Is there any truth to this?

[armyman88]

I heard that raising newly hatched turkey poults with a week-old baby chickens is a good idea as the baby chicken will show how to drink water and take food, I have two turkey eggs in the incubator that are due to hatch next week and already have a brooder kit to be set up and I am thinking of getting a few baby Rhode Island Reds from my feed store...

 

[nuthatched]

Old wives tales.

 

[Gavinthechickenman]

I can’t tell you if the eating drinking thing is true but if it plan on having them in the same pen raising then together is a good idea because they will be friendlier to each other

 

[FrostRanger]

Only thing to be wary of (besides the obvious size difference) is chickens can be carriers of blackhead disease which is very dangerous in turkeys. No, that's not really a concern while they're in the brooder but it's something to keep in mind when they get older

 

[CombNWattles]

Also I believe if you raise them together the turkeys will think they’re chickens, and the chickens won’t be able to handle the turkey-to-‘turkey’ aggression later.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I heard that raising newly hatched turkey poults with a week-old baby chickens is a good idea as the baby chicken will show how to drink water and take food

I've raised chicks and poults together twice. Both times I timed the hatch so they hatched at the same time. It worked well. They all learned to eat and drink.

I've never tried raising chicks in the same brooder that were a week apart, let alone poults and chicks. You read several stories on here where it works out but you occasionally read a story where it doesn't. They are living animals, no one can tell you how it will work out.

Just because you have two turkey eggs doesn't mean you will get two poults. If you only get one having some chicks with it is a great idea.

In your situation I'd get some chicks as close to their age as I could. I would not worry if the chicks are a few days older or younger, just try to keep it close. I think your odds of success are really good.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I can’t tell you if the eating drinking thing is true but if it plan on having them in the same pen raising then together is a good idea because they will be friendlier to each other

Which is all fine and good until you have Tom's trying to breed your chickens