quick question

[GJ_Kate]

I've had chickens for 5 years and turkeys for 1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my tom! His name is King Henry VIII. Up until a week ago, we had a really mean rooster (Ivan the terrible, my son named them!) Well that darn rooster would attack me every chance he got. Henry started protecting me!!!!! He would keep the rooster on the other side of the run while I fed all the ladies scraps and hauled the waterers. He's the best!!! He struts for me and my hubby if he even THINKS we are headed their way!
My son will be hopefully raising one of the poults from him and his two hens this spring/summer for 4-H.
BTW we have Bourbon Reds and that's Henry in my avatar!

Get one.... or two, three, four

 

[outdoor junkie]

Thank you all for the great info. You guys have some beautiful birds. The thing is I have about 3/4 of an acre fenced in, and now have four chickens. Really just wanted a Tom because I find them fascinating, and didn't think I had room for a couple hens too. How apt are they to go over the fence and disappear?

 

[luckyclucker]

I just adopted 3 hens and 2 toms (from 3 different sources). They are all older, but the toms are just as friendly (friendlier) as if I had raised them by hand. If I am petting one of the toms the other will come over and peck him on the head and shove himself between us. I've only had one of the toms for about a week and he already follows me around constantly. My only recommendation would be to get a tom who is a heritage turkey, as my bronze tom is absolutely huge and already has some leg and joint issues. I think the heritage turkeys sustain fewer issues as they are much lighter.

 

[jdopler]

I only have a half acre, with 30 chickens and a turkey trio. It seems to be plenty of room. My girls are royal palm/bourbon red cross but my tom is enormous and I think probably a commercial breed. The girls will leave my yard (6ft wooden fence) to forage other areas and return home later.
I absolutely recommend turkeys, whether you get just a tom or add a couple hens..
BTW my girls are co-nesting currently and brooding what I guess to be about 12 eggs (on the outside of my fence) hidden by tumbleweeds.

 

[Costa Rica Art]

I have 6 turkeys that are a couple of months old, they are a riot. They share the backyard with our 7 chickens. These turkeys do some silly things all the time. They run around like kids, one runs then the rest follow. My backyard is much smaller than your 3/4 acer. We have several Queen of the Night trees growing which they love the leaves of. They try to fly, which they can't as we have clipped the flight feathers of one wing, up into the bush for more leaves. It is funny to watch. We feed the turkeys and chickens a head of lettuce everyday which we chop into small pieces as there are 6 little silkie chicks plus mom and dad who like the lettuce too. Talk about gone in 60 seconds, if I walk from the house out maybe 40' tossing the lettuce as I go it will be mostly gone by the time I walk back to the house. Get yourself whatever you want, trim the flight feathers on one wing and they/it will not fly over your fence. As they get older the toms don't even try to fly, hens may so keep one wing trimmed and enjoy their antics. Turkeys eggs are good eats or you can sell them or you can let the hens hatch them and either raise them for the table or sell them or if heritage you can let them go to become good ol' boys of the neighborhood (if it is OK in your area). Our turkeys share the chicken coop at night and roost right with the chickens. It is fun just to turn then out in the morning, surprising the little silkie chicks are among the first out of the coop, the turkeys squirt out in a 6 shot stream. Yep, we enjoy our flock.

 

[pampered_poultry]

A tom without a hen........ not that is just cruel and unusual punishment.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
You have plenty of room for a hen or 10! If you raise it from a poult then it won't go anywhere but will fly the fence. If you get an adult, you will need to pen it up for at least 2 weeks before you let it free range so it can learn its new home. They do roam a bit but come back home.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have a 1 tom and 4 hens and my tom is great. He is my favorite animal on the farm here. He is very tame. Has never flown over the fence to get away. He is the BEST animal that I have. I took him to the vet this weekend and I was VERY surprised that when I let him go for the vet to give him a physical exam, he didn't move an inch. He stood tall and proud the entire time. I hope that he stays around for years. If you're thinking about getting a Tom, DO IT!!!! You will love it.