Turkeys and Imprinting on chickens

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If you get a couple hens for him, them living together shouldn’t be an issue. However, turkeys can get a fatal disease called blackhead from chickens. This does not always happen, and it is usually fine. On the bright side, keeping turkeys and chickens together gives the chickens an immunity to mareks disease, which is usually always fatal. The turkeys have a form of the sickness that does not cause tumors in chickens, so the chickens become immune.
 
007Sean said:
Howdy :frow Welcome to BYC!
Turkeys will imprint with just about anything, other animals, birds, or people and sometimes inanimate objects. Although, yours won't be happy by it's self, it will eventually accept being without it's own kind.
@TwoCrows has given you some sound advice, as well.
Wish you the Best of Luck with your turkey.
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how do I know if my turkey has imprinted on anything? this I have not found out yet
 
TwoCrows said:
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

They imprint fast on each other no matter the species. I've had lone quail imprint on chickens very fast. However its not good to keep Turkeys with Chickens. Turkeys can carry Blackhead and infect Chickens. Chickens carry things that effect gamebirds as well. BUT, usually this all pertains to birds not raised together. Another issue is feed requirements. Turkeys need much higher protien diets than do chickens.

All this being said, you might try and keep them together, at least for now until you figure something else out. You might get more Turkeys and more Chickens and separate all of them.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to our roost! :)
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Chickens give turkeys blackhead. Not other way. As long as you keep good husbandry and worm regularly it's generally fine. Always a risk yes but I've never had a issue and know many others who keep them together. If there's a lone male turkey with chickens yes that poses a threat. You'd need a turkey hen or two for him.
 
ArihTheMagical said:
how do I know if my turkey has imprinted on anything? this I have not found out yet
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If they have imprinted, they will stay close to whatever it is they imprinted on, will get upset if separated from you, other animals, etc...will vocalize excessively till rejoined or at least within eye sight. They sometimes become depressed, Don't eat well and are lethargic. I had 2 wild Rio Grande turkeys, that would imprint on basically anything that moved, or sometimes didn't move (yard art). As they got older they eventually imprinted on themselves, they were inseparable.
 
007Sean said:
If they have imprinted, they will stay close to whatever it is they imprinted on, will get upset if separated from you, other animals, etc...will vocalize excessively till rejoined or at least within eye sight. They sometimes become depressed, Don't eat well and are lethargic. I had 2 wild Rio Grande turkeys, that would imprint on basically anything that moved, or sometimes didn't move (yard art). As they got older they eventually imprinted on themselves, they were inseparable.
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then yes, my turkey has imprinted on his sisters... danggit... he used to chrip loudly when I was not around but I guess he lost his imprint maybe?
 

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