how to care for grown turkeys?

[MrSquirrel]

I had been planning on getting baby turkeys in the spring but my parents got me three adult turkeys for Christmas. Are there any tips or prayers or something for some one who has never owned a bird? When is it ok to start letting them out of the pen? And how would you introduce one flock of grown birds to another?

 

[NY Coturnix]

I'm not the expert but I'm guessing those that will be giving advise will want to know what type you have. Are they hens or toms and how old are they. I'm assuming heritage. Also what is your pen/run set up?

Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

 

[MrSquirrel]

I'm not the expert but I'm guessing those that will be giving advise will want to know what type you have. Are they hens or toms and how old are they. I'm assuming heritage. Also what is your pen/run set up?

Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

The tom is a red bourbon, one hen is standard bronze and the other hen is white (maybe a palm? I don't know). They're about a year old, born in the spring I guess. I've got a 10x10 coop/pen for at night I plan on giving them reign of the yard once they're settled.

 

[R2elk]

I had been planning on getting baby turkeys in the spring but my parents got me three adult turkeys for Christmas. Are there any tips or prayers or something for some one who has never owned a bird? When is it ok to start letting them out of the pen? And how would you introduce one flock of grown birds to another?

You should probably keep them penned for at least two weeks to give them time to acclimate to their new home. Introducing two separate flocks to each other is best done using the see but no touch method. Keep them separated until any attacks at the fence have stopped.

In this case, I assume the flock you want to introduce them to is a chicken flock. In the long run especially if you don't have lots and lots of room, it will work out best if you keep the turkeys separate from the chickens.

I feed my adult turkeys a 20% protein all flock pellets with free choice oyster shell available.

You can visit Porter's Rare Heritage Turkeys for a wealth of information on heritage turkeys.