A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Angileen]

I know a lot of people where I live that have Turkey and chickens together and have never had a problem with blackhead. I was wondering if it is less common in Minnesota.

 

[duluthralphie]

I know a lot of people where I live that have Turkey and chickens together and have never had a problem with blackhead. I was wondering if it is less common in Minnesota.

Based on the number of wild turkeys around I would guess it’s not a problem for us. I am 20-25 miles from St. Cloud.

 

[R2elk]

Sweetgrass hen in nest box.

 

[Molpet]

I put red pepper in the fermented feed as a preventative. Since I never had it I can't say if it really works. 1/4 heaping cup to about 2 gallon of dry feed, mixed with enough water to make like oatmeal consistency

 

[Pennys Mama]

I put red pepper in the fermented feed as a preventative. Since I never had it I can't say if it really works. 1/4 heaping cup to about 2 gallon of dry feed, mixed with enough water to make like oatmeal consistency

I bought the red pepper but Jake has never eaten wet feed before, really only likes the pellets, so I didn't know how well she would eat it & how much to feed for just 1 bird at 4 months old.

 

[Flashpoint]

Just want to throw this in there about blackhead.

"Recent" reading (as in the past few minutes) tends to show most blackhead outbreaks occur on commercial turkey farms. Other reading suggests that histomoniasis or blackhead disease organisms can live/survive up to three years (some say 4 or more) on contaminated ground. I would assume continued outbreaks on those same farms are from insufficient sterilization of the areas used.

Other information says that turkeys that eat a lot cause any blackhead protozoan (Histomonas meleagridis) to be destroyed by the acid produced in the digestive tract.

Apparently the disease was introduced by the early importation of game birds from other countries and it soon flooded the states from coast to coast. When it came to be known that chickens were often carriers, it created the "traditional wisdom" to keep the birds separate.

Oh and apparently some bird species like ducks are immune.

 

[R2elk]

I bought the red pepper but Jake has never eaten wet feed before, really only likes the pellets, so I didn't know how well she would eat it & how much to feed for just 1 bird at 4 months old.

Some people just sprinkle it on top of the regular feed. To be clear, it is cayenne pepper that they use because there is red pepper that is not cayenne pepper.

 

[Pennys Mama]

Some people just sprinkle it on top of the regular feed. To be clear, it is cayenne pepper that they use because there is red pepper that is not cayenne pepper.

It is a 5lb bucket of red cayenne pepper powder, I misspoke as "red pepper"...

 

[Molpet]

I bought the red pepper but Jake has never eaten wet feed before, really only likes the pellets, so I didn't know how well she would eat it & how much to feed for just 1 bird at 4 months old.

I bought the red pepper but Jake has never eaten wet feed before, really only likes the pellets, so I didn't know how well she would eat it & how much to feed for just 1 bird at 4 months old.

A chicken gets 1/4 teaspoon daily... for other health issues

Mix up a small batch, just not as much water and feed some right away. It just needs to be wet enough to stick. Most birds love it

 

[R2elk]

Most birds love it

I am sure that poultry have a different sense of "hot" than we have. Can you imagine how nasty it would be to put crushed oyster shell in your mouth?