Turkey tractor vs. Chicken tractor

[Coloradan]

So recently I added 5 blue slate turkeys to the flock. They worked out great until they got a little bigger than the chickens, then started picking on a couple of the hens. So the solution is easy, separation, I have the room so will start on a new turkey coop and run shortly, but it was getting to the point they needed to be separated before the turkey pasture is ready. So I wanted to build a chicken tractor for the garden. Well since I have the materials and the tractor is a quicker build. Let's try turkeys in the tractor until they get their own coop. So what I have found is that they do not turn the soil or scratch like chickens typical do. The turkeys do clear almost all weeds and bugs from the area and leave a bit fertilizer but do not turn any of it in. So I am contemplating following the turkey tractor with a chicken tractor and will see how it goes. While most of the time I like my birds to free range through the garden they seem to destroy my strawberry patch. So instead of fencing off the patch I am going to use the tractors when they are not free ranging or when I am trying to enrich the soil in certain areas. I do think I would make a much bigger and lighter turkey tractor if I were going to continue using turkeys in a tractor, but do not plan on using the turkey tractor at all once the coop, run, and pasture are complete.

Long story/Ramble short I was wondering if anyone else has tried the turkey tractor idea. If so please expand on your experiences, pics also welcome. Are their any breeds of turkey that would scratch more than others? Still not sure what my opinions are on the whole turkey tractor, but very interested to hear all of yours.

Thanks for reading and posting.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Turkeys will harass chickens, and sometimes kill them, separation is good, mine free range with chickens, who leave when they are out, but I do pen up my turkeys because I find them to be a nuisance, causing trouble, climbing, following, in the trees, I could go on. Turkeys don't scratch like chickens, they mostly walk and peck, but if they find the right soil they will dust bath like crazy. I have seen pictures of turkey tractors, but I haven't used one, chickens are little Roto tillers, I practice no till gardening, which means keeping the bugs and microorganisms alive, so I keep my chickens out of my gardens, they do tend to wreck things.

 

[Coloradan]

I couldn't agree more on the destructive nature of the chickens in a garden, but they play their part in tilling new space for sure and working the space when vegetables aren't in the dirt. As far as the turkeys pecking at the chickens and just aggravating the hens, this my turkeys have started to do once they reached about double the chickens size. I have read about a lot of people who keep both together successfully , so I figured I would try it. Worked great when all the turkeys were the same size as the chickens and smaller. But from my experience I will keep them separated.