Chickens and Turkeys

[ZoeS95423]

So, I have read a lot of keeping chickens and turkeys together. Potential diseases and just aggression and general.
My question is, if we get turkeys we would be butchering then most likely, at least the males, by fall.

Can I keep chicks and turkeys in the same brooder?
I have read somewhere that it can be better because turkeys are kind of dumb, and the chicks will teach them where to eat and drink? Not sure if that is true.

What do you guys think?

 

[bugflipper]

Yes I have done it many times. Turkeys are the stupidest fowl I have raised. Intelligence doesn't seem to improve with age. With my experience the first time the tom gobbles it's time to separate them. He will try to mate with the chickens and kill them from standing on their back.

 

[ZoeS95423]

Okay, thank you so much!

 

[Smithyard Farm]

I raised my 2 turkey's with my 12 hens... I got them at 8 weeks old. after quarantine, they went into the coop no problem. and they were yummy too!

 

[StewedMammal]

I have my chickens with my turkeys. I have around 28-30 laying hens and 2 roosters with my tom and 2 hens. I have had a few problems with the tom mounting a hen chicken, but he is only a royal palm so he isn't the heaviest breed and when he does mount a hen chicken, one of the roosters will knock him off.

 

[ZoeS95423]

Okay, so I will be fine raising babies turkerys with chicks? Once I get them I am sure I will have more questions. What are their basic everyday needs? Pretty similar to chickens? I have pheasants, is it similar to them at all? Feed wise etc.
If I get hen turkeys will they always be fine with my chickens, just not so much the the toms due to size compared to my chickens, depending on what breed of course
Thanks!

 

[StewedMammal]

Okay, so I will be fine raising babies turkerys with chicks? Once I get them I am sure I will have more questions. What are their basic everyday needs? Pretty similar to chickens? I have pheasants, is it similar to them at all? Feed wise etc.
If I get hen turkeys will they always be fine with my chickens, just not so much the the toms due to size compared to my chickens, depending on what breed of course

Thanks!

Yes they are okay to raise together. In fact it is good to raise chicks with turkey poults because they show the turkey poults where the food and water is and helps them get started. Their needs are pretty similar, but make sure the protein amount in the starter is higher when you have chicks and poults together (22%-28%).

 

[ZoeS95423]

Okay! Thank you so very much!