Turkies and Chickens

[MARSHMALLOWPEEP]

We have 3 RIR's that have a nice enclosed run attached to their coop. In the nicer weather, we free range them. On a recent mild day, we let them out and no sooner a flock of wild Turkies came looking for freebies from the feed! The chickens did not seem to mind sharing. With the snow covering everything, I gets the turkies were just looking for easy pickings, however, I chased them away and put the girls back into the coop.
Anybody ever have problems with turkies? Will they hurt chickens? These have been around before but have never bothered us before. Thanks

 

[chickenchaser99]

i dont think they would pick each other but watch out turkeys can give chicks diseases like black head and it spreads around so look for sick looking chicks
good luck and keep them turkeys away

 

[MARSHMALLOWPEEP]

Wow, thanks chickenchaser!

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

You can throw some food in the back for the turkeys so they will not be hungry, but they will not hurt your chickens physically, but they can spread disease. On the other hand they might not. Just watch them. Just one time coming into the chicken's coop will not likely do anything.

 

[nzpouter]

I heard they carry a mild form of marek that'll actually give your chicken immunity....

 

[RockyPhoenix]

i had turkeys around my coop but we chased them away...dont want any sick birds! we also have to make a pop door for the chickens...they use the people door (thats how the coop was originally built in like the 50s....) cuz sparrows and barn swallows make nests and i dont want them to transmit disease!

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Quote:
im pretty sure that its the other way around. i think the experts say dont raise turkeys and chickens togerther because chickens carry the disease, not hurtful to them, but deadly to turkeys.

i raise my turkeys and chickens together with no problems

 

[gsim]

Never feed outside and you are not likely to have pests. I always keep the reg feed inside in troughs. I do throw treats on the ground, but they disappear at the speed of light,

so no pest could get there fast enough to cash in. It could be worse. I have read posts on here about people having their coops infested with hundreds of starlings. Talk about a mess!

Feed them inside and do not ever feed them outside regards your feeders.