Maine

[gracejr]

Oh no!! I'm so sorry Widget. If you do decide you want to get him companions, the ARL in Westbrook sometimes gets them in for adoption.

 

[gracejr]

Have any of you ever raised turkeys with your chickens? I'm wondering about perhaps raising 2 or 3 next year for meat, of course, but don't really have the space, time, or money to build a second shelter and pen to keep them apart. Could they be raised with the chickens successfully? For that matter, how long does it take for turkeys to mature enough to be butchered? As of right now, I know zilch about turkeys. Except that they make great post-Thanksgiving sandwiches.

 

[hoppy]

oh widget, so sorry to hear about your birds.
gracejr, i raise turkeys with my chickens. I've done it several ways. one way is a chicken tractor but this yr I only had the one turkey that i keeping for t-day so he lived with a silkie and they grew up together (unfortunately the turkey slept on him one night and that was the end of him). I also have had them in the same run together but they grow up together and get along for the most part. once the toms get of age, then I start having issues with the roos but it's also almost t-day by then so we just deal with it until the turkeys leave.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Have any of you ever raised turkeys with your chickens? I'm wondering about perhaps raising 2 or 3 next year for meat, of course, but don't really have the space, time, or money to build a second shelter and pen to keep them apart. Could they be raised with the chickens successfully? For that matter, how long does it take for turkeys to mature enough to be butchered? As of right now, I know zilch about turkeys. Except that they make great post-Thanksgiving sandwiches.

Yes, they're fine with chickens, in fact they may convey some mareks protection to the chickens. Some say the chickens can transmit a disease called blackhead to the turkeys, but I haven't heard of that happening around here. The turkey pictured above is 4 months old. They're huge at 8 or 9 months. I'm sure I could butcher this bird (female) and have a good meal, because I eat chickens and you can see how small the chicken is in comparison to this bird (although the chicken is a small pullet).

Turkeys are just about as easy to raise as chicks, although they are more stupid and less hardy. It is best if you raise them with chicks because the chicks end up "tutoring" the turkeys on how to eat and drink, etc. I believe there will be a cinco de mayo turkey hatch again this year (I joined last year, hence the turkey above) which is full of helpful information (and some not so helpful but fun socialization) on how to hatch them and raise them.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Anyone have SLW hatching eggs for sale?

 

[Widget]

Have any of you ever raised turkeys with your chickens? I'm wondering about perhaps raising 2 or 3 next year for meat, of course, but don't really have the space, time, or money to build a second shelter and pen to keep them apart. Could they be raised with the chickens successfully? For that matter, how long does it take for turkeys to mature enough to be butchered? As of right now, I know zilch about turkeys. Except that they make great post-Thanksgiving sandwiches.

Right now I have one turkey (a Midget White) in with the chickens and ducks. Everyone gets along fine. As for how long it takes to mature it depends on the breed. The heritage breeds, Bourbon Reds and Royal Palms for example, take a few weeks longer than say the Broad Breasted Whites. But the heritage breeds can breed naturally which is a plus if you want to breed your own and they can survive for years. The Broad-Breasted ones are bred to get to the table as fast as possible so like fast growing meat chickens these turkeys can have many health issues and don't do well long term. The Midget Whites are a smaller breed of turkey that grow slowly and stay a nice small size for those of us who don't need a 30 pound bird to feed the family at Thanksgiving.

 

[gracejr]

I'd be looking at heritage breeds, most likely. Though I'd probably be getting chicks each year to raise, since I'm assuming a tom and roosters can't co-habitate. Where do you usually get turkey chicks anyway? Do you find turkeys make good predator protection at all?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Do you find turkeys make good predator protection at all?

Not here, they're too stupid to help with anything. You can buy eggs for hatching on here or at a swap, and some people have poults at swaps.

 

[Widget]

I'd be looking at heritage breeds, most likely. Though I'd probably be getting chicks each year to raise, since I'm assuming a tom and roosters can't co-habitate. Where do you usually get turkey chicks anyway? Do you find turkeys make good predator protection at all?

Only if by protection you mean they are the first to get taken. Then yes they do a great job.

You can usually order the poults from the feed stores. Heritage breeds from the locals. The non heritage from Tractor Supply. Or you can order from the hatcheries. But if you go that route the minimum is 10-15. Cackle will allow you to order fewer and make up the difference with chicks. That's what I did last year so I was able to get only six poults. Next year I will order from the feed store so I don't have to make the minimum. Although I do want more Midget Whites which are hard to come by.

 

[buckabucka]

I'd be looking at heritage breeds, most likely. Though I'd probably be getting chicks each year to raise, since I'm assuming a tom and roosters can't co-habitate. Where do you usually get turkey chicks anyway? Do you find turkeys make good predator protection at all?

Only if by protection you mean they are the first to get taken. Then yes they do a great job.

You can usually order the poults from the feed stores. Heritage breeds from the locals. The non heritage from Tractor Supply. Or you can order from the hatcheries. But if you go that route the minimum is 10-15. Cackle will allow you to order fewer and make up the difference with chicks. That's what I did last year so I was able to get only six poults. Next year I will order from the feed store so I don't have to make the minimum. Although I do want more Midget Whites which are hard to come by.

Where did you get the Midget Whites? They sound interesting (although I admit I should not be thinking of getting anything else here).

My off-topic story for today: My art room is right next to the boy's bathroom in the second grade wing, and I can hear everything they say in there. The most common phrase, heard several times a day, is, "Watch this!".