Coop with chickens or guineas?

[My2butterflies]

Hello all
I have a question about the best place to house turkeys. I’ll have two coops. One coop has my flock of 13 guineas. The other coop will house 10 chickens. This coop hasn’t been set up yet, but will be very soon.
Do turkeys fair better with one over the other? Do they need anything special that the other two don’t?
During the day they will all be free ranged in the yard together.
I’ll also add that our turkeys will be raised with the intention of butchering them before winter if that makes any difference.

One other thing...how many is the minimum amount a person should keep? Would three be ok?

 

[Molpet]

If they are heritage turkeys, my toms do better with at least 3 hens per Tom.
I have had turkeys squash chicken hens and kill roosters. But not everyone has these issues.
I never had guineas

 

[Molpet]

Oh turkeys need higher protein, gamebird feed if you can't find turkey starter... chickens can eat it too

 

[My2butterflies]

If they are heritage turkeys, my toms do better with at least 3 hens per Tom.
I have had turkeys squash chicken hens and kill roosters. But not everyone has these issues.
I never had guineas

Is that important when they are only raised till butcher weight?

Oh turkeys need higher protein, gamebird feed if you can't find turkey starter... chickens can eat it too

Thank you! That is good to know!

 

[Molpet]

Is that important when they are only raised till butcher weight?

BB are harvested at 16 to 20 wks.
Heritage are harvested at 6 months and older.
I had a BBB that squashed his best friend, a br cockerel at 20+ wks. They had been in the brooder together and always hung out together. Slept together ...they were BFF ...I thought until I found the BBB Jake standing on the cockerel. A little too good of friends.

 

[My2butterflies]

BB are harvested at 16 to 20 wks.
Heritage are harvested at 6 months and older.
I had a BBB that squashed his best friend, a br cockerel at 20+ wks. They had been in the brooder together and always hung out together. Slept together ...they were BFF ...I thought until I found the BBB Jake standing on the cockerel. A little too good of friends.

Oh dear
Maybe being placed with the guineas will be best.

Im not sure what breed(s) I’ll have yet. I’ll be getting whatever the local feed store orders. I’m hoping for anything other then white.
I try to stay away from white anything, too easily picked off by predators. As it is we have one white chick growing out and of course that’s my daughters favorite. It will be heartbreaking if it’s the only one we lose eventually

 

[R2elk]

Hello all
I have a question about the best place to house turkeys. I’ll have two coops. One coop has my flock of 13 guineas. The other coop will house 10 chickens. This coop hasn’t been set up yet, but will be very soon.
Do turkeys fair better with one over the other? Do they need anything special that the other two don’t?
During the day they will all be free ranged in the yard together.
I’ll also add that our turkeys will be raised with the intention of butchering them before winter if that makes any difference.

One other thing...how many is the minimum amount a person should keep? Would three be ok?

The only thing that I would house with guineas are other guineas.

If you live where blackhead is a problem, housing turkeys with chickens can be a death sentence.

Maybe being placed with the guineas will be best.

Not a good idea.

Im not sure what breed(s) I’ll have yet. I’ll be getting whatever the local feed store orders. I’m hoping for anything other then white.

If you are planning on processing them, white turkeys make the most pleasing carcass.

Is that important when they are only raised till butcher weight?

It is important to give all turkeys a proper start in life. This can only be done by providing them with the appropriate feed. After they are a few months old you can get away with a lesser feed but early development requires feed with a high protein content and high levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. A thiamine and niacin deficiency can cause leg problems especially in the BB varieties.

 

[My2butterflies]

The only thing that I would house with guineas are other guineas.

If you live where blackhead is a problem, housing turkeys with chickens can be a death sentence.

Not a good idea.

If you are planning on processing them, white turkeys make the most pleasing carcass.

It is important to give all turkeys a proper start in life. This can only be done by providing them with the appropriate feed. After they are a few months old you can get away with a lesser feed but early development requires feed with a high protein content and high levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. A thiamine and niacin deficiency can cause leg problems especially in the BB varieties.

How will I know if blackhead is a problem in my area? This will be my first year having chickens and second year with guineas.

Hmmm... I guess I’ll keep whites as an option.

I think my question was misunderstood. I have no problems giving the appropriate feed and understand it’s importance. I was wondering if keeping a certain number of turkeys (example: one Tom, 3 hens) was important if they are only being kept for butcher and not to breed.

Do really appreciate all the help!

 

[R2elk]

How will I know if blackhead is a problem in my area? This will be my first year having chickens and second year with guineas.

Hmmm... I guess I’ll keep whites as an option.

I think my question was misunderstood. I have no problems giving the appropriate feed and understand it’s importance. I was wondering if keeping a certain number of turkeys (example: one Tom, 3 hens) was important if they are only being kept for butcher and not to breed.

Do really appreciate all the help!

You can call you local agriculture extension office, local turkey raisers, local veterinarians or as a last resort you can call your state veterinarian to find out about blackhead.

If you plan to process them, do not play with them and become attached to them as poults. It will make things much more difficult if not impossible to deal with at process time if you turn them into your loved pets. Turkey poults can be very difficult to resist.

If you plan to process them, the only reason for getting more than just a couple is that in my opinion, they are harder to start successfully with only a couple.

 

[My2butterflies]

You can call you local agriculture extension office, local turkey raisers, local veterinarians or as a last resort you can call your state veterinarian to find out about blackhead.

If you plan to process them, do not play with them and become attached to them as poults. It will make things much more difficult if not impossible to deal with at process time if you turn them into your loved pets. Turkey poults can be very difficult to resist.

If you plan to process them, the only reason for getting more than just a couple is that in my opinion, they are harder to start successfully with only a couple.

Thank you! I’ll have to check around and see.

It’s going to be very hard I’m sure. My husband is worried I’m just going to end up with more pets