Ordered my first ever turkeys yesterday! Chicken pro...turkey novice

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cool2Bweird

cool2Bweird

In the Brooder
7 Years
Jan 9, 2013
22
1
24
South Texas
Solid, time-tested advice appreciated! I'm getting 7 assorted heritage and 8 bbw's. Meat for now, meat for later - you know. We've raised chickens for a while for both meat and eggs.
 
What heritage breeds are you getting? I hope you post pics when they arrive!
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Nice to have you aboard, Welcome !!!
 
Im also good with my chickens and will have my first turkeys in April. I am also happy to hear some of you house them together as I am building a second coop specifically for the turkeys but need more hens as my current flock is aging and really too large to put any more birds in the current housing with them. I will be getting 6 Narragansette, 3 to butcher and 3 to keep as a breeding trio. Luckily I have broody hens regularly so I can have one of them hatch if the turkey mama isnt into that. http://www.porterturkeys.com/narragansett.htm
 
I'm getting the 15 rare turkey special from Cackle and splitting it with a friend. We're also splitting an order of 15 BBW's. So I'll end up with about 15 turkeys total. The thing about the rare turkey special...its a surprise. Could be a bust, you never know.
 
I am also getting my first turkeys in May. I planned on 6 midget whites, 6 slates and 3 BBW (for fall eating). Will this mix of sizes be a problem? I plan to keep all the turkeys in their own fenced pasture with a large movable pen until breeding season. Then I would select a breediing trio each of MW and slate (accounting for attrition and butchering those not selected.) At that point the MWs and slates would be seperated through breeding season. Thanks.
 
I am starting my second year with Turkeys, I had plans similar to yours. My order was for 18 poults. I was planning on picking some breeders and having some for meat. I only was able to bring 8 to adults. They are fragile, keep a close eye on your poults, make sure they are eating and drinking and use a red bulb instead of a white one. Get some chick saver to have on hand. I ordered 5 different breeds because I wanted variety. I only have one of those breeds as pairs and the other 3 I just have the Tom or hens. I lost one breed all together.

I have none for the freezer as I'm trying to find mates for my singles. Just wanted to give you a little 'turkey math' lesson.
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