- May 17, 2014
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i have heard to never raise poults with chicks but I know several people that say it's not true and they raise them together. I don't want to raise poults and get attached and then they die, what should I listen to
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i have heard to never raise poults with chicks but I know several people that say it's not true and they raise them together. I don't want to raise poults and get attached and then they die, what should I listen to
This really depends on your local conditions. The main problem is the disease Blackhead. Chickens have a stronger immunity to it than do turkeys.
If blackhead is prevalent where you live then you definitely need to keep the turkeys away from the chickens and any area that the chickens have been kept in. You can find out whether or not blackhead is a problem where you live by contacting your local county agriculture extension office.
If blackhead is not a problem where you live then you can keep chickens and turkeys together. There can be other issues such as you don't want a tom turkey trying to mate with a chicken hen. That usually ends badly for the chicken (squashed).
I have been keeping chickens and turkeys together for well over 20 years with very few problems. Blackhead is not an issue where I live. The few problems that I have had don't have anything to do with disease but simply behavioral issues between chickens and turkeys with most problems being initiated by a rooster and settled by the turkeys.