Give me the dirt on turkeys

[frank53061]

I to mail ordered Red Bourbons and hoped for a good mix of Hens and Toms at first I thought I had 4 to 5 Toms and as they got older I had some late bloomers and now I have 7 Toms out of 17 Turkeys so I don't think that's to bad.
The Toms will be the first ones invited to dinner.
And are they some big suckers When I have to pick one off the out side roost I have to rap my arms around one to keep from being beaten by there wings and with a few more pounds they will be as big around as my wife.
Good thing my wife has a good sense of Humor she married me

.

 

[Fuzzybird]

Wow love to see all your turkeys! At least you got some hens, but out of that many you were sure to. Good luck with them and good eating.

 

[Zaxby's2]

Okay, so from what I've learned I hope to get a bourben red, royal palm, and bronze tom and keep them in a run for most of the day and then let them free range in the afternoons, except in the spring when I'll probably have to keep them in there so that they won't harm the chickens. Is 15 square feet per bird good for the run or do they need more?

 

[Fuzzybird]

If they run with the chickens while they are babies they should not hurt the chickens at all. Even grown up turkeys get along fine with chickens.

 

[Zaxby's2]

I was going to separate them when the toms started wanting to breed in case they tried to mate a hen, they'll be free ranging with each other the rest of the year. But does 15 square ft. per bird sound good for the run then?

 

[Celie]

I to mail ordered Red Bourbons and hoped for a good mix of Hens and Toms at first I thought I had 4 to 5 Toms and as they got older I had some late bloomers and now I have 7 Toms out of 17 Turkeys so I don't think that's to bad.
The Toms will be the first ones invited to dinner.
And are they some big suckers When I have to pick one off the out side roost I have to rap my arms around one to keep from being beaten by there wings and with a few more pounds they will be as big around as my wife.
Good thing my wife has a good sense of Humor she married me

.

Frank, are you planning to keep some BRs for breeding next year's breeding stock? You know, in addition to your
new Narragansett ?

Thanks are your toms with turkey hens and if I let toms free range with my chickens will they try to mate the chickens during breeding season? And will the toms fight each other in the breeding season (which is spring right?)

You have it the opposite way around! Tour roosters will definitely try to mate with your turkey hens! Don't worry it is like trying an Ostrish, the hen stands up, the roo falls off and looks around to see it the others saw him and then blushes with embarrassment!

But when poults are young, a roo might try to pick the poult or mate with it. If it gets picked enough to draw blood, it can get killed!

Well my young toms are with one turkey hen but not breeding time for them yet. They breed when one year old so I am told. Not sure if they will fight if with a turkey hen?
If raised with chickens they should all get along fine.

Egg laying is seasonal, usually February in the southern US, March to April in Northern states, Mating usually starts a few weeks before. Toms fight with each other and mate with the hens! They will usually get along fine if carefully acquainted.

Last question (i hope anyway), if I wanted to keep a hen with two to three toms would the dominant tom be the only one mating her, or would all of them be mating her and stress her out?

None of them may get to mate. The dominate tom will try and not let the others, but the other 2 toms will interfere, until they knock the dominate one off and no fertile eggs! you can keep 2 toms with as many as 5 or more hens, but it is better to only let 1 at a time with the hens. Use 1 tom in the mornings and the other in the afternoon for better fertility.

LOL
I bought 5 turkey babies hoping for at least one female and got 5 Toms! Soon 3 of those Toms will be Thanks Giving supper! LOL My avatar is Blue Bell my hen turkey. She's got her friend on her back. Sadly both those sweet babies got killed by our dogs. I was so up set! The turkey killers have found a non turkey, chicken home.

Don't give up hope, depending on their age, you could have a late bloomer. Until they start gobbling, it's hard to tell. I had a hen, I thought was a tom, spur nobs, beard, large snood, but I have over a dozen poults who call her mama !

If they run with the chickens while they are babies they should not hurt the chickens at all. Even grown up turkeys get along fine with chickens.

Young poults running with chickens can get hurt, just like baby chicks, unless they have a mama to watch out for them and they are introduced to the flock carefully. Also, make sure they are not crowded.

 

[ivan3]

Fuzzybird wrote: LOL I bought 5 turkey babies hoping for at least one female and got 5 Toms! Soon 3 of those Toms will be Thanks Giving supper! LOL My avatar is Blue Bell my hen turkey. She's got her friend on her back. Sadly both those sweet babies got killed by our dogs. I was so up set! The turkey killers have found a non turkey, chicken home.

Sorry for your loss. They do like to `hitch a ride': Hope you'll be looking at more `papoosed' poults on the prowl come Spring.

 

[Fuzzybird]

You guys have so much knowledge, Thank You! All the young Toms are gobbling so I know they are all boys. Love that black and white splashed turkey hen. What is she?

I think What I was meaning is that turkeys that have run with chickens get along with chickens. I agree the chicken is meaner to young birds than turkey is. At least in my experience which isn't very much.

 

[frank53061]

Celie

Yes I plan on keeping some Bourbon Reds for breeding and its a want more than what might happen but yes I would like to get some Narragansets Poults and see the difference in the two breeds as well as I think they are great looking birds.

 

[Celie]

I got some of my Holland Whites from a hatchery and will be culling heavy, but some are very nice breeders and I think I will work on selective breeding for this old Heritage line for a while. Since I only have 5 acres and want to keep a pure line to work with, I don't have room for an add'l breed. I have one tom that is quite unique. When he displays and gobbles, he does not show hardly any red at all, just blue and white in the face, neck, head, etc. I think he is a fall back to the original albino lines. I have several that are average, at best, but some have good form and have fattened quicker and have been very thrifty to raise. So I will hold back some of the best and breed them. Some have a very large breast for a heritage breed. Not double breasted, just larger than average, so I will probably breed towards that trait, too. Most breeds with brown and red feathering have some Eastern wild mixed in somewhere along the way to keep up their vigor and immunity factors, so maybe the original breeders of Holland, beltsville and Midgets might have something else too. I know for a historical fact Midget and Beltsville does. Since turkeys are native to the US, they were all probably bred from the wild varieties. What else are you raising?