I have been planning on getting a medium flock of laying hens(20-30 birds, RIR, BR, RS) for my half acre farm for over a year now. I have planned out a nice run/pasture for them, bout 20 x 30, more or less. I saw some turkey poults at a local Agway and fell in love with them when i searched the adults. They are some beautiful specimens. Now my real question is...
If I bought the turkey poults and chicks at the same time, same age, and raised them in this run, with an indoor space in my barn about 8 x 14, could I keep them together? I have heard many good things but also many bad things. There are four things I am concerned about, aggression, feed, disease, and egg laying. First, I have no idea if chickens can get along with turkeys, seeing that turkeys are 5 x the size. Also, I was wondering if they would eat the same food, and if the turkeys would eat it all before the chickens had a chance at it. Third, I heard that blackhead disease could wipe out turkeys if it was a problem in my area. I live in Madison, NJ if anyone can input if it is here or not. Lastly, these hens would be for egg laying purposes, and I need high quantities of eggs coming out. I was thinking, would the turkeys eat/destroy/affect in any way the eggs? Or affect the egg laying process?
SOrry for firing questions so fast, i am just really curious. Thanks in advance
If I bought the turkey poults and chicks at the same time, same age, and raised them in this run, with an indoor space in my barn about 8 x 14, could I keep them together? I have heard many good things but also many bad things. There are four things I am concerned about, aggression, feed, disease, and egg laying. First, I have no idea if chickens can get along with turkeys, seeing that turkeys are 5 x the size. Also, I was wondering if they would eat the same food, and if the turkeys would eat it all before the chickens had a chance at it. Third, I heard that blackhead disease could wipe out turkeys if it was a problem in my area. I live in Madison, NJ if anyone can input if it is here or not. Lastly, these hens would be for egg laying purposes, and I need high quantities of eggs coming out. I was thinking, would the turkeys eat/destroy/affect in any way the eggs? Or affect the egg laying process?
SOrry for firing questions so fast, i am just really curious. Thanks in advance