Can turkeys and chickens be kept in same area

[eggcited2]

I have read that turkeys can not be kept around chickens (I am not talking about keeping them in same housing). I read that turkeys will die if kept around chickens. The article said that chickens carry a parasite that will do something to turkeys heads and make them die.

Is this true? Do I need to move my turkeys a long distance from where the chickens will be ranging and such? I have no plans on keeping them in the same housing/building, but was going to let them range and run around together.

 

[ziggywiggy]

I let mine range and run together. They pretty much stay away from one another. The turkeys go one way and the chickens another. They do roost and are fed in seperate pens mainly because the turkeys bully the chickens.
What you are probably reading about is called Blackhead and I personally don't think it is that common of a disease. I know of many people who keep turkeys with chickens.

 

[Nava]

Mine have been in the same sleping pen since poults, and when they free range they all go their own way

 

[mypicklebird]

If you don't have histomoniasis (blackhead) in your area, they will probably do fine. This is a protozoal organism, transmitted via a type of roundworm. Chickens can be exposed, but usually don't get ill. Just about all poultry can become ill- but it is usually they turkeys that get hit hardest. The turkey gets ill when it eats the eggs of roundworm- containing the protozoal organism- either directly from the soil or by eating earthworms. You can't really test for it prior, so if you want to keep them together- you can try. If your turkeys start dying- then you probably have it, but having a turkey tested will confirm. It usually does not turn the turkey's head black. They get droopy and look like a typical sick bird with ruffled feathers, drooped wings and tail. On necropsy- they are in liver failure, with distinctive cecal and liver lesions & usually with fluid in the body cavity. Good deworming programs can keep down the load of the cecal roundworm. No good flock treatments if they get ill, but for pet birds- there are some drugs that can help them.

 

[Denninmi]

The is also a drug specifically for prevention of blackhead disease in turkeys. The drug is called nitarsone. Blue Seal Feeds, which is a New England/Mid Atlantic regional manufacturer and retailer of feed products (I assume it is kind of like Tractor Supply, just a regional chain, because they have retail stores from Maine to PA and NJ) makes a medicated turkey grower pellet with Nitarsone. They also do mail order and have an online store -- this product isn't sold in the online store, but I was able to e-mail their online division and put in a special request and they shipped it right out to me -- shipping on each bag was almost twice as much as the cost of the feed, but there isn't anyone here in Michigan selling a comparable product so I was grateful.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Been raising them together for several years. No problems.

 

[cowdogcadillac]

no problems here.

 

[nvmycj]

Quote:
Hello! When the turkeys are full grown, do they fit in the pop doors?

 

[Nava]

sorry i don't have any poop doors they are in a 12by12 pen and freerange during the day

this are other chickens but the turkeys have a similar set up when they go in to sleep

here are 2 toms out during the day

 

[ziggywiggy]

Hey, cowdogcadillac is that chair in the pen for you or the birds? Kidding. I love sitting out with mine also.