Turkey vs. CHickens

[debir1966]

Why can't you have wild turkeys around? We raised 5 BBW this year to process and 1 slate from egg - we are keeping the slate hen and have 1 BBW hen left to process when we do the last batch of meat chickens in a few weeks.

I am going to order 15 heritage turkeys so we can raise our own, we will keep 5-6 of as breeders/pets and processing the rest.

We have dozens of wild turkeys in our area. They live right around our property - I have seen them all group up a few times and I bet we have between 75-100 alltogether. They even come down to our yard to steal apples from the crab apple tree we leave the apples on for our poultry and for the wild birds.

Our slate hen even ran one of the big wild toms off today from the apples! I had been a little worried about how the wild turkeys will be around our poultry, but so far, other than our slate taking on a big wild tom and chasing him away from "her" apples LOL, we have not had any issues. We free range all of our poultry.

Sooo, I am wondering, what is the issue with having your own turkeys in an area where there is a good population of wild turkeys?

Thanks

 

[Arielle]

THanks Ciele for your input. I do have whild turkeys-- we live next to a hunting reserve and the wild tukeys thrive in the area. That's what go me to thinking turkeys would be good to raise where I am. Feeding them and housing here in the north is a bit confusing. THree sided structures are code. Still trying to figure it all out.

 

[frank53061]

I think the biggest fear from most that I have seen is that there afraid of the Domesticated birds running off with the wild ones and other concerns were cross breeding with the wild turkeys.

I don't know that cross breeding with my flock would bother me but yep if I were to start having my birds jump the fence and move to another camp so to speak that would be a problem.
I have not seen any wild Turkeys in my area since I was Very young.
I think for The most part if your Turkeys are treated well and there is enough Hens to Toms and visa versa I would not see why they would want to leave.

 

[Arielle]

THanks Frank--- I have heard such stories too. We try to have a peaceful existance with the native wildlife here. Turkeys used to come here frequently to eat our lawn and sunbathe with the little poults. We don't put pesticides and herbicies on our lawn, so they are free to parttake. NOW though we have domestic turkeys and as I have pretty much hand raised these, they follow me around too much. Perhaps if I spend less time with the next generation, they might leave-- but perhaps not with plenty of space to play and lots of food. If anything the few wild hens that have stopped in have wanted to stay! Too funny. But they need to be wild and find their own food and water . . . so eventually they leave, . . . .for a while.

 

[aoxa]

I'm raising two wild turkey hens with my pair of Royal Palms. They wander equally to the Palms.. We do not have a large wild turkey population here. It's not illegal to raise them like it is in the States.

I find my wild turkeys forage a lot better than the palms. None of them scratch like the chickens, and all free range. I clipped all the girls' wings the other day, as they have been hopping on the neighbour's cars and scratching them.

Turkeys LOVE cars. Warning... :/ It's like a very weird fetish.

They can be intimidating to new guests, as they seek humans way more than the chickens.

I find they are smarter than the chickens, but others would disagree.

 

[debir1966]

Our wild turkeys (just one group of them LOL we have about 4-5 groups at least this size who roam the area).



A few of them eating under our crab apple tree. We took this picture
out our dining room window!


Can you find the turkey?

 

[Arielle]

I'm raising two wild turkey hens with my pair of Royal Palms. They wander equally to the Palms.. We do not have a large wild turkey population here. It's not illegal to raise them like it is in the States.

I find my wild turkeys forage a lot better than the palms. None of them scratch like the chickens, and all free range. I clipped all the girls' wings the other day, as they have been hopping on the neighbour's cars and scratching them.

Turkeys LOVE cars. Warning...

It's like a very weird fetish.

They can be intimidating to new guests, as they seek humans way more than the chickens.

I find they are smarter than the chickens, but others would disagree.

x2 LOL Foot prints on the hood of the car! and human visitors require inspection.

Not sure how smart they are compared to chickens . . . just different . . . . m aybe not as smart bur truly endearing.

 

[debir1966]

More winter visitors out our window.

 

[Arielle]

Our wild turkeys (just one group of them LOL we have about 4-5 groups at least this size who roam the area).



A few of them eating under our crab apple tree. We took this picture
out our dining room window!


Can you find the turkey?

More winter visitors out our window.

THis is why I don't feel the need to take a vaca in FL or the Bahamas . . . . . I just walk outside . . . Thanks Debir for sharing your photos.

 

[debir1966]

THis is why I don't feel the need to take a vaca in FL or the Bahamas . . . . . I just walk outside . . . Thanks Debir for sharing your photos.

I feel the same way - I mean... nothing against FL or the Bahamas - I guess I am just a mountain girl at heart! I wouldn't mind a trip to Alaska