Turkey questions

[chicksducks1]

I'm thinking about adding maybe some new birds into my flock, I was thinking about maybe some turkeys. However my questions are what do you guys uses your for? Pets, eggs meat etc. Also, do you keep your turkeys in with other bird types like chickens or ducks? What's everyone's experience with rasing them? I have done a little research but I'd like other people's opinions since they aren't as popular as other birds. Thanks!

 

[redsoxs]

I raise mine strictly for meat. I find them fun and interesting but harder to manage than chickens. They don't coop as readily is the primary reason. Here's a link to some articles you might find helpful: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-turkeys-what-do-i-need-to-know#post_11309891
And here's about keeping different poultry types in the same coop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-keep-different-poultry-types-living-together-in-one-coop
Hope you pick up some valuable information. Best wishes!

 

[Gorman Farm]

I love my turkeys, they are housed separately from the chickens. We tried putting some together but found the turkeys pick on the chickens.
At first I found it hard to get them in the coop in the evening, I solved that prob by giving them only a small ration for breakfast, then about 3 or 4pm I go out and fill the feeders in the coop and they got used to eating their main meal in the late afternoon. So now when they see me entering the coop they all come in and I close it up for the day.

 

[memphis]

My turkeys are pets. And I love eating their eggs. They are fun, smart & engaging. I've had no problems with them free ranging with my chickens. They do not coop together. Turkeys require more space and a more open coop . Their coop is covered with just three sides. I know some folks have had issues with turkeys picking on chickens but I havent had that issue. If I don't put my turkeys "to bed", they will try roosting on my back porch railing. My chickens will go to their coop by themselves, my turkeys don't. I don't have problems getting them into their coop at night, they will follow me to it, but unlike my chickens, my turkeys seem to require a turn down service.

 

[Gorman Farm]

My turkeys are pets. And I love eating their eggs. They are fun, smart & engaging. I've had no problems with them free ranging with my chickens. They do not coop together. Turkeys require more space and a more open coop . Their coop is covered with just three sides. I know some folks have had issues with turkeys picking on chickens but I havent had that issue. If I don't put my turkeys "to bed", they will try roosting on my back porch railing. My chickens will go to their coop by themselves, my turkeys don't. I don't have problems getting them into their coop at night, they will follow me to it, but unlike my chickens, my turkeys seem to require a turn down service.

Turn down service that is cute !!
My run is attached to the coop. I can't free range too many predators around here.
I supplement them with acorns from my oaks (we have a lot of them) and I throw kale and/or grass clippings in the run daily. They also love it when my guava tree fruits, I give them all the bruised fruit I am not going to use.

 

[biodegraded]

I keep thinking of trying domesticated turkeys but keep balking at the point of having to teach and remind new hatches to drink and eat. For now I just enjoy the wild ones that wander by. My pasture a few weeks ago.

 

[shortgrass]

We get BBBs for meat, but we decided to try a pair of Royal Palms last spring. They are my favorite birds, hands down. Weewee, the hen, has become my lap pet. She will follow me everywhere and insists on sitting on my lap and has actually become quite the nuisance


My daughter loves the eggs but I find them a bit too...rubbery? I'm just used to chicken eggs, I suppose. But we are saving the eggs to see if Weewee will brood or not, so no eating them right now.


I keep them apart from the chickens, but a few hens get out every once in a while and there have been no scuffles, but Tom enjoys strutting the fence line showing off to them. They get along just fine with the ducks, as long as their feed pans are separated. They are also very easy to "herd" to bed. If I don't get them herded to their coop by dark, they'll roost in the tress instead though, so I do have to herd them in every night.

They're a blast IMO, cool to have for pets and delicious meat if not

 

[Gorman Farm]

I keep thinking of trying domesticated turkeys but keep balking at the point of having to teach and remind new hatches to drink and eat. For now I just enjoy the wild ones that wander by. My pasture a few weeks ago.

It's not that bad, I throw a chicken chick in there to show em for a couple days they are fine. The worst thing is that they are so sensitive at first. After the 2 week mark though they are pretty good.

 

[R2elk]

We get BBBs for meat, but we decided to try a pair of Royal Palms last spring. They are my favorite birds, hands down. Weewee, the hen, has become my lap pet. She will follow me everywhere and insists on sitting on my lap and has actually become quite the nuisance

My daughter loves the eggs but I find them a bit too...rubbery? I'm just used to chicken eggs, I suppose. But we are saving the eggs to see if Weewee will brood or not, so no eating them right now.


I keep them apart from the chickens, but a few hens get out every once in a while and there have been no scuffles, but Tom enjoys strutting the fence line showing off to them. They get along just fine with the ducks, as long as their feed pans are separated. They are also very easy to "herd" to bed. If I don't get them herded to their coop by dark, they'll roost in the tress instead though, so I do have to herd them in every night.

They're a blast IMO, cool to have for pets and delicious meat if not

If you are finding the whites "rubbery", it is because you are over cooking them. Scramble them and the problem disappears. Better yet, use them for baking or making custards.

 

[R2elk]

I keep thinking of trying domesticated turkeys but keep balking at the point of having to teach and remind new hatches to drink and eat. For now I just enjoy the wild ones that wander by. My pasture a few weeks ago.

I don't have any problems getting the poults to eat and drink. But I am not brooding just a couple of poults. The more there are , the better they do. I use sand for bedding and sprinkle food directly on the sand along with a full feeder.

When I introduce the poults to the brooder each poult gets its beak dipped in the water. That is the extent of my participation in getting them to eat and drink.