Chickens and Turkeys Together?

[Chicken Tender 7]

Yesterday I read a post about a hawk attack and a turkey coming to the rescue. That sparked my interest, but I have a lot of questions:

• Can I keep the chickens and a turkey in the same coop?
• How much room does a turkey need?
• Is it a good idea to let him free range or will he wander off?
• Do chickens and turkeys eat the same food?
• Where can I get a turkey?

 

[All4Eggz]

@aart

Yes, Chickens CAN live with turkeys, and sleep in the same coop too. Some people have good luck with it, but some don't.
They can spread diseases to each other. Sometimes the disease doesn't affect the turkeys, but if it spreads to the chickens, the chickens can die.

Usually there are plenty of turkeys available on Craigslist, but the better option would be to get them from an online hatchery.

Chickens and Turkeys can eat the same food. You can get "All Flock Pellets" or "All Flock Crumble" from a local feed store or Tractor Supply.

Usually male turkeys don't do great with male chickens, so you should only have either male chickens or male turkeys.

Turkeys can also free range fine, just like chickens. You still have to teach them where to go inside for the night, though.

 

[Isadora]

Usually male turkeys don't do great with male chickens, so you should only have either male chickens or male turkeys.

Yes. Some friends of mine raised some turkeys with their chickens, then once the male turkeys got old enough they started killing all the roosters.

 

[Chicken Tender 7]

@aart

Yes, Chickens CAN live with turkeys, and sleep in the same coop too. Some people have good luck with it, but some don't.
They can spread diseases to each other. Sometimes the disease doesn't affect the turkeys, but if it spreads to the chickens, the chickens can die.

Usually there are plenty of turkeys available on Craigslist, but the better option would be to get them from an online hatchery.

Chickens and Turkeys can eat the same food. You can get "All Flock Pellets" or "All Flock Crumble" from a local feed store or Tractor Supply.

Usually male turkeys don't do great with male chickens, so you should only have either male chickens or male turkeys.

Turkeys can also free range fine, just like chickens. You still have to teach them where to go inside for the night, though.

Thank you, very informative!

 

[aart]

Sometimes the disease doesn't affect the turkeys, but if it spreads to the chickens, the chickens can die.

Are you thinking of Blackhead?
IIRC that goes the other way, chickens can carry it unaffected but it will kill turkeys.

I don't know much about turkeys, but I wouldn't house them with chickens....
....and I wouldn't expect a turkey would protect the flock from predators.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Turkeys bonded to chickens is a bad idea. I have had turkeys kill chickens, and chickens scalp turkeys. They are not behaviorally the same. They are best kept separately.

Turkeys will usually run during a predator attack. It's not a given that they will provide any protection to other birds, nor be a deterrent.

 

[Molpet]

Thread 'Turkeys 101 - New To Turkeys (What Do I Need To Know?)' https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/turkeys-101-new-to-turkeys-what-do-i-need-to-know.787208/

I have turkeys with the chickens.
I have had several chicken hens squashed by toms. Another with a hole in her head by a Jake, had to put her down... and another beat half to death by some turkey hens and still limps. A roo killed by a jake
This summer a poult was taken by a predator and the mom flew out after it but the poult is gone. I assume a hawk or eagle.
I have had an eagle sitting in a tree with a bunch of turkeys underneath yelling at it.

 

[All4Eggz]

Are you thinking of Blackhead?
IIRC that goes the other way, chickens can carry it unaffected but it will kill turkeys.

I don't know much about turkeys, but I wouldn't house them with chickens....
....and I wouldn't expect a turkey would protect the flock from predators.

Yep. I might've got confused.

 

[R2elk]

Yes, Chickens CAN live with turkeys, and sleep in the same coop too. Some people have good luck with it, but some don't.

For the most part, turkeys prefer to sleep on outside roosts rather than in a coop. Turkeys need much more space than chickens need.

They can spread diseases to each other. Sometimes the disease doesn't affect the turkeys, but if it spreads to the chickens, the chickens can die.

Wrong. Chickens can carry blackhead which can be fatal to turkeys. The turkey version of Mareks is what is used to vaccinate chickens.

Usually there are plenty of turkeys available on Craigslist, but the better option would be to get them from an online hatchery.

The better option is to get your turkeys locally. You can get turkeys locally that are old enough to be sexed.

Chickens and Turkeys can eat the same food. You can get "All Flock Pellets" or "All Flock Crumble" from a local feed store

Adult turkeys can have the same food as chickens. Turkey poults need a high protein turkey or game bird starter for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

Usually male turkeys don't do great with male chickens, so you should only have either male chickens or male turkeys.

My toms very rarely have anything to do with roosters. It is the hen turkeys that go after the roosters.

Turkeys can also free range fine, just like chickens. You still have to teach them where to go inside for the night, though.

Turkeys can do great free ranging but will travel over larger areas than chickens will. Turkeys will quickly learn to return to their roost area in the evening.

 

[All4Eggz]

Wrong. Chickens can carry blackhead which can be fatal to turkeys. The turkey version of Mareks is what is used to vaccinate chickens.

Yep, that's what I meant I got confused.