2 goslings, 7 ducklings and 7 turkeys available... I'd want to raise them for 10-17 weeks. Keep 2 goslings, 4 ducklings 3 turkeys, see if I can recoup some feed and cost by selling 4 turkeys and 3 ducklings. so 9 birds... +16 chickens for meat.

I'd keep a female duck for eggs, possibly two... existing ducks would be sausage/gumbo. Both geese cooked. 2 turkeys in freezer or on table for thanksgiving.

No egg collection today - no eggs as of 2:00 PM, didn't go out to check after dark.