Was wondering? Would like to get a pair of turkeys just for the fun of it. Have read turkeys can get sick from chickens. Is this true?? Not to raise turkeys, but just to have a couple. Wouldn't they be okay from a reputable hatchery, vaccinated?? Or is this just a bad idea all together??
we have all of fokes say not to mix fowl but we have all ours together and have had very few problems. The one thing I would caution is with our gobbler we have to try to feed him seprate from our chickens. He does not like to share his food and will litterly toss hens off to the side if they try to take his food.
I raised two tom turkeys with my RIR hens. The only problem was that the toms tried to mate with my much smaller hens. I sold my hens do to health problems and then 1 month before Thanksgiving my wife and kids tell me they can't eat the turkeys. I got rid of the Turkeys because of health reasons and bought a fresh dressed tom turkey. They had no health issues that I ever saw and I had them checked before I sold them. I know several other people that have small flocks and they have had no problems either. They do say that turkeys can get blackhead from chickens. I guess you might take a chance if you did it. Other people in Eastern NC do it all the time. Like I say these are very small flocks. Most of these flocks are under 25 or 30 birds. I know one old timer that has most everything such as Turkeys, chickens, ducks and geese. He even has a couple of small goats in the fenced in area. It looks like a petting zoo there. I hope this helps. By the way. I am doing better and plan on more chickens and Turkeys but, my kids fixed up a place for our PET Turkeys. It is on the other side of the 3 acre plot we have. I am trying to raise some Black Copper Marans and do not want totake any chance with that type of poultry. Good Luck, Dave in NC
I had a pair for years when I was a kid that were raised with all the other barnyard animals including the chickens. They eventually died of old age. Check with your county extension service and see if blackhead is an issue in your area. If not, I'd say go for it.
I've heard of people having problems with it and the turkeys dying because of it but I raise 2 turkeys this year alongside my chickens without any problems.