turkey with chickens. one turkey or two?

[tommytyler]

i have 7 brahmas 8 months old and just acquired a 10 month old chocolate heritage hen. was wondering if one turkey with chickens can be happy? should i get another hen turkey or could that cause problems or make things better? she has been in my coop for 2 days and seems content but i have access to another turkey hen same age who was raised by chickens. any thoughts on just sticking with one or does she need another turkey hen companion? i live in city limits where no toms or roosters allowed. i got her for a pet really.............

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

I had a hen - for eating - she was super curious, too curious in fact. She got into sooo much trouble. Including climbing up onto the roof! She would get into the chicken tractor and scare my little silkie roo. Which got her evicted. Turkeys are so entertaining, really. She had two other turkeys with her, but didn't really seem to care. I mean, they hung out. I'm pretty sure she thought she was a chicken.

I hope that someone else that has had chickens with turkeys chimes in.

 

[Crazydoglady99]

With any animal, always always have at least 2. That's my 2cents.

 

[MillersFarm]

x2

Chickens and turkeys cannot speak the same language, Your turkey will be lonely. I strongly suggest getting only hens if you're only going to stick with 2 turkeys. a tom will easily over-breed a single hen. A good tom to hen ratio is 1:6

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Turkeys can be too much on chickens. It okay until it's not. I always recommend keeping them separately and with their own kind.

 

[R2elk]

i have 7 brahmas 8 months old and just acquired a 10 month old chocolate heritage hen. was wondering if one turkey with chickens can be happy? should i get another hen turkey or could that cause problems or make things better? she has been in my coop for 2 days and seems content but i have access to another turkey hen same age who was raised by chickens. any thoughts on just sticking with one or does she need another turkey hen companion? i live in city limits where no toms or roosters allowed. i got her for a pet really.............

As the others have pointed out, it is best that she have another turkey to keep her company. It is also best if that other turkey is also a hen.

Turkeys do need much more "personal space" than chickens need. Turkeys that are raised by chickens are not able to know that there is a difference between them and chickens which can lead to bad things happening to the chickens. It is my hen turkeys that sometimes take issue with the roosters.

There need to be places that an attacked chicken can easily escape to and hide. @oldhenlikesdogs has pointed out many times that when a turkey gets an idea in its head, it can be relentless and is nearly impossible to get it to stop.

Good luck.