Turkey Behavior vs Chicken Behavior

[BirdieBuddie]

I am going to be setting up a bird powered composting system soon and I've always heard that turkeys scratch and feed very similarly to chickens. Do you think Turkeys could take the place of chickens in a bird powered compost system? For those of you who aren't familiar with such a system, its when you put your compost pile in the chicken run and use the chickens natural urge to scratch and forage to turn your compost for you. Whilst turning the pile the chickens also get extra food by feeding off of the insects, seeds, fruits, veggies, and fungus in the pile.

Those of you with both turkey and chicken experience, do you think that turkeys could serve the same purpose? Scratching and turning a pile of food scraps for long periods of time? Thanks in advance.

 

[R2elk]

I am going to be setting up a bird powered composting system soon and I've always heard that turkeys scratch and feed very similarly to chickens. Do you think Turkeys could take the place of chickens in a bird powered compost system? For those of you who aren't familiar with such a system, its when you put your compost pile in the chicken run and use the chickens natural urge to scratch and forage to turn your compost for you. Whilst turning the pile the chickens also get extra food by feeding off of the insects, seeds, fruits, veggies, and fungus in the pile.

Those of you with both turkey and chicken experience, do you think that turkeys could serve the same purpose? Scratching and turning a pile of food scraps for long periods of time? Thanks in advance.

The turkeys will not dig up the pile like chickens do.

 

[sarcasm]

The turkeys will not dig up the pile like chickens do.

This, exactly. I have to let the chickens into the turkey coop or turn the bedding over manually, the turkeys only very occasionally scrape at the surface.