Pros and cons of keeping Turkeys vs Pheasants

[macgro7]

Hello everyone. I'm planning on getting either turkeys or pheasants.
I have one coop/aviary available that would suit either pheasants (as permanent housing) or turkeys (as overnight housing).
What are pros and cons of keeping them for BREEDING AND MEAT?
Turkey pros: beautiful, produce a lot of meat, delicious, lay more eggs which if not hatched by us can be sold.
Cons: large and therefore eat a lot, can fly and sometimes prefer sleeping on top of the fence or in trees instead of their house (that's what my last turkeys did) which is not safe for them as foxes can get them at night.

Pheasant pros: beautiful, delicious, small so eat little and cost little to maintain.
Cons: can and will fly away if given the opportunity so can't free range.


What else would you say?

 

[memphis]

I think most of us here on the turkey thread would vote for turkeys! One thing your not taking into consideration. ..turkeys make great pets!

 

[macgro7]

I think most of us here on the turkey thread would vote for turkeys! One thing your not taking into consideration. ..turkeys make great pets!

Yes. I used to have a stag who followed me around but I sold him as the eggs he was supposed to be father of never hatched..

 

[BlessedCountry6]

A pro for turkeys is what they eat. My chickens will eat very few things free ranging compared to my turkeys. If allowed to free range they go after full grown weeds and the seeds. They went for all sorts of things hanging around my garden fence my chickens never ate. Their crops r full and huge at the end of the day even on nights the chickens need more feed. . I've even seen then downing acorns once they are soft enough.
We put up high perches in our coop that only they can reach. Now they all come in to the coop at night.

 

[Lozuufy]

A pro for turkeys is what they eat. My chickens will eat very few things free ranging compared to my turkeys. If allowed to free range they go after full grown weeds and the seeds. They went for all sorts of things hanging around my garden fence my chickens never ate. Their crops r full and huge at the end of the day even on nights the chickens need more feed. . I've even seen then downing acorns once they are soft enough.
We put up high perches in our coop that only they can reach. Now they all come in to the coop at night.

I agree with this, my turkeys free range and most of the food they eat is what they find for themselves.

 

[macgro7]

I agree with this, my turkeys free range and most of the food they eat is what they find for themselves.

My birds can only use about 1/3 of an acre paddock, probably no more than 1/2 an acre.

 

[Lozuufy]

OK, then I guess that wouldn't help much with the feed costs lol.

 

[BlessedCountry6]

My birds can only use about 1/3 of an acre paddock, probably no more than 1/2 an acre.

We are on 2.5 acres. We have other animals on it too and they find plenty to eat. How many turkeys are you thinking of getting?

 

[macgro7]

We are on 2.5 acres. We have other animals on it too and they find plenty to eat. How many turkeys are you thinking of getting?

I just want to keep one pair or trio for breeding and raise some young ones in summer. I also have ducks chickens and geese. Geese have over grazed the paddock because they eat a lot of grass...

 

[BlessedCountry6]

I just want to keep one pair or trio for breeding and raise some young ones in summer. I also have ducks chickens and geese. Geese have over grazed the paddock because they eat a lot of grass...

My chickens and cows have over grazed part of our field, especially because we live in a very wet area so once the grass is done it's turned to mud and has to dry out before more grass grows. So we have a half acre of mud right now. I have let them move to the front yard though till I plant my garden next summer and it gives the cows more to eat.

My ducks have tons of grubs and slugs they dig out. I am sure they aren't helping with the mud but the chickens seem to eat mostly grass.

This year I was way behind on weeding. My turkeys are the only ones who would eat the weeds and seeds. They ate leaves off of all my plants they could reach, some grass and since the high winds have knocked down the acorns they have cleaned those up. They ate all the green beans and squash they could reach and gobbled down berries my chickens never touched. We had a huge garden this year so I didn't mind them eating what they could reach. All summer I watched them eat things my other animals wouldn't touch till the turkeys showed them. I would think you have enough room from what I've seen of mine.

We are planning to do the same with our trio. My turkeys are so fun to watch. Everyday I watch them and chuckle. Scientists say birds are the descendants of dinosaurs and I see it in my turkeys.