Any experienced heritage turkey keepers willing to give tips to a beginner? - Page 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morabilityranch 

So glad to find this thread I am also a newbie to Turkeys, I just bought 10  White Holland  babies. I am keeping them separated from my chickens right now because of all the things I have read about. I know others in my area that keep turkeys and chickens  together and have never had problems but am thinking about making my Turkeys their own huge pen away from my chickens just to be on safe side.

I am going to build a Turkey enclosure,semi open air with roosts and a nesting box with a small run (26x8). My Turkeys will free range with the chickens everyday. I just need to get them out of the chicken run. They're too big and need to get their own place. I'm not to concerned about Blackhead. It stays really dry here in Central Texas and I rake the run out pretty often to keep the droppings at a minimum. The only time they are really together in the run is when they are waiting for me to let them out in the morning and the turkeys prefer to roost outside in the run, not in the coop with the chickens. Keep it clean and dry and I don't think blackhead has a chance.

here is a pic of my black spanish turkey that I got as a charity case because its either partially blind or all blind im not really sure.  He is 4 weeks old now and seems to be doing just fine except he spins in circles alot?? 

about three weeks old at the time of the pics

Quote:

Originally Posted by ButchGood 

I am going to build a Turkey enclosure,semi open air with roosts and a nesting box with a small run (26x8). My Turkeys will free range with the chickens everyday. I just need to get them out of the chicken run. They're too big and need to get their own place. I'm not to concerned about Blackhead. It stays really dry here in Central Texas and I rake the run out pretty often to keep the droppings at a minimum. The only time they are really together in the run is when they are waiting for me to let them out in the morning and the turkeys prefer to roost outside in the run, not in the coop with the chickens. Keep it clean and dry and I don't think blackhead has a chance.

Mine will be allowed to free range  also like my chickens do they will just be in the upper part of my property up by my horse barn, I too am in Central Texas and others have told me Blackhead does not seem to be a problem around here so I am not going to worry to much if they do start mingling together after they are older.

I have a question for you;

I have a pair (Tom and Hen) that I think are about 1 1/2 old I think and have been waiting for the tom to do his thing with the hen but have not seen it happen. I was recently told that toms are not sexualy mature untill age 3. Is this true? My hen has been laying eggs for a while now and I have just been leaving them in her nest hoping she will get a clutch to hatch. Please help, thanks.