A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Bantambird]

Total of 19 poults hatched out. Moved them today!

 

[FlipFlopFarmer6279]

My friend is hatching turkeys and giving some to me! Can you raise them with chicken chicks? Do they need special care? I literally know NOTHING about them. Any info you have would be great! (random info is cool too it doesn't have to be helpful, I personally LOVE random info )

 

[BullChick]

Welcome to the group!! Turkeys need saddles too

One Mountain Acres shop

Good grief, I just went out, and didn’t bring a saddle for the SPR in need. Thank you, I needed that.

 

[BullChick]

My friend is hatching turkeys and giving some to me! Can you raise them with chicken chicks? Do they need special care? I literally know NOTHING about them. Any info you have would be great! (random info is cool too it doesn't have to be helpful, I personally LOVE random info )

Call the game commission or look it up to see if Black Head has been reported in your area. Otherwise, chicks and poults are fine together as long as they have room.

 

[Bantambird]

The only reason I can hatch and raise them together is because I know that I don't carry blackhead in my area. You can check with your state extension agency and see if blackhead is a problem for your area. If so, you will need to keep your turkeys and chickens separate. Chickens can carry blackhead without it killing them. It will kill turkeys if they catch it. If you find that there is no blackhead, you should be alright in raising them together. The biggest caveat after blackhead is space. Depending on the variety of the turkeys, if they are broad breasted, they will not need as much space. If they are heritage, they will need quite a bit of space. Turkey poults can definitely be more delicate than chicken chicks. Poults need to be shown the water. They are more susceptible to drafts and dampness than chicks. They can be sensitive to environment for 6-8 weeks. Sexing turkeys can be difficult until they are up to 4 months old. Keep your genders balanced. Too many toms can spell disaster. There are never too many hens, unless you are breeding, then a good ratio is 5 to 10 hens per tom, depending on how good the tom is.
If you have broad breasted turkeys, they tend to be short lived. They need more special care due to their exponential growth. Broad breasted birds need to be monitored for injury and can mess up their legs really easily. They also tend to have heart attacks easily. Broad breasted birds usually won't have a good quality of life beyond 6 months to a year due to their ridiculous commercial breeder flocks placing the growth of breast meat as fast as possible over the health of the bird. I recommend heritage turkeys.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am down to 7 turkeys, I think they will be gone in a day or two. Unless the guy lied to me.

Leaves a kind of hollow spot in my gut.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I am down to 7 turkeys, I think they will be gone in a day or two. Unless the guy lied to me.

Leaves a kind of hollow spot in my gut.

You without turkeys just doesn't seem right

 

[duluthralphie]

You without turkeys just doesn't seem right

I agree.

 

[Bantambird]

I am down to 7 turkeys, I think they will be gone in a day or two. Unless the guy lied to me.

Leaves a kind of hollow spot in my gut.

You need fresh poults. Come get somewhen you visit!

 

[Bantambird]

do you guys realize how hard it is to NOT cuddle poults? they are so so so stinkin' CUTE! and they imprint so ridiculously easy that it isn't fair!