Turkeys for the Backyard?

[ScrambledGreg]

Hey guys...I live in the suburbs, and I have chickens (all hens) but was thinking about getting a couple of turkeys. What are their space requirements? Are they very noisy? I hunt wild turkeys so I know about gobbling and hen yelping, I just didn't know if their domestic cousins were the same way.

 

[poultrycrazy]

I havent had them before but i have seen domestic ones and as far as i saw them the males gobbled quite a bit and the females just made that one noise and i think it is kool but others might get anoyed byy it.

 

[sonew123]

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I personally, just rehomed my midget white pair. MIne had plenty of space but they beat the crap out of my chickens-ate like horses-and were very hard to lockdown at night. These were the small turkeys I had since day olds! I loved them but I was not cut out for turkeys...I can't imagine raising them in the burbs. Get them their own Large coop with a high roosting bar-huge run too...Mine got to free range on a few acres and they still made a complete mess out of my coop Not noisy really- quieter than a few crowing roos. I loved the females calling/cooing noises. But yes, they do make noise especially during mating season!

 

[jasonm11]

I can only speak from my experience but here goes. I presently have 12 hens and 2 roosters free ranging along with 3 turkey hens and 2 toms in my back yard. We have a 50x30' garden with a 2' fence surrounding it. The birds all get along fine and DO NOT get in the garden. In addition I now have two ducks Huey and Louey that are about 3wks old. The ducks are in their own yard, while the other fowl are in the main yard fenced with 4' chain link. All the birds can fly out of the yard, and one or two occasionally will sit on the fence or check out the neighbors yard. One of my tom turkeys will roost in a tree at night and sit on the top of the fence at times thru the day. He has gotten out a few times but always wants right back in. My backyard is about a 1/4 to 1/3 acre and I live in a small town in an older subdivision. The birds put themselves to be before dard (wish my kids would do that) and require minimal upkeep. Feed tehm every mornign rain or shine and make sure to get rid of any wet feed daily. Check them once in a while for bugs by picking them up and looking around vent and up against skin, they tend to like being pet. I give then cayenne pepper in the feed once a month or so to kick up egg production and keep worms away, and generally enjoy them. My neighbors get a kick out of the birds and it is a regular thing for me to come home to one or more people loking and enjoying the birds. If I leave the windows open at night the roosters will wake me up starting about 4:30am and right before sunrise the toms start gobbling. As of yet i have had no complaints of the natural alarm clocks. I hope this gives you some insight If you do choose to get some birds make sure to take the time out to go have coffee with them. Give them treats, they deserve them as they will give you more than you can imagine, they are salve for the soul.

 

[Renee']

I had 8 Bourbon Reds (2F & 6M). I have an acre (6' fence) and I couldn't keep them in the yard. I eventually had to build a run and keep them locked up for the last two months. I entertained the idea of trying the Broad Breasted, becuase I knew they wouldn't fly to visit the neighbors, however after eating my BR on Easter I cancelled my BB order and am looking for two BR for Thanksgiving; with hopes that they will be Tom's and stay in the yard (the ladies were always first to fly out of the yard). One more note. I tried clipping one wing, I tried clipping two wings and I even tried to make a turkey straight jacket

; nothing worked, they still flew out of the yard.

Regarding their noise. They don't begin gobbling until they are several months old and then they only gobble when they hear something loud. I don't think they make any more noise than my chickens.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

jasonm11, I totally agree on having coffee with the flock - I call it Chicken Zen and it's the cheapest and best therapy available!

Our alpha Midget White tom gobbles a lot, like whenever he sees or hears anything. It cracks me up when the roosters are crowing, the turkey gobbles, the ducks quack, the guineas shriek.... and fortunately my closest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away and really likes the free eggs I bring him on occasion.

I've noticed the turkey's gobble is plenty loud when he's close by, but the sound doesn't travel nearly as far as a roo's crow. Our turkey hens make kind of a sonar click-chirp sound that's not loud at all - or maybe I'm just deaf from the cacophany of the others!