Turkey Talk for 2014

[ladybead]

This is my experience completely. I have one turkey hen that goes into the chicken coop every night. I have 2 other turkey hens that go into the coop on colder windier nights. I have one turkey hen that never goes into the coop. None of the Toms go into the coop ever. I have never had a turkey pick on a chicken. I have had them "chase: a chicken away from food, but not in a mean fashion.

I had a coop for the turkeys and one for the chickens. They were about 100 yards apart. I originally had chickens in both coops, after camp day I moved the remaining chickens into one coop. The turkeys vacated the coop and moved to the coop the chickens were in. Keeping them apart is impossible they are one flock. My rooster would come running if I picked up a hen turkey and it squawked and has.

My older Tom will try to get between me and any hen, turkey or chicken, because he is either jealous and wants my attention. My alpha tom will also keep the jakes in line, like when they try to sneak up behind me. Jakes are poorly behaved, but it is not towards the chickens, it is toward each other.

The neck wrestling, chest bumping, snood and wattle grabbing get out of hand in my mind, but they never seriously hurt each other or any other bird. Unless you consider a few scabs or drops of blood serious.

They are too young to send to freezer camp, but I may be sending some soon just to stop the fighting and ensure the turkey hens are safe come egg laying time.


BTW from what I have read, having turkeys on the same farm as chickens runs the same risk of Backhead whether they are together or kept apart.



I should have mentioned I free range everything, except the guineas right now as they are serving a prison sentence, but will be released in June

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

 

[vpatt]

If I got baby turkeys how long would they need to stay inside or under a lamp....or do they need a lamp? And what is the disease they can get...black something....how common is that and how easily do the chickens get it. Maybe I should just stick to chickies.

 

[SilkieSensation]

 I had a pair of turkeys to start. They are like feathery friendly dogs, they follow you anywhere and everywhere. Make sure you can have roosters where you live, a Tom will make a rooster seem quiet.    If you do not want more turkeys I would just get a pair of hens.  I think one alone would be lonely, but it might just hangout with your chickens and think it is a chicken.

For me having turkeys and chickens together is no big deal. They hang out together 90% of the time.

Thanks...I may give it a try. I read that the male turkey may help with hawks. I don't expect them to fight...but maybe sound the alarm.

Between 2 toms & 3-5 roos to sound the alarm, I have never lost a bird in the daytime. My boys are very good at sounding the alarm & my girls are very good listeners.

If I got baby turkeys how long would they need to stay inside or under a lamp....or do they need a lamp? And what is the disease they can get...black something....how common is that and how easily do the chickens get it. Maybe I should just stick to chickies.

Your local agricultural extension office can tell you if blackhead is an issue in your area.
I always raise chicks with my poults (no blackhead in my area) to help teach the poults to eat & drink. They will copy the chicks. Definitely need heat, just like chicks. As for going outside, that depends on your local weather. They are pretty comparable to chicks with weather. I just put mine out at the same time as the chicks they brood with. The only real difference I have found with poults is that they need to be shown the food & water & they are kinda stupid compared to chicks until they are taught everything.

 

[AmericanMom]

If I got baby turkeys how long would they need to stay inside or under a lamp....or do they need a lamp? And what is the disease they can get...black something....how common is that and how easily do the chickens get it. Maybe I should just stick to chickies.

Last year I hatched out 12 Bourbon reds and raised them with a slew of chicks I hatched at the same time. I noticed the Turkeys are more fragile to the changing temps and need the heat lamp longer. I am hatching my BR chicks again as we speak and because where I live we don't actually have a summer until mid to late June or early July I expect to keep the heat lamp until then for sure or until they are 3-4 mo old.

BTW... Out of 12 we ended up with 3 that survived, one tom and two hens. It was frustrating to me to keep losing them but I feel we learned a lot and hopefully will be able to raise more this year.

 

[venussfreak]

Wow, all the pictures are very nice and Im learning a lot here. Thanks.

 

[vpatt]

Between 2 toms & 3-5 roos to sound the alarm, I have never lost a bird in the daytime. My boys are very good at sounding the alarm & my girls are very good listeners.
Your local agricultural extension office can tell you if blackhead is an issue in your area.
I always raise chicks with my poults (no blackhead in my area) to help teach the poults to eat & drink. They will copy the chicks. Definitely need heat, just like chicks. As for going outside, that depends on your local weather. They are pretty comparable to chicks with weather. I just put mine out at the same time as the chicks they brood with. The only real difference I have found with poults is that they need to be shown the food & water & they are kinda stupid compared to chicks until they are taught everything.

Thanks...I may check out the blackhead issue before deciding if I will try turkeys. I know some people nearby who have a couple of turkeys with their chickens, but I didn't ask any turkey questions as I was not thinking of getting any at the time. When I dig out of the snow I may ask them some questions. I actually got out for a while yesterday and then we got another inch or so last night and I think we may get more tonight. But spring will be here soon....wont it?

 

[SilkieSensation]

Between 2 toms & 3-5 roos to sound the alarm, I have never lost a bird in the daytime. My boys are very good at sounding the alarm & my girls are very good listeners.
Your local agricultural extension office can tell you if blackhead is an issue in your area.
I always raise chicks with my poults (no blackhead in my area) to help teach the poults to eat & drink. They will copy the chicks. Definitely need heat, just like chicks. As for going outside, that depends on your local weather. They are pretty comparable to chicks with weather. I just put mine out at the same time as the chicks they brood with. The only real difference I have found with poults is that they need to be shown the food & water & they are kinda stupid compared to chicks until they are taught everything.

Thanks...I may check out the blackhead issue before deciding if I will try turkeys. I know some people nearby who have a couple of turkeys with their chickens, but I didn't ask any turkey questions as I was not thinking of getting any at the time. When I dig out of the snow I may ask them some questions. I actually got out for a while yesterday and then we got another inch or so last night and I think we may get more tonight. But spring will be here soon....wont it?

I hope so. I just plopped 21 poults & 25 chicks into a brooder beside my bed. 2 of the poults are extreme loudmouths. Hope they quiet down once they settle in or I may not sleep again for weeks...lol

 

[grinningranny]

I'm loving all these posts here since I also have turkeys and chickens together. Our 4 Narragansett toms and 4 hens sleep in the barn with our goats, but in separate stalls, then mingle with the chickens, who sleep in their own house, during the day.
We have some pretty violent Turkey wars from time to time, and our toms look like they backed into a lawnmower,,then turned around and stuck their head in it. A couple are definitely going to have to go to that cool camp...Well, you know. We have 2 in "time out" right now.

Last year we had a beautiful Tom that just couldn't get the breeding thing right, so he ended up as Mr. Thanksgiving, we have hopes that at least one in this batch will get it right, and the girls will like him.

 

[duluthralphie]

When I first saw this I thought I had blackhead. BUT I had none of the other symptoms. That is when I found it travels from Jake to Jake, depending on which Jake is having his turn in the barrel. All the result of bad boy behavior and neck wrestling and snood pulling. It has actually gotten worse than this on some Jakes from time to time. It has never affected a turkey hen or chicken.

 

[chickadoodles]

I just had a go with it, it is more than likely fowlpox from misquitos. Even with me changing the water 3 times a week they are bad around here. It should go away by it's self in a few weeks. At least it's not wet pox!