Turkeys

[tim1970]

I really would like to get some turkeys for thanksgiving at the same time I get my cornish X, but I only have 1 place to put them all. If I keep them in separate brooders, until they are feathered out, can turkeys and cornish X survive together? I do have a small dog pen I could put the turkeys in for the first 8 weeks, until the cornish are in my freezer, but I am afraid it would be too small. The dog kennel is 16 X 5 and is about 5 foot tall. It has a temporary cover on it, so the turkeys couldn't fly out. (If they even wanted to)

I am wanting to get 8 - 10 broad breasted turkeys.

Thanks

Tim

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

I think your kennel size would work for that number of birds.
I havent tried keeping a mixed flock so dont know what would happen. I can tell you that Turkeys grow fast and can be bullies so I probably wouldnt mix them for fear of loosing any of the meat chickens.
Good luck with it, home grown turkey is fantastic. I'm picking my dozen up next week.

 

[MissPrissy]

8 - 10 broad breasted turkeys will be huge (As much as 30 - 40lbs in some cases). You really will want to keep them in their own area. They will out grow the chickens and can be big bullies. Not to mention that turkey poop is more disgusting and a lot bigger than chicken poop. You don't want your chickens pecking and eating tukey poop. Ewww! LOL

(And they will eat it!)

I raised 2 bourbon red hens last year for Thanksgiving and they were amazing! Once you raise your own you won't ever want a grocery store turkey again.

Why so many of you want turkey for Thanksgiving? You do know they can't mate naturally? You would need a different Tom (maybe a bourbon red) to cover the hens for fertile eggs. You won't get the broadbreasted trait so much in those crosses. You could do AI like the breeders do. Just wondering.

There is a post around here with a photo on it of a BBB turkey someone had smoked for Thanksgiving. Oh, your mouth will water! LOL

Let me see if I can find it.

 

[MissPrissy]

Here it is

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=27744

 

[FarmGirl01]

I have been raising a few turkeys every year for Thanksgiving. I have kept the chicks and poults together for a few weeks. After that they were separated. I have had BBW and BBB and they grow fast. I let a tom BBB grow for a year and he weighed 50 lbs live weight. Now I have heritage turkeys. They are kept in with my hens.
You could try and keep them together and watch them closely. Your turkeys will be eight weeks old when you start to butcher the chickens. The Cornish X's might bother the turkeys more then the other why around. But the older the turkeys get watch out for the chickens. Alot depends on how much room you give them. More room is better for everyone.

 

[CHICKENHEAD]

Can someone point me in the direction to buying some BBW and BBB eggs or poults?

 

[MissPrissy]

You can look at what is available at commercial hatcheries or you can post on the Buy/Sell/Trade board here. There are several members who sell eggs and poults.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Meyers sells them but you have to buy 15, I only want a couple so am looking locally, hopeing the feed store will get them again this year they did last year, but I wasnt ready for them.

 

[Cara]

Please be careful about who you put your Cornishes in with. I had three that hatched in September, and were butchered finally this week. They were enormous, and I got too attached to them. We gave two to a friend to eat, and kept the third. She got bullied by the EE rooster in the coop and somehow wedged under an old wood stove in there. I guess the others picked on her while she was stuck and she had an enormous open wound, so we had to put her down. They're just too slow to get away from bullies.

 

[SewingDiva]

Quote:
Now that's impressive. No wonder he looks so happy.

My husband and I just went onto a CSA waiting list for beef, pork, lamb and chicken. Hopefully we'll get in...it's about as easy as Partiots season tickets.

Phyllis