Give me the dirt on turkeys

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
I got some Bourbon Red turkey and they are 9 weeks old now. They have been flying since about 2 weeks..

They follow me around where I go when I let them free range, so I have a chair in the (large) yard where they free range so they will eat a little instead of just follow me....

On raising them, there's been a lot of posts as to what and don't do..

I lost a few of my turkeys, but after reading one poster where he fed Medicated Chick starter without any problems... I started that as well, and so far I have not lost any more.

Now at 9 weeks I have been mixing Medicated with Crumble and corn and a little wheat also..

 

[chickenannie]

When I fed my RB turkey poults extra protein daily (in the form of hard-boiled egg yolks) and put enough hay on their floor to prevent them from eating dirt, I didn't lose a single one. I stopped with the extra protein at 2 months. By the way, I never feed antibiotics.

 

[Chicky Joy]

What would be the minimum number to order?

Could we get a few and keep them with our chickens?

 

[BeardedChick]

I have a pair of RP I will sell you cheap..they are fun until they grow up,unless penned they will be everywhere,eating everything and roosting on you husbands 2007 chev dark blue and chrome pickup..

This is exactly what I was going to say.

My 5 bourbons were alot of fun until they started flying out of the bird yard and climbing on the car, the truck, pooping on the front door... My truck has a poop right on top of it. GRRRRR!

There is a ton of space for them to free-range, but they want to be right there at the house with me. They are driving me CRAZY. I just today finished the fully enclosed pen, and there will be no more free ranging for them. No more picking at my hands every time I try to pull a weed in the landscape. No more spilling/stealing my tools when I'm working. No more jumping in the camper every time I leave the door open for 2 minutes (oh, man that made me SO mad!).

I will finally be able to finish sealing the patio, which was impossible with a pack of pooping turkeys on it every day.

They ate every grape off of my vines.

Reminds me, I need to call and get the cost to have them processed. They will make nice freezer ornaments. Think I'll serve them with grapes and a nice wine.

BUGGERS.​

 

[pdpatch]

Quote:
Usually the minimun order form a hatchery for turkeys is 15. Some time you can get some from someone locally. A few farm stores will carry them in the spring

As far as keeping Chickens and turkeys together, there are several poultry desieses that can cross between then that will kill a turkey but not a chicken. Generally if your flock has not had a problem with then desieses then it's not a problem.

Our chicken and Turkey pens are right next to each other, and when we moved the outside frequently the chickens visited the turkey coops and runs. When we let them out to free range the were in a large group together.

 

[je]

Do turkeys head in to the coop at night on their own like chickens do?

 

[HennyPennies2007]

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?

 

[ametauss]

I just got 5 juveniles on Saturday morning and they just roost outside on our wood pile with a few chickens that refuse to come into the barn.....

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....

I'm hoping I got one or two females so I'll keep three and eat two and let the others breed more....

Read the post on getting them processed.... I never considered having to have someone process a turkey... I thought we'd just chop it's head off like a chicken and go from there....

How would I go about finding a place to process them?? I live outside of Louisville, KY....

Thanks,
Ann Marie

 

[BeardedChick]

Do turkeys head in to the coop at night on their own like chickens do?

Mine would rather fly up on the barn to roost. They do not prefer to be in the coop, even though they were raised in there.

Can you mix turkeys with chickens for the hatchery minimum?

Not from the hatcheries I've ordered from. And I would not ship them together anyway - the larger turkeys could easily trample the chicks.

How would I go about finding a place to process them??

You can DIY for processing, but I didn't want to. I could not find a local place to process them.

But I got lucky and sold my turkeys this weekend! Happy happy turkey dance!!!!​

 

[gritsar]

I agree this is a great thread. In thinking of what will be my next type of poultry I'm really leaning towards having some turkeys, maybe five or six. I wanted ducks, but among other things our pond is too far from the house.

My LF brahma free-range all day, so if I had some turkeys and get them past the baby stage, could they also free-range and just find a way to lock them up at night?

My biggest concern is our former feral cat. Right now she has to be an indoor cat during the day because she will not leave my chickens alone; despite being alot smaller than most of them. My chickens, even my roos, are scared of her. I would hope that a turkey would be aggressive enough to give her a what for?

Also, 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.