Anyone else have turkeys?

Strigoi

Strigoi

#1
#1
We've got 30+ chickens and 3 turkeys right now. The turkeys have imprinted on me and just want attention.

Butterball, top right in the pic, is about 4 years old and the other two are 3 years old. The Chocolate one in the front is the neediest turkey ever. She'll follow you around like a puppy if she likes you. The other two are Bourbon Reds.

Turkeys are way cooler than chickens.
 

Attachments

massacre

massacre

#4
#4
Nice
We had laying hens for about 5 years, going to get another batch next month.
How do the turkeys get along with the chickens? I wouldn’t mind a couple turkeys but I doubt my wife would go for it
 
Addicted 2 Minis

Addicted 2 Minis

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
My wife had Mille Fleur chickens (Booted Bantams) and OMG what a mess, I like critters but I'm glad those things are GONE!. There's about a dozen or so wild turkeys that frequent our yard and a pair of Sand Hill cranes that reside on the state land adjoining our property. The Sand Hill cranes are cool but creepy, they'll peer in our windows if we're not outside to cater to their freeloading lunch request. My wife has named them, the male is Eggbert and the female is Elizabeak and they're pretty much domesticated.
 
G

GTS225

Member
#6
#6
As a kid, we had goats, chickens, geese, and even a pair of Peacocks at one time. The most interesting chicken we had though, was a clutch of Orocanas, also known as the Easter egg chicken. They'll lay eggs in about four different light pastel colors.

Roger
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#8
#8
massacre said:
How do the turkeys get along with the chickens? I wouldn’t mind a couple turkeys but I doubt my wife would go for it
Click to expand...
The big issue with keeping turkeys with chickens is Blackhead disease. We've lost several turkeys to it. 2 of our 3 we have now got it and we caught it early so we were able to save them (within an hour or two of showing symptoms). It's not the Blackhead disease that kills them, but the secondary infections they get from it. If they even go half a day after showing symptoms they're pretty much as good as dead. Blackhead also isn't a thing in all parts of the US. It can also show up even if there were chickens on a property many years ago.

They get along just fine with the chickens 98% of the time. The turkeys are definitely the bosses of the flock though. When we give them treats the turkeys spend so much time chasing the chickens away they don't get any half the time. It's pretty funny to watch.
 
massacre

massacre

#11
#11
Strigoi said:
The big issue with keeping turkeys with chickens is Blackhead disease. We've lost several turkeys to it. 2 of our 3 we have now got it and we caught it early so we were able to save them (within an hour or two of showing symptoms). It's not the Blackhead disease that kills them, but the secondary infections they get from it. If they even go half a day after showing symptoms they're pretty much as good as dead. Blackhead also isn't a thing in all parts of the US. It can also show up even if there were chickens on a property many years ago.

They get along just fine with the chickens 98% of the time. The turkeys are definitely the bosses of the flock though. When we give them treats the turkeys spend so much time chasing the chickens away they don't get any half the time. It's pretty funny to watch.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#13
#13
We've got a bunch of broody chickens right now. Got 2 chicks yesterday to put with one of them. She took them last night. This morning she wanted nothing to do with the 1 that was left. 1 wasn't in the best shape to begin with and died overnight (no surprise). Now we have a baby chick in the house and she won't shut up. It's been awhile since we've had chicks and I forgot how annoying they are.
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#16
#16
toomanytoys said:
Our one hen is broody. I have to reach under her to get the eggs every day
Click to expand...
I have to do the same thing. We have 4 that are broody right now.

The other day we stuck all of the eggs in one nesting box before taking them inside. One broody chicken somehow managed to fit all 18 of them underneath her. She's not a very big chicken either.
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#17
#17
The one chick went back to the feed store. We're starting a major construction project here at the house in 8 days (adding on over 1,000 sq.ft.) and a house chicken is the last thing we need to be dealing with.

I'm also going to be losing my garage for the next 6+ months. Apart from how much fucking money this is costing me, I'm most upset by that. Lol It'll be worth it in the end though.
 
superflea

superflea

#18
#18
Strigoi said:
The one chick went back to the feed store. We're starting a major construction project here at the house in 8 days (adding on over 1,000 sq.ft.) and a house chicken is the last thing we need to be dealing with.

I'm also going to be losing my garage for the next 6+ months. Apart from how much fucking money this is costing me, I'm most upset by that. Lol It'll be worth it in the end though.
Click to expand...
I can appreciate what your in for. Over the last year and a half I have re done the 2 upstairs bathrooms almost to the studs. I had to open the downstairs bathroom ceiling to run plumbing for a tub/shower and some electrical for "Bidets". Now I am closing up the downstairs bathroom and have run into some obstacles which require a hour roundtrip to the hardware each time. I am hoping to be on to the taping, mudding and painting in the next day or so. I actually enjoy that part. Onward and upward as they say.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top