I want turkey!

[Flip-N-Flogging]

I have been finding deals on turkey here lately. I have alway wanted turkey but have been curious about one thing. I don't really have the means nor room for another coop. So my question is, can turkey and my chickens live together? I feel I would have the coop space. I have six hens and a rooster.

 

[lowry075]

I am sorry nobody has responded yet. I can't help you, but I want turkeys too. I can't so I am living vicariously through other's threads.

Someone in the know will answer you soon.

 

[clairabean]

Quote:
I am exactly the same boat.

 

[durangochic]

I had read/heard that turkeys can infect chickens with some sort of 'black mold' or 'black rot'. I went ahead and got 4 blue slate turkeys and raised them with my flock of 12 chickens. They all happily coexist in my coop/run/yard. I have to say, however, that the feed to meat conversion for a heritage breed turkey is dismal. They are also unbelievably stupid animals (no offense to any turkey lovers). They are nearly completely blind at night, and will jump right into a waiting dog's mouth. We ate the two toms, and have been postponing processing the two hens due to pain-in-the-butt factor for a giant dark meat chicken, and they started laying eggs this week. This is probably their best feature - the eggs are pretty neat. So far - no communicable diseases/coinfection, and the two species cohabitate just fine.

 

[MyShunshyn]

We have a turkey who was raised with our chickens and they all get along just fine. Some will tell you no because of the risk of Blackhead. If this isn't a problem inyour area thenyes you canhave a turkey.
I would think that if you introduced a young turkey over time you would should be ok, just be sure to take your time withthe introductions so no one gets hurt.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I have a turkey (TOM) that was raised with my Guineas. They together live with ducks, geese and chickens. So far I have had no issues.

However, the turkey and guineas, ducks, geese and chickens live in the barn and can fly where ever they want. I say this only becasue I am not sure how good it would be if they were contained in aconfined area. My Turkey would not hurt them on purpose, but he is getting to be a big boy and may hurt them by accident.

 

[BairleaFarm]

Mine live together and i have not had any issues. They seem to think they are all the same breed. Had to redo the roost in the coop. Get a couple 20 pound turkeys jumping it doesnt take long for stuff to break. I love mine and they are way friendlier than the chickens....

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

We have turkeys (well down to 1 now) and chickens and ducks together. We have had to keep the turkey separate from the ducks lately. One of the ducks got stepped on by the turkey in the pool and was pretty badly injured. We were able to patch her up and get her back out with the flock but we now pen the ducks and turkeys separately. Now the roos keep the turkey away from the hens so no injuries or problems there.

Our plan this year is to keep the turkeys penned away from everyone else. I'm not sure our roos could fend off a determined tom (but maybe they could). Anyway, after the injury to our duck we are more careful in making sure everyone has THEIR space.

 

[Zootopia]

We have a Beautiful and friendly Royal Palm tom, a sweet Blue Slate hen, a bully white hen and a bullied Bronze waddlier. The hens lay and I have a guy who will buy all I can collect. The Turkeys range with the chickens but can't get into the hen houses, they sleep in the barn with the strays, when they think about it. I have gone out more than once to run them in out of the pouring rain and in hail storms. They are indeed stupid fowl. My granddad used to say they would drown from looking up in a rain storm. I don't doubt it. The only one we ever had with instinct was a Burbon Red hen. She roosted up high, inside in bad weather, nested in the fenceline and raised her own chicks. Found her dead last fall, she was 4.
I think the more room everyone has the better. The idea of keeping one in a "pen" might be pushing it. Maybe a Midget, or Heritage hen. Don't think I'd do it with a Tom, they realy do need room to be happy and for everyone to be safe. IMHO