Turkeys and harmony in the barnyard ***UPDATE*** post #14

[Ksane]

Quote:
rofl! That's hilarious! I've got a picture of my 15 yr old when he was 2 yrs old laid out on his stomach 'helping' one of our Great Pyrenees dig a hole. Both were in the same position digging.
Kids lol!

 

[Arielle]

I would be careful and watchful.

Today 3 BBW at 5 1/2 weeks old escaped their pen to visit with some hens. We let out another group of older hens (6mo LF w/ roosters) and in a short time my DH is hollering"Help Whitey". I look behind me and the 3 buggers are stalking Whitey, making him back up as he is trying to face down the 3 troublemakers. With a fence behind him and no room to manouver, he tries to stand his ground. THis is a SSH, a small spry fellow, quick on his feet and I've never caught him. I evened the odds, catching one of the BBW and replacing him in his pen, while the others, unphased, kept the pressure on WHitey. I scooped up each of the last two, giving WHitey the opportunity to break and run.

I can only tell you my experience. And this was the first day together. ANd the last. THe turkeys will go to freezer camp in the fall.

Just for clarity, the BBW stood taller and look much heavier than the SSH rooster.

 

[Conn55]

We raise Chcikens, Turkeys, Bantams and sometimes the Ducks sleep in the sheds too all together. We have over 60 turkeys, 350 chickens, 60 bantams and 100 ducks and ducklings. All get along as long as someone doesn't try to take thier watermelons or bread from them, then they get mad, but otherwise it is harmony here. The tom Turkeys run around with a 2 weekold tom turkey poult as if they are his momma. At night the hen comes and he sleeps with her and the other poults. One big happy Family here!

 

[racuda]

Okay, now I've had them for a few days and today I let them out of the coop while I supervised.

There is no problem with the chickens. The turkeys and the chickens pretty much ignore each other. The Guineas on the other hand are demons.

When I opened the coop door about 20 Guineas flooded in and ran the turkeys out. They fly at the turkeys trying to intimidate them and it scares the turkeys.

Will the turkeys eventually start taking up for themselves or will the Guineas continue to torment the turkeys?

 

[MissTurkey4]

My guineas would chase my turkeys to their death. I would be careful.

 

[racuda]

Quote:

Bummer.

If this happens to me I will have a dilemma. My wife LOVES the turkeys, but I have 35 Guineas and would hate to get rid of them. I'm not sure yet if it is a few troublemaker Guineas, or if they all would chase them.

 

[Arielle]

racuda: Are you able to alter days who is out; Some people with flocks kept in different pens alternate free ranging days. Maybe you have only one run for everyone and not able to alternate. Hope you find a solution. GL

 

[racuda]

It has turned out to be a non-issue. Sometimes a Guinea will chase a turkey, then the turkey turns and chases the Guinea. Nobody gets hurt and even this low key chasing is happening less and less.

 

[syble]

just keep an close eye on them. watch for turkeys standing around, drooping, ect... that type of stress can lead to downfall. I wouldn't worry about the guineas as they seam to be next to indestructible! The only thing i notice with turkeys is its all about numbers. when i was blending 2 groups of different aged youngsters together, if there was only 1, the bigger ones would chase it, but when i let them all out at once, the bigger ones fled from the flighty antics of the younger ones, and now don't care who's walking where. I still keep a close eye, particularly when feeding and what not.

Close watch is the key. just because you don't see an action doesn't mean that something isn't going on, just want to watch for fall out.
Sib