First time raising turkeys?
Image by terriem
The turkeys were raised by kids as part of their 4-H projects, and they were justifiably proud of their birds.
Question by CallMeCrazy: First time raising turkeys?
Ive been through multiple flocks of chickens and have gotten the process of raising them down pretty well. Lost a couple flocks due to bad latches on an old coop and a hungry fox but we have since built a new coop and no problems so far. I recently got 6 baby chickens to replace my old hens who have stopped laying and will replace them as they die off to keep our flock around 15. The babies recently went outside and now I have room for my turkeys which I just picked up this morning. I only got 2 as I dont want to overcrowd my back yard, and we were considering using them as thanksgiving dinner but now im not too sure if they will be ready by then if they are 3 days old today? They are white ones i forget the name of the breed. I currently have them in my basement with a heat lamp and food and water. I was just curious if turkeys bond with humans? I had one rooster who followed me like a dog but I have never had another quite like him. I would enjoy friendly turkeys but then Im not sure i could bring myself to eat them! I also want to check and make sure it would be ok to keep them in with my chickens and goats when they get big enough to go outside. Their pasture is maybe 200×100 feet. Just looking for some tips. Im not worried but i would like to know
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One Response to First time raising turkeys?
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Could they possibly be Broadbreasted Whites? They’re the most common white turkey breed. If they are BBWs, they’ll grow very quickly. Because that particular breed is a modern one & they grow so fast, they tend to have a short lifespan. Basically, their bodies can’t handle such a quick growth & they usually die from heart failure.
Keep a close eye on them. Turkeys are not the smartest animals & a lot of people put chicks that are the same age in with them for the first week just to teach the turkey poults how to eat & drink water.
Turkeys can bond with people, but in my experience they don’t bond as well as ducks or geese. But it’s possible. Treats certainly help with that : ) I know ours love black oil sunflower seeds & they’re always excited if they think I have them some.
When they’re older, before you decide whether or not to put them in with the chickens, you might want to check with your county extension service to see if Blackead is prevalent in your area. If it is, then I would house the turkeys as far away from the chickens as possible.
Good luck with them. Turkeys are very cute, especially as they age.
Michelle
November 12, 2011 at 2:49 pm