Friendly Turkey breeds and mixing with chickens (different coops though)

[noelgeorgia]

We are thinking of turkeys now instead of guinea fowl. Is there a breed that tends to be the friendliest? Royal Palm? Should I get a male and a female or just two females if I don't want to breed them?

Would they need their own house or could I raise them with chicks and house together? Are they normally friendly with other chickens? Thanks for your help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My turkeys will occasionally harass my chickens. I raised some chicks and poults together years ago and it didn't turn out well as the turkeys don't always know they are different species. I personally would not mix them, but others do. I personally like bourbon reds.

 

[R2elk]

We are thinking of turkeys now instead of guinea fowl. Is there a breed that tends to be the friendliest? Royal Palm? Should I get a male and a female or just two females if I don't want to breed them?

Would they need their own house or could I raise them with chicks and house together? Are they normally friendly with other chickens? Thanks for your help!

All domestic turkeys are the breed Turkey. You can learn about many of the heritage varieties at Porter's Rare Heritage Turkeys.

Royal Palms are among the smallest and tend to be more flighty than the larger varieties.

If you don't want to breed them, do not get a male.

Turkeys imprint very easily. It is best to not raise poults with chicks. The imprinting causes the turkeys to not be able to understand that chickens are not turkeys. This can lead to serious problems for the chickens when the turkeys are adults and treat the chickens the same as if they were turkeys.

Poults need a high protein turkey or game bird starter until they are 6 to 8 weeks old. Chick starter does not contain the levels of protein, lysine, methionine or niacin that turkey poults need.

If you keep turkeys and chickens together, the turkeys need a lot more room than the chickens need. The chickens need obstacles and hiding places to escape the turkeys.

 

[noelgeorgia]

My turkeys will occasionally harass my chickens. I raised some chicks and poults together years ago and it didn't turn out well as the turkeys don't always know they are different species. I personally would not mix them, but others do. I personally like bourbon reds.

Thank you. That's good information. We were considering getting another coop for some turkeys but decided to just up our chicken numbers instead

 

[noelgeorgia]

All domestic turkeys are the breed Turkey. You can learn about many of the heritage varieties at Porter's Rare Heritage Turkeys.

Royal Palms are among the smallest and tend to be more flighty than the larger varieties.

If you don't want to breed them, do not get a male.

Turkeys imprint very easily. It is best to not raise poults with chicks. The imprinting causes the turkeys to not be able to understand that chickens are not turkeys. This can lead to serious problems for the chickens when the turkeys are adults and treat the chickens the same as if they were turkeys.

Poults need a high protein turkey or game bird starter until they are 6 to 8 weeks old. Chick starter does not contain the levels of protein, lysine, methionine or niacin that turkey poults need.

If you keep turkeys and chickens together, the turkeys need a lot more room than the chickens need. The chickens need obstacles and hiding places to escape the turkeys.

Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it. Seems like it might be too much to get turkeys right now. If/when we do, I'll look at less flighty breeds and keep them separated at least in the brooder and coop.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it. Seems like it might be too much to get turkeys right now. If/when we do, I'll look at less flighty breeds and keep them separated at least in the brooder and coop.

They are all the same breed.

 

[noelgeorgia]

They are all the same breed.

They are all the same breed.

Types of turkeys

 

[R2elk]

Types of turkeys

All domestic turkeys are the breed Turkey. They are separated into varieties.