More Turkey Questions Babies arriving today!!!!

[chickensioux]

OK for those turkey experts out there...I am getting day old poults (15) today. I have Victor the BRmix and I want a girlfriend for him. The poults will be 5 BR, 5 Blue slate and 5 black spanish. I am only keeping 1 the rest are sold. I will not hatch any of the eggs. I just want Victor to have a mate.
Questions: As pets go, which breed will be best for friendliness?
They are in a 50'x50' fenced area so:Which breed will stay put best?
Should I clip her wings? (Victors are not)
Will she get broody and hurts hens?
I know some of this is unpredictable but I just thought with as much experience is out there, there may be some insight....
Thanks
P.S. Do some of the turkey farms frown on people keeping turkey for pets?

 

[farmerlor]

I think Steve at SandS says that the Bourbons are friendliest. I've just gotten my first Bourbon babies and they are the most curious and friendly turkeys I've had so far.
Thus far, I've only had Bronzes so I can't really answer the rest of your questions.

 

[sandspoultry]

Bourbons are very curious and friendly, Struttin 1 has Spanish so I'm sure he will jump in. Slates I don't really know about - we had them before but not for that long.

By hand raising them they should all be friendly. Ours can clear the fences but rarely do, once again it depends on the bird itself- some are more flighty and prone to jump fences, wander others not. We don't have any with clipped wings but you can if need be.

Steve

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

We have Black Spanish and Bourbon Reds and find them both equally curious.
The Blacks are always watching everything we do in there pens and will cock their heads at you if they don't quite understand why your doing it. lol

David

 

[the Old Rebel]

So are the babies here????

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

As pets go, which breed will be best for friendliness?

Bourbon reds always seem the friendliest out of the choices.

Blue Slates are just as friendly, we stop raising them as they don't breed true.

Black Spanish they I think are the most aggressive turkey. The toms that we have had seem to be more aggressive the all the others. We don't keep any of the aggressive ones for breeding. But every year seems they are the ones when growing up that pick all the fights in the yards.

They are in a 50'x50' fenced area so:Which breed will stay put best?

If they have what they need and are happy, they all should stay pretty well. But the hens will get out more then the toms will when older.

P.S. Do some of the turkey farms frown on people keeping turkey for pets?

Why would they frown on you keeping them as pets ??​

 

[MandyH]

I will chime in on the Blue Slates since that's all we have ever had. They are a VERY non aggressive and sweet bird. Our three year old is out with them on a daily basis. Ours have all been hatched here at the house and free range. We have a 4 acre pasture where they sleep in various trees and on the farm implements that are parked out there, but their wings are not clipped and they can come and go as they please. Several of my girls fly out and lay eggs in CRAZY places, but fly back in when they are through. If Victor is used to hanging around he will show her the ropes and she will stay with him.

 

[Struttn1]

Out of the three breeds I have right now the Royal Palms are the friendliest. I have a 10 month old hen that will run right into my open arms without hesitation. My Royal Palm jake is just now starting to strut up against our legs and is beginning to allow himself to be rubbed and petted. I just got rid of an older pair of Black Spanish who were not quite as friendly but would approach us. The 4 youngsters I have that were hatched by the BS hen last year will come near us but will not allow us to handle them. The Bourbon pair will both approach us but will not allow us to touch them.

I will have around 3 hatches due in April so we will add some hand raised poults to the flock. Ask me again this time next year and you may get a different answer.

 

[chickenannie]

I clipped wings last summer for my RBs, but it was a pain because I had to do it every 3 or 4 weeks. I thought it would be more like every 6 weeks. Took 2 people -- one to hold, one to clip. If you can avoid it do. But I will probably do it again this year.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

I clipped wings last summer for my RBs, but it was a pain because I had to do it every 3 or 4 weeks. I thought it would be more like every 6 weeks. Took 2 people -- one to hold, one to clip. If you can avoid it do. But I will probably do it again this year.

If you have to keep their wings clipped in order to remain in your property, then i would just pinion them, this is a permanent way of clipping their wings. You do it once when they are days old and never again. I do this to alot of customer's poults that live in the city and can not have them flying over the fences. It will make them be able to only fly like a chicken, not much at all.

Once you get use to it it is a one person job to clip the wings. I hold them by their feet upside down and then pull their wings out and they usually stay out and then I clip them and then go to the next. Once you got them upside down they go docile like a cat that you have by the back of the neck.​