Turkeys for flock protection?

[smithc43]

Hi everyone. I am hoping to get some advice/input about keeping a couple of turkeys for flock protection. We currently have 10 chicks (4 weeks old) that we are planning to move to their outside pen in the next few weeks. We do not have any roos (at least we think). Our pen is relatively large (approx. 72 ft X 60 ft) and is fenced in. The pen is against our woodline, so some of it is open and grassy and some is wooded. We are a bit concerned about protection from hawks and were considering getting a couple of turkeys to hopefully deter birds of prey, but I have a few of questions about this.

1. Is our pen big enough to keep a couple of turkeys in with the chickens?
2. Do we need a tom, or will a couple of hens keep fine with the chickens?
3. If we get a tom, what issues are there with him trying to breed the hens?
4. If we decide to go this route, should we get turkey poults soon so they can be integrated at a young age with the chicks?
5. Any other animals that work well for protection that are not insanely loud (finicky neighbors 6 acres away ) ? We can't get more dogs, and my current 2 think chickens are snacks.

Any other helpful info would be much appreciated!!!

I want to note that I am aware of blackhead disease and realize this could pose a risk to any turkeys we get. I am planning to contact the local extension to see if it prevalent our area (SW Virginia). Also, I know turkeys will not guarantee protection. I figure, even if they are useless for protection we'll still enjoy having them around

 

[Kessel23]

I am not sure if a turkey will try to spook off a hawk. I have not seen my guys do it but I would not be really surprised if it was possible, they are pretty big strong birds. I have seen my muscovy drake spook hawks who were trying to kill cockerels that they grabbed. I have also heard that geese do it often. I have not heard much about turkeys and I have only owned 3 for around a year now so my experience is limited. I will wait for someone else who knows what they are talking about.

I actually got the 3 BBB turkeys last spring to test if my chickens had Blackhead before I got peafowl. I was planning to eat them but I kept them because they were so funny and nice. I definitely enjoy having them around. I had 2 females and a Jake but the Jake got killed by dogs. They got along well with the chickens, they got into fights but it was just pecking order stuff and they did not harass any of the chickens. The BBB did have problems with stepping on small birds so I just separated them. I have been told that stepping on other birds is not really a problem for heritage breeds.