How long to wait before putting Turkeys in a Chicken pen?

[Farmer chick]

I would like to move my chickens into my currently empty turkey pen, to give the chicken pen a rest. If I do that, how long will I have to wait to put turkeys back in their pen? I want to make sure no blackhead infects the flock.

I don't have turkeys right now, but I am planning on getting some more within the year.
Should I keep my chickens where they are, just to be on the safe side?
How long till the blackhead disease causing components 'disappear'?

Thanks for helping!!
Farmer Chick

 

[casportpony]

I would like to move my chickens into my currently empty turkey pen, to give the chicken pen a rest. If I do that, how long will I have to wait to put turkeys back in their pen? I want to make sure no blackhead infects the flock.

I don't have turkeys right now, but I am planning on getting some more within the year.
Should I keep my chickens where they are, just to be on the safe side?
How long till the blackhead disease causing components 'disappear'?

Thanks for helping!!
Farmer Chick

Welcome to BYC!

Wow, was just having this conversation with some people... Not sure how long it can survive in the ground and earthworms, but the experts say that it's best not to raise turkey/peafowl on property that chickens have been on, period. I do, but managing it means lots of work, more than most can deal with. It also means keeping medications banned for use in food animals (metronidazole, Baytril) just in case a bird gets sick.

Read this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/804570/coping-with-blackhead

-Kathy

 

[dawg53]

Casportpony is correct. Chickens can carry cecal worms which might harbor the protozoa which causes Blackhead. Blackhead is deadly to turkeys, not so much in chickens. Infective cecal worm eggs in chicken feces can survive in soil for years, and can be picked up directly from the soil by birds, completing the lifecycle. Keep turkeys off soil where chickens have been, no need to risk it.