Guineas, turkeys, and chicks

[Sberrie]

I have an existing flock of chickens that are all mature and I am getting guineas and turkeys in a couple of weeks and then some more chicks after that. Ive read that you can't keep the breeds together or even around each other as babies. Does anyone have some suggestions for raising 3 types?

 

[R2elk]

I have an existing flock of chickens that are all mature and I am getting guineas and turkeys in a couple of weeks and then some more chicks after that. Ive read that you can't keep the breeds together or even around each other as babies. Does anyone have some suggestions for raising 3 types?

You can brood them all together as long as you give them all the turkey or gamebird feed that the poults and keets need.

The other issue is that it can cause serious problems once they are all grown up and the turkeys and guineas cannot understand that there is a difference between each of them and the chickens.

The adult guineas have their instinctive ways that are completely different from any other poultry. When they revert to these instinctive ways, they can cause extreme stress to any of the other poultry.

I brood and house my guineas separately from the other poultry.

The issue between chickens and turkeys are disease. If blackhead is a problem where you live, it can be a death sentence to turkeys.

The other problem is size and attitude. If a turkey does not understand that there is a difference between them and chickens, their size difference and their persistence when they get an idea can be fatal to chickens.

I normally brood my poults and chicks separately to avoid the imprinting problems. I do have my turkeys and chickens penned together but I have a huge run with lots of obstacles and hiding places that allow any chickens the ability to get away from their attackers.

If you try to keep turkeys and chickens together in the same small area that you can get away with for chickens, it may very well end in disaster for the chickens.

 

[Sberrie]

You can brood them all together as long as you give them all the turkey or gamebird feed that the poults and keets need.

The other issue is that it can cause serious problems once they are all grown up and the turkeys and guineas cannot understand that there is a difference between each of them and the chickens.

The adult guineas have their instinctive ways that are completely different from any other poultry. When they revert to these instinctive ways, they can cause extreme stress to any of the other poultry.

I brood and house my guineas separately from the other poultry.

The issue between chickens and turkeys are disease. If blackhead is a problem where you live, it can be a death sentence to turkeys.

The other problem is size and attitude. If a turkey does not understand that there is a difference between them and chickens, their size difference and their persistence when they get an idea can be fatal to chickens.

I normally brood my poults and chicks separately to avoid the imprinting problems. I do have my turkeys and chickens penned together but I have a huge run with lots of obstacles and hiding places that allow any chickens the ability to get away from their attackers.

If you try to keep turkeys and chickens together in the same small area that you can get away with for chickens, it may very well end in disaster for the chickens.

Thanks for all this information!
So will the turkeys need coop access? Right now I have a pretty big coop for my small flock and im going to add an addition on to the run. I have plenty of land for free ranging but due to predators they don't consistently stay out.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks for all this information!
So will the turkeys need coop access? Right now I have a pretty big coop for my small flock and im going to add an addition on to the run. I have plenty of land for free ranging but due to predators they don't consistently stay out.

Once my turkeys are big enough to not be in danger from the owls, they spend the nights outside on their roosts which are protected from the prevailing winds.

Some people shut their turkeys in a coop at night. I don't. Some people use a 3 sided coop with a sloped roof as a coop and roosting area for their turkeys.

Turkeys do need to have shade available to them during sunny days even if those sunny days are in the middle of the winter.

 

[Sberrie]

Once my turkeys are big enough to not be in danger from the owls, they spend the nights outside on their roosts which are protected from the prevailing winds.

Some people shut their turkeys in a coop at night. I don't. Some people use a 3 sided coop with a sloped roof as a coop and roosting area for their turkeys.

Turkeys do need to have shade available to them during sunny days even if those sunny days are in the middle of the winter.

So it sounds like turkeys are more independent than the chickens?

 

[R2elk]

So it sounds like turkeys are more independent than the chickens?

Yes they are. They each have their own individual personality. Turkeys are very social birds.

 

[Sberrie]

Yes they are. They each have their own individual personality. Turkeys are very social birds.

Thank you so much!

 

[Pickles Party]

I would like to add on to this conversation. I brought home 2 young turkeys 3.5 months old, both Toms a few days ago and put them in a large fenced area with all my chickens, 2 Roosters and a momma chicken with her 2 week old babies. The Toms just started walking around like they had been there all along, no fighting among anyone. When it started to get dark they just followed all the chickens in and roosted in their house(its plenty big). Today its raining and they all seem to hang under cover together, with no issues. It almost seems too good to be true and after reading a few posts I am worried now that when they mature will they bother my hens? As of now they all seem fine together but I don't want it to change when their hormones kick in. Also, is it weird that they went right inside at night with them instead of roosting in a tree? They seem so happy and calm right now! I'm not sure if this was the right place to post or not...sorry if its in the wrong place!

 

[R2elk]

I would like to add on to this conversation. I brought home 2 young turkeys 3.5 months old, both Toms a few days ago and put them in a large fenced area with all my chickens, 2 Roosters and a momma chicken with her 2 week old babies. The Toms just started walking around like they had been there all along, no fighting among anyone. When it started to get dark they just followed all the chickens in and roosted in their house(its plenty big). Today its raining and they all seem to hang under cover together, with no issues. It almost seems too good to be true and after reading a few posts I am worried now that when they mature will they bother my hens? As of now they all seem fine together but I don't want it to change when their hormones kick in. Also, is it weird that they went right inside at night with them instead of roosting in a tree? They seem so happy and calm right now! I'm not sure if this was the right place to post or not...sorry if its in the wrong place!

If they were accustomed to roosting inside, it would have weird if they had roosted in the trees. None of my turkeys roost in trees because they were raised to roost in the run on their man made roosts.

Adult toms in breeding season will be fighting each other and probably trying to breed anything they can.

 

[Pickles Party]

If they were accustomed to roosting inside, it would have weird if they had roosted in the trees. None of my turkeys roost in trees because they were raised to roost in the run on their man made roosts.

Adult toms in breeding season will be fighting each other and probably trying to breed anything they can.