Feeding chickens and turkeys together

[Chickhick]

What do you feed yor poultry when the chickens and turkeys all live together all the time?

 

[Barry]

I fed them chicken grower ration and the turkeys did fine. I had the turkeys in their own brooder and fed them medicated turkey starter until they were 7 weeks old.
They also all got lots of leftovers and treats.
The practice of keeping chickens and turkeys together is not recommended by the experts because chickens can carry the disease that causes black head in turkeys. I had Narraganset turkeys, they are much hardier than the white commercial variety. I hope you have the same luck!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
Oma bird is the person to ask for that question

Steve

 

[Olive Hill]

You'll waste a lot of money if you try to feed them the same feed from start to finish as Turkey poults require considerably more protein than other birds. Poults also tend to be fragile. It's best for those two reasons to brood them separate and then introduce them to the flock as juveniles. At that point everyone can usually do well enough on a 20-22% "Flock Raiser" type feed.

 

[Chickhick]

Thanks for the responses.

How many weeks old would a "juvenile" be? I'm thinking to keep the young ones in a pen in the barn till I can put them with the flock. (I talk as if I have them already!

)

 

[Olive Hill]

What kind of turkeys are you getting?

I'm not so sure it's the "official" definition but I consider them juveniles from the point they're feathered out and can "hold their own" in the flock (8+ weeks-ish). Which is convenient because 8 weeks also coincides with the point at which their protein requirements drop significantly.

 

[Chickhick]

Okay, 8 weeks is definitely do-able for keeping them penned up without me feeling guilty for it!

I'm hoping to get a breeding pair of Narragansetts and perhaps a couple of young blacks. I talked to a guy last week who had several breeds, but then we had some car trouble and a dental visit, so I had to wait to see where our money stood. I'm going to call him tomorrow and see what he still has. I'd like some small white ones, but I don't think he has any Beltsvilles or Midgets.

 

[OmaBird]

At one time about 6 years ago I kept 5,000 chickens with my turkey flock. Everyone ate turkey starter all of there life. This might not be the cheapest way to feed but money was not a issue. The chickens looked great and grew fast. They stayed in good feather and never looked like everyone elses chickens that where always molting. My turkeys grow fast and big. Both lay plenty of eggs.

 

[Olive Hill]

What he has are probably not poults. So you won't be feeding them starter anyway. That said, with starting with older birds you're going to want to keep them penned for a few weeks anyway so they "home" to your area. Heritage breed turkeys can and will range FAR and wide.