turkeys/chickens

[quiltedv]

I have 2 white broad breasted turkeys getting ready to leave the heat lamps and go out to the pasture.
I have 7 one year old chicken hens, and 5 hens that are still in that "toddler" stage, not laying yet, still run away from everything. They are already out in the pasture.
I also have 6 chicks still under the lamps, 4 are old enough that when it is warm enough I put them out and bring them in when the sun goes down. The other 2 chicks are still half down, half feathers.

The turkeys so far are NOT very nice! They try to rip our fingers off every time we change their food and water and clean out their crate.

Our chickens are our pets. We have carried them and they jump up on our lap if we are in the pasture at the fire pit. All they have to hear is the door even start to open and they run to the gate.

I am concerned with how mean these turkeys are. We free range our birds, they have over an acre to roam free.

So my question is, is it ok to put these mean turkeys out with my babies??? My first time having turkeys -they are NOT pets. They're brats!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have 2 white broad breasted turkeys getting ready to leave the heat lamps and go out to the pasture.
I have 7  one year old chicken hens, and 5 hens that are still in that "toddler" stage, not laying yet, still run away from everything.  They are already out in the pasture.   
I also have 6 chicks still under the lamps, 4 are old enough that when it is warm enough I put them out and bring them in when the sun goes down.  The other 2 chicks are still half down, half feathers.

The turkeys so far are NOT very nice!  They try to rip our fingers off every time we change their food and water and clean out their crate.  

Our chickens are our pets.  We have carried them and they jump up on our lap if we are in the pasture at the fire pit.  All they have to hear is the door even start to open and they run to the gate.  

 
I am concerned with how mean these turkeys are.  We free range our birds, they have over an acre to roam free.  


So my question is, is it ok to put these mean turkeys out with my babies???  My first time having turkeys -they are NOT pets.  They're brats!   

When I first read the ripping of fingers, I had to laugh. But when I read about putting the finger rippers with your babies, I cringed. I would NOT put Satan's army (your mean turkeys) with those babies. Sounds like they will kill them.

Are the mean turkeys Thanksgiving?

 

[itsjustme]

I have 2 white broad breasted turkeys getting ready to leave the heat lamps and go out to the pasture.
I have 7  one year old chicken hens, and 5 hens that are still in that "toddler" stage, not laying yet, still run away from everything.  They are already out in the pasture.   
I also have 6 chicks still under the lamps, 4 are old enough that when it is warm enough I put them out and bring them in when the sun goes down.  The other 2 chicks are still half down, half feathers.

The turkeys so far are NOT very nice!  They try to rip our fingers off every time we change their food and water and clean out their crate.  

Our chickens are our pets.  We have carried them and they jump up on our lap if we are in the pasture at the fire pit.  All they have to hear is the door even start to open and they run to the gate.  

 
I am concerned with how mean these turkeys are.  We free range our birds, they have over an acre to roam free.  


So my question is, is it ok to put these mean turkeys out with my babies???  My first time having turkeys -they are NOT pets.  They're brats!   

I bought 4 baby turkeys last year straight run. And of course they were all toms :/ I had the same problem for awhile but realized my kids had been feeding them out if their hands. For the longest time even after they were older they would Peck your fingers. My boy friend was working on fence one day and they were taking turns pecking him. I thought it was funny but he hot pretty annoyed by it lol. They would Peck buttons shoe laces etc. I'm so sure they are trying to be mean they are just very curious. Mine have grown out of it. They no longer Peck at people. But the peacocks have taken it over lol I'm hoping they to grow out of it soon. Lol as for putting your turkeys with your chickens. If they have not yet been introduced I would pen the turkeys in the area the chickens roam if possible. That way they can get use to each other safely. All my birds. Guineas, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and peacocks free range and roost together and they all get along fine. But I introduced them slowly and through fence b4 I just turned them all out together.

 

[quiltedv]

Thank you. I'll fence off a separate part of the pasture for those mean turkeys and build them a separate coop if I can't sell them. Something broke into the "toddler" coop and got 3 out of of the toddlers last night so we're very sad. Poor Casserole (Chicken Casserole), Deviled (Deviled Egg) and Butterfly. Casserole was a few weeks older then the rest of the babies and she started being mama from day 1. She would sit with them under her wings, if they strayed she would chase them down and make them stay together. She was the best chicken we ever had. Other then some newly hatched ones that didn't make it these are the first ones we have ever lost. I'm taking it worse then the kids. So I am not taking any chances with those turkeys getting with them. We put a water bottle in their crate and the turkeys ripped it to shreds. My husband is out building a larger coop today so the remaining 15 can all house together once younger ones are old enough. WHen he is done we will fence them (the turkeys) a little section of the pasture and get their house ready too.

 

[quiltedv]

They might be if I don't sell them first. I could never eat one of my pet chickens, but these these things are so mean I might just have to! LOL
Thanks for the help.

 

[quiltedv]

Just to follow up.... I finally just decided to see how they would act. I put the turkeys out in the pasture with the chickens and the toddler size chicks. They went straight for my chicken Sky (The Sky is falling), a golden sexlink. She cowered and they pecked her. But my chicken Dumpling, an Amerucana who has been on the bottom of the pecking order for a year came to her aid and chased them away. Then they went after the young hens, ages 1- 3 months old and they were not having that and chased them right back and pecked the turkeys. Our baby Amerucana, Boiled, was by far the bravest not even letting the turkeys near the little ones. Then the turkeys got really brave and went after Scrambled, our largest hen, Scrambled, a Black Australorp who is so mild mannered that when they first started pecking her right in the beak she just stood there. But then all heck broke loose and she chased them down and pecked them. She did not stop chasing them until they both got a good pecking. Now the turkeys have gotten to the bottom of the pecking order and know that even the babies won't put up with their nonsense. I guess letting nature take it's course turned out to be the best option, let them get a little spanking from the other birds and they learned to behave in one day. Even when we went out there instead of pecking us like normal they just laid at our feet or just stayed close by.
I do think one is a Tom and maybe one is a hen. The larger of the 2 fluffed his little bitty feathers, dropped his wings down, fluffed his tiny tail feathers and started doing the turkey dance. Then it tried to mount the other turkey. They are only a month old LOL We're still building them a separate coop and all the toddlers are coming back in the garage with the little babies at night until the new coops are done. I appreciate all the advise.

 

[quiltedv]

My mean turkeys are now sleeping side by side on the roosting bar with the chicken hens. The babies stand their ground and don't put up with any turkey business. They were separated but they do not like being away from their new "family". I guess I worried for nothing. Now I just have to figure out what to do when they get too big for the doggie door in their coop. The turkeys are already as big as the chickens, a little bigger then a few of them. One appears to be a tom, the other one I do think is a hen. They have names now too. Thanksgiving and Christmas... I don't think I can eat them now.