Hello,
I've been raising chickens for about 5 years now and I've also had pheasants for about 3. I've recently purchased a handful of black Spanish turkeys cackle hatchery and I was curious as to their personality. I read a decent amount that they were friendly but I was wondering if anyone had some personal experience and not just general internet information. Also, I've heard about black head and was curious about how to prevent it or whatever you have to do.
I've been raising chickens for about 5 years now and I've also had pheasants for about 3. I've recently purchased a handful of black Spanish turkeys cackle hatchery and I was curious as to their personality. I read a decent amount that they were friendly but I was wondering if anyone had some personal experience and not just general internet information. Also, I've heard about black head and was curious about how to prevent it or whatever you have to do.
Turkey imprinting is pretty much the same, regardless of variety. If you get them within the first few days after hatch, have them in brooder where they can see you, hand feed them meal worms/crickets and carry them around in a shirt pocket now and again, they'll be `humanized' and you'll be the turkey hen. Make sure to have bedding that they can get around on without slipping and don't let them get chilled. Sometimes they'll have a bit of difficulty, at first, identifying food and water. A few helpful dips of the beaks into water and tossing a few meal worms on the crumbles will get them started (some folks place a chick in with the poults to do the same). The Royal & Slate are from Cackle breeders. The pair threw the black, mottled girl a few years ago. Have yet to run into an `antisocial' turkey. 
