Lone Black Spanish Hen

[LJoWilly]

I have a solo turkey hen who hangs out with 2 of my chickens. I'd like to get a couple more baby turkeys to raise and introduce to her. Anyone have any advice in how this process should work? Is it similar to introducing new chickens to an established flock? Easier/harder?

Thanks!

 

[R2elk]

I have a solo turkey hen who hangs out with 2 of my chickens. I'd like to get a couple more baby turkeys to raise and introduce to her. Anyone have any advice in how this process should work? Is it similar to introducing new chickens to an established flock? Easier/harder?

Thanks!

My recommendation is to check around locally to see if you can find any young hens available.

Starting with poults means not knowing what their sex will be until later. While chicken feed can be fine for adult turkeys, it is not appropriate for poults who need a high protein turkey or game bird starter feed.

Brooding poults with chicks can also cause imprinting which can cause problems later. The imprinting causes them to not be able to understand that chickens are not turkeys. This can be a problem when the turkeys are much bigger than the chickens and treat them the same as if they were turkeys.

 

[LJoWilly]

My recommendation is to check around locally to see if you can find any young hens available.

Starting with poults means not knowing what their sex will be until later. While chicken feed can be fine for adult turkeys, it is not appropriate for poults who need a high protein turkey or game bird starter feed.

Brooding poults with chicks can also cause imprinting which can cause problems later. The imprinting causes them to not be able to understand that chickens are not turkeys. This can be a problem when the turkeys are much bigger than the chickens and treat them the same as if they were turkeys.

Thank you. Would I introduce the young poults over a period of time? Use a "look don't touch method?"

 

[R2elk]

Thank you. Would I introduce the young poults over a period of time? Use a "look don't touch method?"

It is always best to go the quarantine route when bringing in new poultry.

New poults should be disease free already. Introducing poults to a hen can be very easy or very difficult depending on the hen.

What I do is to have poults in my grow out pen. Mine are two weeks old when I move them from the brooder to the grow out pen.

I then let a hen in with the poults. If the hen starts cooing at them and gathers them to her, I leave them together. If the hen starts pecking at them, I immediately remove her.

Some hens are really good about adopting poults, some are really bad.

Do not use the method used by some people who stick chicks under a broody hen at night. If you do that with a turkey, you are likely to find dead poults in the morning.

 

[LJoWilly]

It is always best to go the quarantine route when bringing in new poultry.

New poults should be disease free already. Introducing poults to a hen can be very easy or very difficult depending on the hen.

What I do is to have poults in my grow out pen. Mine are two weeks old when I move them from the brooder to the grow out pen.

I then let a hen in with the poults. If the hen starts cooing at them and gathers them to her, I leave them together. If the hen starts pecking at them, I immediately remove her.

Some hens are really good about adopting poults, some are really bad.

Do not use the method used by some people who stick chicks under a broody hen at night. If you do that with a turkey, you are likely to find dead poults in the morning.

Thank you for the much needed advice!!