Can I keep a Poult & chicks together?

[Emmahannah]

Okay so I know that you can not pen turkeys with chickens together because they catch diseases from chickens poo but here is my question anyway. We had several Silkie chickens hatch and one turkey poult in the incubator. I have had them all in the same brooder for a week and they are all fine. I hate to separate this little guy and put him all by himself.

The chicks are healthy so I'm wondering if at this age they will infect the turkey poult? How long can I keep him with them or should I separate him now?

Thanks!

 

[nickie]

First, call your county's extensions office and find out if blackhead is an issue in your area. Second, I would keep them together, but that's me. I have the chicks I hatched to help out the turkeys still with them at 12 weeks, I'm trying to get them apart, but when everyone is out they all stick close together.

 

[Frosty]

I agree... either call your county Ag folks, or you can see if anyone else in your area keeps them together. Histomoniasis (Blackhead) is the big one to worry about. On the flip side, turkeys can be carriers of the turkey strain of herpes. I am not sure if it passes vertically through the egg? But if a turkey has it, it's related to the Mareks disease that chickens can get. My understanding is that it's different enough that the chickens won't show symptoms from it, but close enough that it can provide natural immunity to Mareks (it acts like a vaccine). If I recall, some Mareks vaccines are made using the turkey strain.

Personally, I don't have a problem with Blackhead (and if it's a problem in your area they recommend not keeping the birds on the same property).

 

[kuntrygirl]

I agree... either call your county Ag folks, or you can see if anyone else in your area keeps them together.  Histomoniasis (Blackhead) is the big one to worry about.  On the flip side, turkeys can be carriers of the turkey strain of herpes.  I am not sure if it passes vertically through the egg?  But if a turkey has it, it's related to the Mareks disease that chickens can get.  My understanding is that it's different enough that the chickens won't show symptoms from it, but close enough that it can provide natural immunity to Mareks (it acts like a vaccine).  If I recall, some Mareks vaccines are made using the turkey strain.

Personally, I don't have a problem with Blackhead (and if it's a problem in your area they recommend not keeping the birds on the same property).   

x2

 

[Emmahannah]

Thanks, I'll give them a call. We had them tested last year in July for Fair and nothing was found but the test was for Pullorum Typhoid and it is the only test required so maybe we don't have a Blackhead problem. I'm getting ready to have them tested again for 4H Fair so I'll also ask at that time.

I just remembered that the tom turkey we bought in March was raised with a chicken. We have had to keep him penned though because he fights over the chickens with our big rooster and I love my rooster, he's a big baby.

Thanks for the great information!

Susan

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I have a family member who is the USDA APHIS area epidemiologist for our state; he is in charge of tracking these sorts of diseases. Handy, right?

I asked him if blackhead is an issue in our area. Since our flock is very young and was bought from out of state hatcheries, he said the issue is more complex than that. He said I need to find out if blackhead is an issue in the states from which the birds originated (Ohio and Missouri in my case).

I haven't gotten any farther in my inquiries, but I thought I'd share what I learned.