Turkey Talk for 2014

[duluthralphie]

Thank you very much for your help. That is funny that they would drink vodka. I can't wait to get my chicks this weekend, we are not getting our turkeys for about 3 weeks.

I doubt he gave it to them straight. They probably liked it mixed with 7-up.

 

[ladybead]

I doubt he gave it to them straight. They probably liked it mixed with 7-up.

Haaaaa! that is funny!!!!!

 

[chickadoodles]

When raising turkey with chicken during mating season the turkey become very protective of their hens and that could lead to some chickens getting hurt. Also Turkey are jealous like a dog, when my turkey hen saw me petting a chicken hen the turkey chased her down and pecked at her some to run the chicken off. I did have a couple of my turkey in with my chickens more than once with out a problem. Then I did have a problem and had to split them up. My turkey hen grabbed a chicken hen and it got ugly she was trying to split her in half. This is over the food dish pecking order.
So they really should be kept separate as you never know when a problem will pop up.

 

[VikkiP]

I don't separate my chickens and turkeys...ever. The only issues come when an ambitious rooster tries to mount a turkey hen while she is eating or sleeping. When she jumps up the roo goes flying!

I've never had any chicken-turkey fights, and no fights over food at all. But I have a good amount of feeder space.

Juvenile toms get into it pretty good while positioning for alpha role, but even then it's generally not brutal...neck wrestling, snood grabbing, chest bumping is all they do. My birds don't exhibit any jealousy towards each other or humans. But any bird squawking a distress cry will bring alpha chicken hens and Roos running to try to get a peck in.

 

[dheltzel]

I have some Midget White poults that are 2 - 3 weeks old now. When I last tried to move them from paper to shavings, they started eating the shavings right away and I had to go back to paper, which is messy. Anyone have any ideas on how to keep them from doing this? Do they grow out of it, meaning I should try again?

 

[duluthralphie]

I don't separate my chickens and turkeys...ever. The only issues come when an ambitious rooster tries to mount a turkey hen while she is eating or sleeping. When she jumps up the roo goes flying!

I've never had any chicken-turkey fights, and no fights over food at all. But I have a good amount of feeder space.

Juvenile toms get into it pretty good while positioning for alpha role, but even then it's generally not brutal...neck wrestling, snood grabbing, chest bumping is all they do. My birds don't exhibit any jealousy towards each other or humans. But any bird squawking a distress cry will bring alpha chicken hens and Roos running to try to get a peck in.

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

 

[duluthralphie]

I have some Midget White poults that are 2 - 3 weeks old now. When I last tried to move them from paper to shavings, they started eating the shavings right away and I had to go back to paper, which is messy. Anyone have any ideas on how to keep them from doing this? Do they grow out of it, meaning I should try again?

Give them a smaller piece of paper with feed on it and grit. Once they are filled with grit the wood eating subsides. I learned last year I could not remove the whole paper at once.

 

[dheltzel]

Give them a smaller piece of paper with feed on it and grit. Once they are filled with grit the wood eating subsides. I learned last year I could not remove the whole paper at once.

That never occurred to me, thanks! The chicks never have a problem and just assumed they would be the same. Do adult turkeys crave grit more than chickens also, or is it just the poults? They go though oyster shell fast, I figured it was because their eggs are large and the shells thick.

 

[dheltzel]

Here is a pic of momma and daddy:


and the babies, who are convinced I'm their momma.

 

[chickadoodles]

I use sand that way you can clean it like a litter box. News paper will cause leg problems slipped tendons.