Joined the Turkey world!

[RoosterML]

After having chickens for about a year and a half and really enjoying it I decided to add some turkeys.
I picked up 8 Royal Palms and 1 is 1/2RP 1/2 Narragansett for a total of 9 poults. They are roughly a week old. I was thinking of keeping a few and having the rest for Thanksgiving but I don’t think they will be ready until Thanksgiving 2020 from the reading I’ve done.
So if someone in and around CT wants a Couple RP I would be happy to trade poults just to mix the blood line. Let the Turkey madness begin.

 

[R2elk]

After having chickens for about a year and a half and really enjoying it I decided to add some turkeys.
I picked up 8 Royal Palms and 1 is 1/2RP 1/2 Narragansett for a total of 9 poults. They are roughly a week old. I was thinking of keeping a few and having the rest for Thanksgiving but I don’t think they will be ready until Thanksgiving 2020 from the reading I’ve done.
So if someone in and around CT wants a Couple RP I would be happy to trade poults just to mix the blood line. Let the Turkey madness begin.
View attachment 1839269

A cross between a Narragansett and a Royal Palm is a Narragansett Semi-Color Semi-Gray.

 

[RoosterML]

A cross between a Narragansett and a Royal Palm is a Narragansett Semi-Color Semi-Gray.

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying that the grey one is not 1/2 & 1/2?

 

[R2elk]

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying that the grey one is not 1/2 & 1/2?

When you cross a Narragansett with a Royal Palm the offspring is a Narragansett Semi-Color Semi-Gray. They get the Semi-Color from the C color gene they got from the Narragansett and the Semi-Gray from the cg color gene they got from the Royal Palm. It is still called Narragansett because it got the Narragansett (n) from both parents.

The color genes for the Narragansett Semi-Color Semi-Gray are bb1 Ccg dd EE nn (or n- for females) RR SlSl SpSp PnPn.

 

[RoosterML]

What would you say the grey poult is?

Edit: Sorry looked back over your post and you gave the name for it in post #2.

 

[RoosterML]

I am welcome to any tips you all may have on raising turkeys.
I have them on my homemade heat plate using heat pads which they seem to really enjoy. I plan on having them in the same coop as my chickens. I have a question about nesting boxes. What do turkeys like to lay in? I do have a nest box within 12” of the floor for larger breed chickens. It’s 16”x16”.

 

[R2elk]

I am welcome to any tips you all may have on raising turkeys.
I have them on my homemade heat plate using heat pads which they seem to really enjoy. I plan on having them in the same coop as my chickens. I have a question about nesting boxes. What do turkeys like to lay in? I do have a nest box within 12” of the floor for larger breed chickens. It’s 16”x16”.

Turkeys are normally ground layers. One of the simplest nest areas can be made by leaning a pallet or wide board against a wall.

Turkey hens have been known to try to squeeze themselves into regular chicken nest boxes. The result is normally smashed eggs.

Turkeys need much more individual space than chickens. Crowding them into the same space that is suitable for chickens can end up being harmful to the chickens. I recommend a minimum of 10 sq. ft. per adult turkey. This is clear space that is not occupied by feeders, waterers, storage, hiding places or other poultry that may be occupying the same coop. Run space is also necessary. My turkeys have approximately 500 to 600 sq. ft. of run space per adult bird plus they get to free range on a 2 acre area all day.

While my turkeys share the coop with the chickens during the daytime, they do not roost in the chicken coop. Mine have their own roosts outside that are protected from the prevailing winds.

What would you say the grey poult is?

The name of the variety is a descriptive name (Narragansett Semi-Color Semi-Gray) because no one has given it a name. No one is likely to give this variety a name because of the two color gene pairs that are heterozygous, they will never breed true.

 

[RoosterML]

When do you let poults out with your chickens? My biggest worry is the feed difference. I fenced them off an area around the coop I have them housed in and boy are they liking the grass and flapping of their wings.

 

[R2elk]

When do you let poults out with your chickens? My biggest worry is the feed difference. I fenced them off an area around the coop I have them housed in and boy are they liking the grass and flapping of their wings.

My chickens and turkeys all get the same feed once they are in the general population. I feed a 20% protein all flock pellets with oyster shell free choice. I have had some of my poults in the general population since they were 4 weeks old. I would have preferred that they were older but I was out of space and needed their pen for the next group.

 

[RoosterML]

They are roughly 3-4 weeks old. I’m sure I could look on the bag but how long should the poults get the higher protein feed(28%).
Is it 6-8 weeks? I also have an all Flock 20%.