New to turkeys

[chicksandchores]

Okay folks! I’m going to be buying four sweetgrass/Narragansett mix poults on Monday morning. I have chickens and a single duckling, with some scovies due to hatch out next week. My entire flock free ranges! I was just curious as to what all of you had to say about this mix of breeds, and any tips or tricks to raising them successfully WITHOUT losing any to blackhead (and how to find out if blackhead is in my area). I don’t have any cages that are up off the ground, my brooder cage has had chicks in it recently, and I know there’s a lot of cleaning I have to do before getting my poults which will be taken care of tomorrow. Any and all tips are welcome!!

 

[Kabootar]

Get a bunch of baby chicks to teach poults survival tips. They will also learn to live with chickens. Poults who grow up seperately from chickens are known to kill chickens.
Feed them gamebird starter, they need high protein feed. You can feed that to baby chicks too it will not harm them. Remember turkey poults are fragile, but once they grow up they grow tough. Heritage turkey breeds are flighty, always clip there wings.
I never had to deal with blackheads with my mixed flock. Hopefully someone with more experience will help you out on that.

 

[R2elk]

Okay folks! I’m going to be buying four sweetgrass/Narragansett mix poults on Monday morning. I have chickens and a single duckling, with some scovies due to hatch out next week. My entire flock free ranges! I was just curious as to what all of you had to say about this mix of breeds, and any tips or tricks to raising them successfully WITHOUT losing any to blackhead (and how to find out if blackhead is in my area). I don’t have any cages that are up off the ground, my brooder cage has had chicks in it recently, and I know there’s a lot of cleaning I have to do before getting my poults which will be taken care of tomorrow. Any and all tips are welcome!!

Depending on which was the father in the cross of these turkey varieties (they are both the same breed - Turkey) there are two possibilities. If the Sweetgrass was the tom, the poults are Bronze Semi-Color Semi-Gray. If the Narragansett was the tom, the female poults will be Narragansett Semi-Color Semi-Gray and the male poults will be Bronze Semi-Color Semi-Gray.

Ask around to find out whether or not blackhead is a problem in your area. Ask the county agricultural extension agent. Ask at local feed stores (chain feed stores are not likely to be helpful). If all else fails contact your state veterinarian.

Read the threads in the Turkeys - Sticky Topics Index.

Many add a chick in with their poults to get them started eating and drinking. I don't find it necessary with my poults. Poults will naturally pick at things on the ground. I sprinkle 28% protein turkey or gamebird starter on the bedding (I use sand) and the poults find it fast enough. It may take them a few days to realize that food in a feeder is also food.

Read Porter's Poult Starting Tips

I do not recommend raising poults with chickens. Turkeys are very easy to imprint. Turkeys that are imprinted by chickens grow up not being able to understand that chickens aren't turkeys. It usually ends up bad for the chickens once the turkeys are bigger than the chickens. Turkeys can become very single minded when they decide to do something. They can keep after the chickens long after the matter should have ended. If you keep the chickens and turkeys together it is best to have lots of obstacles and hiding places the chickens can use to escape a determined turkey.