Do turkeys make good guardians for other fowl?

[jruhle]

Someone told me turkey toms are very protective if raised with other birds and can drive away some predators. I've also been told that some toms are docile as a kitten. I have chickens & ducks that need a "body guard" (mainly the ducks) and someone suggested raising turkey's with them. I also wouldn't mind having some for dinner once and a while!

 

[hatchie42]

we had two turkey hens that roosted in the tree inside our pen and we sold them and within a week we lost three of our best hens to a racoon......so i would say yes for turkeys. but i have heard guineas are the best, if you can put up with their annoying calls

 

[ivan3]

Turkey toms will let you know there is an official vehicle with a siren on, approaching, long before you hear it. They are loud about anything unusual, letting you know to come out and take care of whatever it is. They tend to hold their fire for use against other toms, not preds.

Turkey hens are excellent sentinels for warning flocks of aerial threats (two or three of them standing together with their good eyes up - whining to one another in assessment - hawks trigger immediate pred call/ any plane that isn't a standard commercial jet? - lots of whining). Turkey hens are pred buffet if allowed to nest in unprotected areas.

Occasionally a tom will inadvertently kill a chicken hen/duck trying to breed it. Guess you could eat both the tom and his victim...

I suppose the size factor might intimidate most domestic cats and they will definitely go after snakes of any length (hens in particular) but they are not going to save any flock from determined predators on four legs.

This applies to heritage varieties - Broad Breasted turks? not so much.

 

[jruhle]

We have pretty formidable predators here in Alaska. (Mostly roaming dogs. Grrrrr.) I had a mink tear up some ducks and roosters. Amazingly it only killed one duck, I put the rest in the "hospital" and trapped the mink. He's hanging on the wall. Gonna make a nice scarf. I would like something thats going to raise a ruckus when something is on the prowl. The ducks are too quiet! Was thinking about geese but I do like the idea of having some turkeys also. Waterfowl are soooo messy. Not to mention geese turds are HUGE! I suppose turkey turds are fairly large as well though. Jeez, birds sure do poop a lot! Anyway enough about poop, thanks for the input guys!

 

[hatchie42]

you could have turducken!

 

[mr.mc.]

you could have turducken!

Or if the poor duck isn't killed in the process; you could have lil baby turdeckens running around! lol jk