A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[ChickyMudder]

Mother hen love is blind. If they hatch it they will raise it. Lol. So cute!

View attachment 3553045
Broody chicken hen and her mutant adopted child(royal palm poult).

I have a broody chicken and was thinking about giving her a couple day old turkeys to adopt. Then I read about blackhead disease. Should I not raise chickens next to turkeys?

 

[KF0002]

I have a broody chicken and was thinking about giving her a couple day old turkeys to adopt. Then I read about blackhead disease. Should I not raise chickens next to turkeys?

Me personally I would not, nor will I ever be able to allow any hen to raise any poults on the ground. But I have blackhead in the ground on my property and that would be too risky for newborn poults for me. I am keeping my turkeys completely separate from my chickens to reduce their exposure. If blackhead isn't an issue you may be able to.

I am a little sad that I will never be able to let a turkey hen hatch her own young and keep them without fear of them getting blackhead at such a tender age. The younger they are the more tender. But I must manage with the hand I've been dealt.

You can call your local extension office and see if blackhead has been reported in your area. You may be just fine and may never have to deal with it. It is not in every area. But it's pretty prominent in mine apparently.

 

[R2elk]

I have a broody chicken and was thinking about giving her a couple day old turkeys to adopt. Then I read about blackhead disease. Should I not raise chickens next to turkeys?

Even without the threat of blackhead it isn't a good idea to imprint poults with a chicken. The imprinting removes the turkey's ability to understand that chickens are not turkeys. Once they grow up, you don't want turkeys thinking chickens are turkeys. The size difference and the single mindedness that turkeys can have can make it a dangerous situation for a chicken.

 

[ChickyMudder]

Me personally I would not, nor will I ever be able to allow any hen to raise any poults on the ground. But I have blackhead in the ground on my property and that would be too risky for newborn poults for me. I am keeping my turkeys completely separate from my chickens to reduce their exposure. If blackhead isn't an issue you may be able to.

I am a little sad that I will never be able to let a turkey hen hatch her own young and keep them without fear of them getting blackhead at such a tender age. The younger they are the more tender. But I must manage with the hand I've been dealt.

You can call your local extension office and see if blackhead has been reported in your area. You may be just fine and may never have to deal with it. It is not in every area. But it's pretty prominent in mine apparently.

Thank you, Ill call the extension office. Do chickens show signs of carrying the disease?

 

[ChickyMudder]

Even without the threat of blackhead it isn't a good idea to imprint poults with a chicken. The imprinting removes the turkey's ability to understand that chickens are not turkeys. Once they grow up, you don't want turkeys thinking chickens are turkeys. The size difference and the single mindedness that turkeys can have can make it a dangerous situation for a chicken.

Ok, turkeys trying to mate chickens is something I had never heard about.
I read about ducks doing that. But not turkeys. Glad Im researching now.

 

[R2elk]

Ok, turkeys trying to mate chickens is something I had never heard about.
I read about ducks doing that. But not turkeys. Glad Im researching now.

Toms trying to breed chickens usually end with flat chickens. There are other problems too such as hens taking issue with roosters and trying to kill them.

 

[KF0002]

Thank you, Ill call the extension office. Do chickens show signs of carrying the disease?

I've never lost a chicken to blackhead that I know of but occasionally a chicken (usually younger birds) will fail to thrive despite supportive care and medicine so it's possible. We cull at that point when the usual medicines and support doesn't help the bird to improve. I've never had a chicken have the sulfur colored droppings associated with blackhead in turkeys. But I have read instances on BYC where people have experienced that and have had necropsies to confirm blackhead as the cause of death in chickens occasionally. I would say the chicken would already have to be at a weakened state of immunity for blackhead to take hold and cause mortality. They are pretty resistant to it for the most part. My chickens are all very vigorous and healthy but occasionally we deal with coccidiosis in chicks and pox and things like that from time to time.

I have never butchered a chicken and found any of the liver lesions associated with blackhead. All have had healthy livers. So blackhead does not affect chickens like it affects turkeys.

 

[KF0002]

How do you all feed your turkeys? We don't free feed anything with feeders except for young poults/chicks and my broilers. We only feed what the older chickens will eat at a time without waste. We don't do feeders as I can't afford to feed every rat in my county. We portion out each chickens ration daily and feed that much only to prevent left over feed on the ground. An adult chickens portion is a generous flat open handful so we give however many hand fulls depending on the amount of chickens. That is approximately 4 or so ounces of feed per bird daily. Our chickens are very healthy and do well this way.

How many ounces of feed daily would your average adult tom and jenny need? We feed 20% protein pellets with a little corn and grain mixed to cut the protein a little. I plan on doing the same for my turkeys. Either a straight 20% pellet or adding a little grain also, but not much to keep their protein around 18%.

 

[Molpet]

How do you all feed your turkeys? We don't free feed anything with feeders except for young poults/chicks and my broilers. We only feed what the older chickens will eat at a time without waste. We don't do feeders as I can't afford to feed every rat in my county. We portion out each chickens ration daily and feed that much only to prevent left over feed on the ground. An adult chickens portion is a generous flat open handful so we give however many hand fulls depending on the amount of chickens. That is approximately 4 or so ounces of feed per bird daily. Our chickens are very healthy and do well this way.

How many ounces of feed daily would your average adult tom and jenny need? We feed 20% protein pellets with a little corn and grain mixed to cut the protein a little. I plan on doing the same for my turkeys. Either a straight 20% pellet or adding a little grain also, but not much to keep their protein around 18%.

I have chickens and turkeys together and feed everyone turkey starter when I have poults. Free feed soaked/fermented.

Later all flock if I can get it. Last winter I ended up feeding layer for a couple months.
If no babies or broody I put food out 2x a day

 

[R2elk]

I have a 150 lb. feeder in the coop. Everyone gets 20% protein all flock pellets with free choice oyster shell. Except for the adult turkeys at night, everyone has free access to food at all times.

I do not feed any supplemental grains or scratch and no treats.