Give me the dirt on turkeys

[ricklo]

Quote:
My hen does, she is the queen in there. She takes the top rung roost spot, moves everyone out of the way at night. But my tom sleeps outside the coop on a covered bench. He hardly ever goes in the coop.

 

[pdpatch]

A words of caution to those who may want to raise turkey's.

1. They are much easier to get attached to the chickens and they can bond to you more the chickens.

2. Most turkey's, at about an hour before sunset, will want to find a roosting place. Once they settle in they usually won't want to move. So start young and make them go in early, they may eventually figure out where you want them to roost.

3. Don't get just one turkey, They need a small flock to be happy. Two is good three is better. One is a lost puppy who follows you around everywhere.

4. The Male thing is to be the dominate bird. The can and will fight to some degree. Either just huffing and puffing or fight to the death. SO be prepared. We almost lost two Great Whites because they got fired from being at the top of the pecking order. Once one of the BB Bronze took over and things quited down. He would just chest butt the other turkey's and knock then to the ground a guick way to and any squables.

5. Generally it is not a good idea to completely free range your turkeys. Once you get them and they grow up, you will see the size of there poop.

other questions and anwers:
Q: Can you mix turkeys with chickens for the hatchery minimum?
Usually not, since they are usually started on different days. and many hatcheries use outside hatcheries for turkey's.

Q: Do turkeys head in to the coop at night on their own like chickens do?
A: If you train them to yes they will. But you might get the one that never wants to do what you want it to.

Q: How would I go about finding a place to process them??
A: most states have turkey coop's, although most of these do large quantities they may do small ones. Not all poultry processing plants will do turkey's. In our case we do our own.

Q: does anyone raise turkeys exclusively as pets/farm decorations? I wouldn't want to eat them, but they'd have 80 acres on which to make themselves at home.
a: We finally decided to keep amating pair this year becasue we got attached to them.
But a turkey is a turkey, if there is a wild flock nearby it may join them. If they don't have human contact they will turn somewhat wild and not allow you near them.

Q: I was wondering if I need to "herd" the Turkey's into one of the barn stalls since the chicken coop door isn't big enough for them to get in....
A: turkey go where they want to, if you let them, which seems to be usually where you don't want them. So yes I would heard them to where you want them. In some case they won't move like a herd to you have to pick them up and carry them.

There is a right way and wrong way to pickup and carry a turkey. I usually wrap one arm around the turkey and grab both of it's feet with one hand. I let it kind of rest on my hip. With my free hand I gently hold it's neck. I make sure it has the freedom to move it' s hand and neck around.


Q:I was wondering if anyone knows? Can you mix turkeys with chickens for the hatchery minimum? Or do ya have to have 25 peeps and 15 turkeys? Can I do 20 peeps and 5 turkeys?

A: I have never seen a hatchery that allows mixing like that. Since most place they ard scheduled to be hatched on different days.

Q: What is a nice sized run for a turkey? Like how much sq ft per bird.

A: I am sure they would prefer about 2 acres per bird. but that is not practical.
I would guess that 2 or 3 would suffice.


Tom

 

[BeardedChick]

I agree with all of Tom's nice post except:

What is a nice sized run for a turkey? Like how much sq ft per bird

I read somewhere 10' per bird run space, I built mine at least that large. They like to run and flap and hop. They LOVE to have things to climb on.​

 

[HennyPennies2007]

Thanks so much for the info....! I really appreciate it!

BAWK BAWK

 

[chantecler]

Excellent info guys!!
Thanks so much!!!
I think I 'm going to start planning om my turkey coop and run for next spring.

sshshhhhh!!!! don't tell the DH

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I'm probably going to have to wait till the spring after next, i.e., when my jeep is paid off and I'll have lots of pocket change.
What I wouldn't give for one creature with wings to teach Kitty that they don't play nice and she needs to mind her Ps and Qs.

 

[chantecler]

Something tells me that a big Turkey would put Kitty in her place

I think you should get one sooner than later before Kitty gets too bad

 

[Wynette]

I'm so pleased to have noticed this post, because I've been wondering about turkeys myself.

Good to know that one is not the best idea. I wouldn't want it for eating, just to be a lawn ornament. I'm thinking for this purpose, bigger would be better(?) as they would not likely be taken by a hawk or fox (those are the two most common predators in my area).

How long do turkeys live? It sounds like they are not mean to people? Anyone have just a mated pair that could share some insight on keeping them as lawn ornaments? I've got a barn with horse stalls, and I'd probably teach them to spend the evenings in the horse stall, and they could range during the day when I'm home. Otherwise, they'd need to stay in a pen. Correct?

How far would they wander? I assume they'd know to come home to the barn stall at night? Thanks! What about turkey eggs? Eat 'em? Do they lay many?

 

[chickensandmore]

Just wondering does anyone run your turkeys with goats..
My ducks share a fenced area in the goat pasture, but with the turkeys I would just let them free range in that pasture..I have 6 small goats and would get maybe 5 or 6 turkeys..

Don

BTW: this is all great info

 

[BeardedChick]

How long do turkeys live?

My friend had a BR that lived 12+ years.

It sounds like they are not mean to people?

Some are, some aren't. My turkey hens would bite your hand, and I can promise you they were right there any time you tried to pull a weed, work on something, whatever. They are really persistent and annoying. I mean people oriented.

Some toms are aggressive, and sometimes it's only to selected people. My toms were not aggressive, but we watched them carefully around small kids.

Anyone have just a mated pair that could share some insight on keeping them as lawn ornaments?

Will you be upset if they prefer to stay on the porch and drop poop splatters that can rival those of my mini-cow (in diameter)?

How far would they wander?

Mine would not wander very far. They'd rather sit on the porch and wait for someone to come out and visit. They could have free ranged over the back 20 acres, but they wouldn't go that direction.

I assume they'd know to come home to the barn stall at night?

Mine would not if they had a choice, they'd rather fly up on the barn to roost. They could easily fly up to the roof of my house as well. This was after I had spent 5 months putting them in the coop every night. So I don't think you can really 'teach them' anything. Either they do go in, or they don't.​