want to start keeping a few turkeys w/my chickens

[familyguy]

So I currently have a small (7) flock of chickens and I am thinking it would be fun to add a few turkeys into the mix. Not sure if for the freezer or for eggs (do turkeys lay eggs continually like chickens do?). I am wondering about letting three or four turkeys free range with the chickens ... do they need special roosts at night? Will they roam with the chickens or go off and do their own thing? If we want them for the freezer and not egg production is there a good breed? How bout if we want to get eggs and not put them in the freezer? Do we need Toms AND Hens and if so, can you have more than one Tom? Perhaps someone knows a good reference book that will answer alot of these questions for me?
Thanks for all your help.

 

[Olive Hill]

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No, most don't. There are a few exceptions but it is not breed specific and is rather rare.

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Turkeys require more space around their roosts, but nothing special. If your chicken roosts are close to a wall, your turkeys will still use them but their tail feathers will get rather tattered. That said, if allowed to free-range, it's likely they'll choose to roost outside rather than in anyway.

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Ours do their own thing, but are tolerant of any chickens who wish to tag along.

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That depends on what you're looking for. BBW and BBB are the cornish x of the turkey world. They are fast growing meat turkeys that put on a good thick, white meat breast and big thighs in a short amount of time when compared to heritage breeds. Heritage breeds are not without their worth in the meat market however, they may grow slower but they eat less at once and tend to be able to forage a larger percentage of that as a result -- if, of course, you have the opportunity to allow them to do so. Their carcasses are also nothing to turn your nose up at, smaller white meat breast, but far superior in taste.

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Because turkeys are seasonal layers and large birds they're really not economical as an egg only bird. YOu should keep them for other reasons. The eggs can just be a bonus.

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That depends on whether or not you want to produce poults. If you do not want to breed your turkeys then no, you do not need both male and female. If you do want to breed then yes, you need males and females in order to accomplish that.

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Yes, you can. It's best to have a few hens for each tom to reduce competition.