Is it a good idea to keep turkeys around fruit trees or growing pumpkin?

[wilderbirds]

Hello there,

Im starting a bird sanctuary and wanting to start with domestic turkeys (they are so unexpectedly cute aren't they?)...and I was thinking of helping keep the sanctuary funded with a u-pick orchard; maybe apple trees or seasonal pumpkins/melons. I was thinking 5 acres and max 20 turkeys. Is that a good ratio to keep the grounds clean and fresh feeling? Will they poop on the melons/pumpkins or take fruit growing from the trees or will they try roosting in the trees? Ideally they will not bother with anything eat what I give them besides the dropped apples and insects. What do you think? I've never raised turkeys or fruit trees but I am feeling ambitious.

 

[Molpet]

Th they poop on the melons/pumpkins or take fruit growing from the trees or will they try roosting in the trees?

Yes, yes and yes.
Also they will get as close to the house as they can, including the roof.
They also will attack their reflection in windows and cars.

 

[R2elk]

Hello there,

Im starting a bird sanctuary and wanting to start with domestic turkeys (they are so unexpectedly cute aren't they?)...and I was thinking of helping keep the sanctuary funded with a u-pick orchard; maybe apple trees or seasonal pumpkins/melons. I was thinking 5 acres and max 20 turkeys. Is that a good ratio to keep the grounds clean and fresh feeling? Will they poop on the melons/pumpkins or take fruit growing from the trees or will they try roosting in the trees? Ideally they will not bother with anything eat what I give them besides the dropped apples and insects. What do you think? I've never raised turkeys or fruit trees but I am feeling ambitious.

They will leave the majority of their droppings anywhere they roost. They will eat any fruit that is within their reach. Any harm to the fruit trees will be possible when the trees are young if they try to roost on branches that are too small.

If you want to grow pumpkins, melons, etc. the turkeys will have to be fenced out as they will eat them before they ripen.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/⭐-kikis-year-long-🌶️.1436778/post-24857933

Edited to add correct link.

 

[wilderbirds]

Other sources stated domestic turkeys are a good addition to an apple orchard. Does anyone here have domestic turkeys that are free range and the turkeys actually have preference of sleeping in the trees?

 

[R2elk]

Other sources stated domestic turkeys are a good addition to an apple orchard. Does anyone here have domestic turkeys that are free range and the turkeys actually have preference of sleeping in the trees?

There is a lot of bad information posted in "other sources". Having your turkeys roost in trees is a good way to lose them to predators.

I know of an "other source" that says rabbits are a good addition to a garden.

 

[wilderbirds]

Yes, yes and yes.
Also they will get as close to the house as they can, including the roof.
They also will attack their reflection in windows and cars.

You stated that as if all turkeys attack reflections in the windows when its more the case its a select few in certain lighting. Either way I dont mind the quirks and I certainly dont mind them staying close to the house. As a human where our species is hellbent on destruction of this planet and abuse of all life the charachter of the turkey is really no bother to me. I worked at a wildlife rehab center for awhile with owls hawks coyotes deer possums ravens turkeys etc...the turkeys were by far the most charming imo animal there.

Heres a post I read here. Seems the intentions by the house can be sweet so Ill accept that.

"LOL we free ranged turkeys one year. Never again! They followed us everywhere, and they looked in our windows and crowded around while I was listening to music. They were affectionate. They pooped all over our porch and driveway, destroyed my rhubarb patch. They were so darn cute and full of character that I cried when we butchered them, and yet we couldn't keep all of them. We wound up keeping 3 because I couldn't stop crying and still have one of them now, 2-3 years later. We just had the big double-breasted commercial varieties (bronze somethingorothers and white somethingorothers). They're not supposed to live very long but this girl is still going strong.
"

 

[wilderbirds]

There is a lot of bad information posted in "other sources". Having your turkeys roost in trees is a good way to lose them to predators.

I know of an "other source" that says rabbits are a good addition to a garden.

Other sources were specialized towards gardening homesteading etc. There are alot of sources that state this online....even stating turkeys and chickens were traditionally kept in orchards (europe) and help get rid of pests fallen damaged or rotting fruit etc. I never said i wanted the turkeys to roost in trees. Thats not what i wanted...

The difference is sources on the turkeys in orchards were legit..

 

[R2elk]

Heres a cute post I read here. Seems the intentions by the house can be sweet.

"LOL we free ranged turkeys one year. Never again! They followed us everywhere, and they looked in our windows and crowded around while I was listening to music. They were affectionate. They pooped all over our porch and driveway, destroyed my rhubarb patch. They were so darn cute and full of character that I cried when we butchered them, and yet we couldn't keep all of them. We wound up keeping 3 because I couldn't stop crying and still have one of them now, 2-3 years later. We just had the big double-breasted commercial varieties (bronze somethingorothers and white somethingorothers). They're not supposed to live very long but this girl is still going strong.

That kind of behavior comes from human imprinting the turkeys when they are poults. I do not imprint my poults and my turkeys do not behave in such a manner.

 

[R2elk]

Other sources were specialized towards gardening homesteading etc. There are a lot of sources that state this online....even stating turkeys and chickens were traditionally kept in orchards and help get rid of pests etc. I never said i wanted the turkeys to roost in trees. That's not what i wanted...

As I said, there is a lot of bad information posted on the Internet. It is getting much worse with the AI posts.

I grew up on a farm and poultry were not kept in the orchard.

 

[wilderbirds]

That kind of behavior comes from human imprinting the turkeys when they are poults. I do not imprint my poults and my turkeys do not behave in such a manner.

Thats fine. This is not what i was curious about.

As I said, there is a lot of bad information posted on the Internet. It is getting much worse with the AI posts.

I grew up on a farm and poultry were not kept in the orchard.

Just because your farm didnt do things one way dosnt mean its not a possibility. There are legit farms keeping turkeys and chickens in the orchard. Its maybe not common practice but common practice in farming right now isnt great by any standards. Its not ai; there are videos news stories and personal farm sites documenting this.