Chickens, now Turkey's really!?!

[Domestic_goddess]

I've always done chickens, and I have an apportunity to have turkey's. A fellow chicken friend of mine has turkey's and she incubating some right now. What am I getting my self into? How different is it, what do I need to know? I'm kind excited about this now.

 

[chicmom]

Last year I raised up two turkeys. A male and a female. I was lucky to get one of each, because I just bought two poults from a man at a swap meet.

Anyhow, they were delightful. I was a tad bit worried about the chicks. Turkey chicks are rather sluggish and slower than chicken chicks, but that's pretty normal. The fellow I bought them from told me that turkey chicks need stimulation, so it's good to raise them with chicken chicks, so that's what I did. They need to be slightly warmer than chicks--just a few degrees.

When they became mature, the female took to setting down in front of me where ever I went. It was comical. I had to pick her up and move her when I was raking the run. She would sort of fan her wings behind her body too. (She wanted me to be her Tom.) LOL

It was wonderful seeing the Tom display. He was an awesome beauty!

They're very delightful! So much fun to raise and they got along great with chickens. I sold them to a 4-H boy who may still have them. I miss them.

 

[Phyrst]

I've always done chickens, and I have an apportunity to have turkey's. A fellow chicken friend of mine has turkey's and she incubating some right now. What am I getting my self into? How different is it, what do I need to know? I'm kind excited about this now.

I've been reading some here at BYC about turkeys and have some questions for anyone. What to you do with your turkeys when they get full size? Are they tame? Tamer than say, chickens? Are they a pet then? Do people that have turkeys live on farms? Because of their size, don't they need more room than chickens? Do they hang around where they are raised or will they wander off? Do they need to be fenced in? Protected from predators? Thanks. I like turkeys!

 

[orumpoultry]

This is my first go round with heritage breeds... but my Blue Slate Hen is the SWEETEST bird I have ever raised. She, too, thinks I am her tom. The tom is amazing, and my BST mix is a bit wild but she's fairly amazing as well.

 

[hcppam]

I have no idea why I just placed an order with my feed store for 3 royal palms, I wont kill them. I live in neighborhood on a quarter acre.

I need to learn about them fast.

 

[lengel]

Don't panic! I did the same thing. The local feed store had four poults that someone had ordered and hadn't claimed so I just took them home.

They do need a safe place from predators. When they aren't full grown, they'll need the same amount of protection as chickens. When my first was about 20 weeks old, an owl snapped her neck so be aware of smaller predators. When they are adults, larger predators like coyotes are the worst. However, your birds should always have a safe place to go, especially to spend the night or if you're not around for a while.

Feed is about the same as for chickens by weight.

Turkeys lay fantastic eggs. I prefer them to chicken eggs and they are one egg omelets.

Good luck! Have a great time. All of the turkeys I have raised have been friendly and fun. They can be nasty to each other but so can chickens.

 

[DeannaOR]

I surprised my guy with a Royal Palm turkey because he wanted one so bad...I wasn't thrilled about it. Now, however I am a fool for this bird. He follows me around, lets me hold him, talks to me. A $15.00 turkey has turned into an expensive 8'x12' Turkey coop, and all my spare time reading about breeding, feeding, and caring for turkeys. I now want to get a hen...and some chickens too. Not just any chickens either, lol....I have discovered all the variety and choices. I'm excited about it too. I say have fun with it =)

 

[KrisH]

I surprised my guy with a Royal Palm turkey because he wanted one so bad...I wasn't thrilled about it. Now, however I am a fool for this bird. He follows me around, lets me hold him, talks to me. A $15.00 turkey has turned into an expensive 8'x12' Turkey coop, and all my spare time reading about breeding, feeding, and caring for turkeys. I now want to get a hen...and some chickens too. Not just any chickens either, lol....I have discovered all the variety and choices. I'm excited about it too. I say have fun with it =)

Yep, It has started... they call it "Chicken Math". we all come down with it.

RobertH

 

[DeannaOR]

Yay! I found someone willing to sell me a hen!!! Now Strut can do his mating dance for someone besides me =)

 

[orumpoultry]

Haha, my Blue Slate tom thinks I'm one of his women. I constantly has to remind him whose on top.