help!!!Raising turkeys w/chickens

[aliena614]

My granddad raises a few turkeys every year for thanksgiving dinner. My son just thinks it is the coolest thing and would like to get 1 or 2 to raise himself at home this spring. My delema is that i have 5 white rock hens that freerange the backyard at will and im worried that there will be conflict! My yard is huge about an acre fenced!
What does everyone think? I dont want to pen the turkeys if i dont have to. HELP

 

[Smitty's Farm]

I have one turkey that is growing up with 16 chickens. They are all the same age, about 7 months old. They got along great in the beginning, but the chickens started picking the turkey's tail feathers a few months ago, so I had to seperate them during the day. They would break main big feathers off and blood would just squirt out until we could put some corn starch on it to stop it. They will free range together in the evening and the turkey coops up with them at night, b/c to many predators in my area. The other bad thing about the turkey in the chicken coop is it's poop is bigger and messier and
stinkier.... I seem to have to clean it more often. I read on another thread about a disease that turkeys carry called blackhead. I know some people do fine putting their chickens and turkeys together, but if I had to do it over again I'd have a seperate coop for the turkey at night.

 

[picklespickles]

there was a post the other day from someone who had a turkey hurt the chickens. i guess you never know. do your hens seem to attack things now, or are they more mellow?

to me, that seems like enough room they could carve out their own territories. it's worth giving it a try, at least. at the worst, you could just put some wire across one half of it or something if it came to it.

 

[aliena614]

good pointers!! thanks guys
I think i'll be fine the DH just told me he ordered a new tool shed! So its turkey season in the old shed!!

Now I just have to find the birds! Do you guys know anyone with little gobblers? hopefully I wont have to wait till spring.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Quote:
Maybe try posting something or looking on the BYC's Buy, Sell, Trade section. Is there any turkey farms in your area? What is the closest hatchery to you? I couldn't rememer, are you raising the turkeys for meat or pets?

Oh yea! Maybe also look in the BYC Pultry section.

Good luck!

 

[silkiechicken]

I was thinking about some turkeys in the spring too. As for black head, I believe that it is chickens who can be carriers and it can be deadly for the turkeys.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Quote:
Thanks Silkiechicken! I knew I read something about it in a thread somewhere, but couldn't remember all the details. You are right, it's the chicken that transfer it to the turkey.

There is another thread in the Pultry sec about turkeys and chickens living together, but I don't know how to transfer the thread.

If you get turkeys in the spring are you raising them as pets or meat?

 

[silkiechicken]

They would be for meat. I think I am going for the bronze breasted type, since the white ones just show too much dirt.

If you want to post a link, just copy the web address and paste it.

 

[Hotwings]

I have done alot of reading about turkeys and it is chickens that can carry blackhead to turkeys-this is fatal to the turkeys. Most broad breasted bronze/white turkeys go to market at 16 weeks. You can encounter health issues if the bird matures beyond this, so if you want a meat bird I would suggest waiting till June(if you want these for thanksgiving). Hatcheries usually only sell in bulk, so I would suggest getting them at a feed store, where you can just choose 1 or 2. Feed stores only(usually) carry the BB and not the heritage breeds. Heritage turkeys are closer to what they used to be before man started to tinker around. These birds mature later but live longer and don't have the health issues of the BB. Heritage are for example Red Burbons and Blue Slate and etc.. I hear turkeys are much messier than chickens, but after all they are bigger. I hear some can be aggressive or really tame. Good luck on your turkey quest.

 

[aliena614]

Thanks so much guy for all the good info! Im going to check w/my local feed stores and the DH has plans to fence off a yard for the turkey!