Where do you get your turkeys from? Helpanoobday.

Date sort Score sort
LadyIsadora

LadyIsadora

Songster
Mar 14, 2015
368
76
108
Utah
I am but an egg, I know nothing about turkey. I want to start this new chapter this spring. This last spring, I ordered my ducks through a California company (Metzers) with great success, but they don't seem to have turkey. I like to be prepared so im starting to read through these threads and build a pen. Most importantly IM REACHING OUT TO THOSE WHO KNOW ;-) I am thinking I want 4 - 6 Turkeys for eating, not for pets. Though eggs would not be unwelcome, they are not crucial. I don't remember seeing any turkey chicks offered locally in the feed stores last year. I spent quite a bit of time looking as I acquired ducks this year and was keeping an eye out for other various poultry. So commence with the info OH WISE FOLKS.
where to get them
what to get
any important tid-bits you think might help a noob.
 
There are hatcheries that carry them, Meyers for one, I got mine from Porters turkeys, both poults and eggs, the only problem with ordering poults is the 15 minimum. Eggs were a six minimum. If you want fewer you will have to try to buy locally.

If you only want them for eating you will probably want broad breasted, Porters is only heritage, so check out Meyers and I think Ideal carries them.

Be sure to read up on brooding them, Turkey poults need a bit more care and warmth for the first few weeks, they can chill easily, fall over a lot and need to be taught how and what to eat and drink. Though be aware, turkeys have a certain appeal and desire to interact with people that other poultry doesn't have, you may end up liking your turkeys too much, and broad breasted are not long lived.
 
Thanks, for the info. I will look into those farms. 15 is a frighting amount to order. Ideally I would like a couple of fast growing big 'uns, and couple of heritage. Is there any problem with combining different kinds of turkeys in a flock?
I understand that chickens have a strict pecking order and it can be very difficult to integrate new members, Same goes with the ducks I have experienced. How are the turkeys at integrating? If I get big ones are they going to put the smack down on the littler heritage ones?
I hope we end up loving them. I knew some turkeys for a season when I was young. Really big white ones. I hated those guys. And OMG stupid does not begin to cover it. I anticipate a better experience than that.
I ended up loving my ducks a bit too much. yes they are delicious, but they are also the source of 90% of my smiles throughout the day. So, yep. Eggs are good too ;-)
 
Poults raised together will be fine together, the only problem with mixing the two types is broad breasted shouldn't roost more than a foot off the ground and the heritage will want to be as high up as possible. I don't think the broad breasted will want to range as far either.

I integrate my young ones to my adults the same as I do chickens, housing the young ones in a separate pen where the adults can see them but not get them, I begin mingling between 2-3 months old, the bigger ones will always peck the younger to move them. I have never tried to add an adult bird so I'm unsure if it's difficult or not, I suppose it would easy or hard based on the existing members and how many.

I've only kept the heritage varieties, they aren't dumb, but they do get goofy ideas and can be quite persistent about them, the heritage can turn into thugs during the first year and they can drive me crazy, but after sexual maturity and their first spring as adults they usually calm down and act better.
 
I got hatching eggs from Porter's. I was very happy with them. You may want to double check, but I don't believe there was a minimum to order either.
 
I could do 3-6. Thanks! Are turkes "buggy" like chickens are, or at least can be?
One of the reasons I am hesitant to raise chickens is that they are prone to get bugs.
Ducks dont have that problem ;-)
I obviously have no idea what Im talking about here, Im just going on what I have heard.
 
What are you meaning by buggy, lice and mites, I don't see much of those on any of my poultry, that's what dust baths are for.
 

Similar threads

Chicks in VA
What type of turkey should I get and where should I get them from!
2
Replies
11
Views
833
R2elk
R2elk
EP Rabbitry and Homestead
Bourbon Red Turkeys, several questions
Replies
3
Views
2K
R2elk
R2elk
NicInNC
    • Like
Where do you free range turkeys sleep?
Replies
3
Views
757
NicInNC
NicInNC
H
    • Like
Thinking about getting turkey and have some questions
Replies
3
Views
2K
R2elk
R2elk
Tennessee Great Granny
    • Like
Midget White Turkey's strange behavior
Replies
6
Views
2K
LaurenRitz
LaurenRitz

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom