I have six chickens but I want to get a single Tom Turkey as a pet

[TheTwoRoos]

You don’t want a turkey imprinting on a chicken,it’s not good.They need other turkey friends unfortunately,maybe just got two hens?

You have adorable little houses there. I really do only want one Tom but it sounds like I may have to get him a female as well.

You have adorable little houses there. I really do only want one Tom but it sounds like I may have to get him a female as well.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I have a couple of concerns that you guys can help me with possibly. I want to make sure he's not going to harm my chickens if I get one that is roughly around 10 weeks old and handle it every day. I have read here that he may take a liking to having friends around but will he be okay going by himself in his house at night? Massachusetts Winters can get cold. Are there any breeds better than others for hardiness?

Any advice is appreciated

We did the Turkey thing for about 5 yrs. A single Tom really doesn't seem like a good idea. Birds of a feather, socialize together. Although our younger Turkeys seemed to get a long when they were of equal size to the chickens, but as our breeders aged, their disposition developed. During mating season our Alpha Tom turned into a pit bull. Off season, he was a gentleman.
DON"T GET BROAD BREASTED BRONZE if you wish to keep them as pets. The explode in amazing size and their chests become massive. Eventually it effects their mobility. Also the BBB Tom is incapable of reproducing. Your females would need to be artificially inseminated if you had breeding desires. For pets, do your homework and find a breed with a slow growth rate. And just like pet pigs, you will have to limit diet to keep it from turning into a beach ball with legs if you wish it to have a long a healthy life.

TO BACKYARD
CHICKENS​

 

[Lrosell31]

We did the Turkey thing for about 5 yrs. A single Tom really doesn't seem like a good idea. Birds of a feather, socialize together. Although our younger Turkeys seemed to get a long when they were of equal size to the chickens, but as our breeders aged, their disposition developed. During mating season our Alpha Tom turned into a pit bull. Off season, he was a gentleman.
DON"T GET BROAD BREASTED BRONZE if you wish to keep them as pets. The explode in amazing size and their chests become massive. Eventually it effects their mobility. Also the BBB Tom is incapable of reproducing. Your females would need to be artificially inseminated if you had breeding desires. For pets, do your homework and find a breed with a slow growth rate. And just like pet pigs, you will have to limit diet to keep it from turning into a beach ball with legs if you wish it to have a long a healthy life.

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TO BACKYARD
CHICKENS​

I got broad breasted turkeys before I found out that there are better turkeys to get for pets. I won’t do that again.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I got broad breasted turkeys before I found out that there are better turkeys to get for pets. I won’t do that again.

Their chests explode in great proportions. They are an engineered meat bird. Perfect for a Holiday meal. As a pet, they can become incapacitated from their out of proportion physic.

 

[drumstick diva]

You may also want to post on the "Turkey forum."

 

[Joeschooks]

Welcome to BYC! There’s so many helpful, knowledgeable folks here and I’m sure you’ll find this site a very useful resource.

 

[GhostGirlShannon]

Ok guys, an update. This morning I picked up to 10 week old poults, a male and a female. I brought them home in a box and introduce them to my six chicken handful lot. The chickens were completely pissed off. each one of them got real big and they proceeded to peck ad the babies until I finally had to separate them. I put up plastic netting around the turkey house and put them in there safely. eventually they wandered out of the house they immediately flew up right over the fencing into the chickens and the Mayhem ensued. All over again.

I proceeded to pick them back up and put them in their house and upon picking up the turkeys they scream bloody murder and try everything they can to get away from me. They are LOUD! are these 10 week old is eventually going to get used to me? My 17 week old chickens when I got them took a very small time to get used to me but they love being held in now. I'm really hoping that it's not too late at 10 weeks old for these turkeys to love being held. The woman who sold them to me handled them often when she acquired them.

 

[GhostGirlShannon]

That's

I got broad breasted turkeys before I found out that there are better turkeys to get for pets. I won’t do that again.

I met a few BB turkeys and they were absolute sweethearts, I didn't take them because they were 40 lbs each. They were very petable

 

[Lrosell31]

That's

I met a few BB turkeys and they were absolute sweethearts, I didn't take them because they were 40 lbs each. They were very petable

My turkeys are very tame but I heard they aren’t good for pets because of health problems and they don’t live that long.

 

[ronott1]

It is good to have you here!

I wonder if Blackhead is a concern? You might want to ask about in on the turkey forum