Turkey questions

[MochaDuck]

Hi everyone. My sibling wants a turkey. We've never owned turkeys and have a few questions:
1. Can you keep them worth chickens?
2. Are they aggressive with humans or chickens?
3. Can they eat medicated chick feed?
4. Can they fly? (White breasted turkey breed)
5. I've heard that after however many years that they get so heavy that their legs can't support them and you have to kill them. Is that true?

Thanks all

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. Can you keep them worth chickens?

I kept Midget White turkeys with chickens without a problem. Some people will tell you that you can't but many people do. The issue can be that chickens are usually not killed by Blackhead, and they remain carriers for life if they ever get it. Blackhead is deadly to turkeys. If you chickens have Blackhead your turkeys will die. If your chickens do not have Blackhead no problems.

2. Are they aggressive with humans or chickens?

Just like chickens, some are and some are not.

3. Can they eat medicated chick feed?

Not sure about that.

4. Can they fly? (White breasted turkey breed)

My Midget white sure could. I've never raised a broadbrested breed so I can't say from experience. My guess would be that juveniles would be really good fliers but adults not really.

5. I've heard that after however many years that they get so heavy that their legs can't support them and you have to kill them. Is that true?

Again I have no experience with that.

 

[R2elk]

1. Can you keep them with chickens?

If Blackhead is not an issue where you live, you can but it is still not advisable. If Blackhead is present where you live, keeping turkeys with chickens can be a death sentence.

2. Are they aggressive with humans or chickens?

They can be, it mainly depends on how they were raised and fed. Turkeys that are imprinted by people lose the ability to understand that people are not turkeys. The same thing can happen regarding chickens if they are imprinted by chickens.

3. Can they eat medicated chick feed?

Chick feed does not have the proper amount of protein or essential nutrients that turkey poults need for proper growth and development. Turkey poults need a high quality turkey or gamebird starter for the first 6 weeks. This should be followed by a quality turkey grower for the next 6 weeks. After week 12 they will do fine on a quality 20% protein all flock feed.

4. Can they fly? (White breasted turkey breed)

Until they start getting heavy, Broad Breasted Whites can fly very well. Even after they get heavy, they can still jump much higher than you would expect them to be capable of.

5. I've heard that after however many years that they get so heavy that their legs can't support them and you have to kill them. Is that true?

Improper feed and lack of good exercise can quickly bring on health problems for Broad Breasted turkeys. Leg issues develop very early especially if not fed a proper turkey feed that has the higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin they need for proper growth and development. Over zealous use of low protein and high fat treats can compound the problems. It is not uncommon for overweight broad breasted turkeys to develop heart issues also.

Turkeys are a very social bird and do best in groups of their own kind. Unless raising one with the full intent of processing it for food, a turkey should not be raised without other turkeys.

If one wants turkeys for pets, get heritage turkeys and stick with a couple of hens.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

1. You can, but you NEED to be aware of blackhead disease turkeys *can* catch. Proper parasite control can prevent it. Stock load and personal pasture conditions including weather can vary widely and may impact this.

2. Some will kill chickens, others may protect them. Not sure about human aggression. Are you looking at keeping hens or toms or both?

3. No medicated chick feed will NOT work for young turkeys. They may survive but they won't be thriving. They should get a 30% protein turkey starter until a certain age. They NEED more amino acids and such then chicks. A 28% protein game bird starter would be an OK feed.

4. I would NEVER recommend someone keep breeds that are meant to be processed at a young age. My friends heritage breed turkeys can fly, they killed one of her hens AND one of her chihuahuas! Once she eliminated the aggressors, the remaining turkey hens actually protect her chickens.

5. Reference #4. Yes, it's true that fast growing breeds can face leg problems. While killing and culling may seem the same to some... culling is done with purpose. You may need to cull any bird due to serious injury. Maybe consider getting a midget white instead of the BBW?

While my nutritional info is accurate, my turkey experience is very limited. Please consider my suggestions a good starting place but hopefully you will get answers from someone who actually raised the breed you're look into.

@R2elk are you able to share any insight here? Thank you!

Quick link to another thread discussing turkeys and chick feed..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/can-turkeys-eat-chick-food.1299341/#post-21157246

ETA: I see ya beat me while I was posting!