Who has Turkens?

[iread]

I have ordered some turken babies. Can anyone tell me a little about their personalities/temperment? I haven't been able to find much about that online.

 

[j.luetkemeyer]

I have a few and have some eggs in the bator. I will always keep turkens and for several reasons. So far all of mine have had a very docile temperament. They are also good foragers. I have only had hens and so I'm not sure about the roosters. I also plan on using this breed to develope a good dual purpose bird.

I forgot to mention that when I got my turkens as chicks, they liked attention. They would come right up to me and want held. Even as they mature they have let me pick them up with no problem.

 

[NoelTate]

I have 4 turkens and love them. They are great layers, and they are also quiet birds. They are fairly friendly birds. Two of mine will walk around my feet and all, but they don't want to be touched. One doesn't mind being touched. The last thinks she is a baby. She wants to be held and cuddled and gets jealous if the other birds get too close. If I hold another chicken, she will try to peck it. The funny thing is I never really encouraged any of them to be that friendly. I feed them and sometimes sit around the pen to watch them or talk to them. The friendly ones just turned that way on their own.

 

[andehens]

I love, love my Turkens!

They lay 2 out 3 days, medium zized brown or very light brown egg. They are gentle and friendly, but not in my lap friendly like some others. I'll have more them in a heart beat! Easy keepers too, they eat no more than my hamburgs which are supposed to be easy and are far more productive than those little hamburg ganstas.

 

[dangerouschicken]

Wonderful birds, very friendly, always available for a good back scratching

They are also good layers and good mothers. I don't have mine anymore, but when I did, they were my favorites:

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

My girl is the smartest one in the flock. She's able to figure out how to get to the grass on the other side (when snow blocks most ways) and how to avoid danger. I've seen her on her own watch for hawks flying above and when she comes in conflict with them, she finds some place to hide. She will guide the others to food also. The other hens will follow her and leave the roos to ponder.

She's pretty people-friendly. Not a lap bird, and tends to stray from people, but if you give her some food, she'll be your best friend.

But she'll NEVER stop eating! She's a treat-fiend! She'd die from being over-stuffed before she'd have a chance to die of anything else!

I love her! The breed has an incredible amount of character to them.

 

[Kev]

Have them, love them, want more of them.

Young cockerel

My experience are same as others said. Seems naturally tame- I don't try to tame them and yet they are rather friendly. Good foragers too.

 

[rebecca10782]

I have to laugh, we have a Turken and she is the most evil creature I have known

First of all, she makes the worst sounds. She doesn't cluck like a normal chicken, she opens her mouth as wide as she can and lets out this "RAAAAAAAAAA, RAAAAAAAAA, RAAAAAAAAAAAAA" Anytime she is sitting on top of her coupe inside the pen and anyone walks up and talks to her, she will stand there and "RA RA RA RA RA RA RA RA" like a dog barking at you to get of his property

At one point I thought she was becoming a rooster because she was making such weird sounds! She is definitely the dominant hen! She is so mean to all the babies

She refuses to let us hold her. One night I picked her up and held her until she stopped squirming and when I put her down, every single feather was straight up in the air! Even the ones on her head, so she had a mo-hawk. She was strutting back and forth yelling at me. The only time she pays any attention to us is when we bring out their daily warmed oatmeal. And if I don't set it down right away, all the girls will meep at me politely to give it to them, but Josephine will squawk at the top of her lungs and give you the most evil look possible. They are incredibly spoiled and happy chickies, but Josephine is always complaining

I want to record the sound she makes, it is hilarious. I was so happy the other day when she squatted for me, because that was the first time I have seen her submissive to anyone. She squatted and quickly ran off and complained, like she was saying "Why on earth did I do that?!"
But she is all bark, she has never tried to hurt anyone. A few times I thought she was going to attack me

She has never been mistreated and has been with us since she was a baby, always getting attention and treats. I think she is just like a spoiled toddler that wants to be the boss and yells at everyone to give them what they want, they don't realize how horrible they act.

Here is her baby picture, we should of realized then what we were in for

She gives us a good laugh every time we go out to the coupe. Now that it is time for her to lay, my mom and I make jokes about how she is going to lay deviled eggs

We also think that she was mistaken for a chicken, and is actually a vulture

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Rebecca, that's funny. Our girl doesn't cluck either. "BRAAAAHHHH-BRRAAHHHH!!!!!" She's like a vulture, too, in every way! Certainly not the dominant hen, but she goes after our little Jap banam...I guess that's our fault for putting something that small (and living) that close to her.

 

[Daycare Mom]

I wanted to get some, but the kids are afraid of them. I think they would be a great conversation piece.