Can you raise turkeys (3 or 4) with a chicken flock.

[DonnaBelle]

I've got about 35 chickens, I'd like to add 3 or 4 turkeys to my flock. I can keep the turkeys in a small coop inside the chicken house till they get as large as the chickens, and the chickens can see them all the time while they grow. Then will they live together without fighting?

DonnaBelle

 

[WorldTreeRabbitry]

I have chickens and turkeys together. Once in awhile my big tom and my big rooster will have "words" but I have 3 separate pens plus some free range so I rotate them until I find a combination where everyone pretty much gets along. Other than the occasional "words" between the dominant ones...they all do fine together.

 

[Southern by choice]

I had someone asking about turkeys this morning... they were asking about free-ranging... but I gave a little more info... maybe this will be helpful. I know others have different experiences though.

Turkeys, at least all of ours, do not want in a coop or building. We have heritage turkeys so they like to fly up in the trees or on the buildings to roost at night.
As far as disease it is chickens that give diseases to the turkeys. Turkeys are highly susceptible to poultry diseases. We are a clean flock with no respiratory issues. One reason we keep turkeys is they are your first warning that you have MG in your chickens. Chickens can live with all kinds of stuff and be carriers and never show any signs... having a turkey around lets you know cuz turkeys will get sick. Healthy turkeys are a good sign of healthy chickens.
The commercial bronze will grow very fast but needs slaughtered by a certain weight or they will grow to big and their legs will break. We do heritage because they breed naturally, sit, raise their poults and get to be a nice table size.
Young poults can be hard. They simply find dumb ways to die.
Turkeys are highly territorial. Hens are very nice to have around, Toms can get very aggressive especially if you have more than one and there are females around. The hens are always wonderful.
Turkeys will have a territory and whatever is in that territory is theirs and they will allow and even protect... chickens that come into that territory or they don't recognize can get attacked... chicks too.
Our Turkeys run all over.... they are not out in the chicken fields. They are fine with the chickens that run all over like they do.. they think those are their chickens.
My son LOVES turkeys... LOVES them. I sold a pair as pets back in the summer.. M/F they follow their owners everywhere hang out in their workshop and sleep on their house. They LOVE them.
Most all of our turkeys are sold to those who are raising them for meat.

Our hen just had another clutch... she is raising them well but a rooster got two of them, something fell on one. They are 3 weeks now. This is the best "mom" we've had. The others were great sitters but not great moms. This one is great all the way around but the poults are bad! They don't like to listen to mommy. Our poults act like puppies... they follow us everywhere!

 

[WorldTreeRabbitry]

Southern By Choice, I absolutely love my turkeys too! I have a couple different breeds that I raise so have a couple Toms, hence separate pens. It is totally true that the hens do not like to be cooped up, they are always escaping. I am worried about predators and the road though (and people honestly, I have had several people stop by and ask to buy them and when I say they aren't for sale they get really upset and argue with me...it is the oddest thing). Anyway, I have had big issues with the raising of poults too because they find the weirdest ways to die. I would love to free range at least some of my flock but sadly my baby, Big Tom (I know not very original name ) liked to chase the UPS guy and he was refusing to deliver...

 

[Southern by choice]

Southern By Choice, I absolutely love my turkeys too! I have a couple different breeds that I raise so have a couple Toms, hence separate pens. It is totally true that the hens do not like to be cooped up, they are always escaping. I am worried about predators and the road though (and people honestly, I have had several people stop by and ask to buy them and when I say they aren't for sale they get really upset and argue with me...it is the oddest thing). Anyway, I have had big issues with the raising of poults too because they find the weirdest ways to die. I would love to free range at least some of my flock but sadly my baby, Big Tom (I know not very original name ) liked to chase the UPS guy and he was refusing to deliver...

Oh Boy! Ours do the same thing. Sometimes they will not let people out of their car... our geese do the same thing!
One of ours is named Tom, the other male is named Tom.
We are getting Narragansett turkeys in the spring. We have found breeding our chocolate over our black or vice versa produces sex-linked poults!!!!!!!! Woo hoo! It's really nice. We are up front and tell people how they were bred so they wouldn't be straight chocolates or straight blacks but crossed, so not for breeding stock. I like it because most of the time the males will go for meat and the hens for pets. Many people love the look of the Toms though and want them... we tell them the risk of them getting mean.

 

[DonnaBelle]

Thanks guys for all your replies, Southern, what did you mean by "heritage" breeds. What is a "heritage" breed? IS that the name of the breed or does it encompass several breeds?? Thanks for all your help.

 

[Southern by choice]

This explains it best... No it is not a breed (short answer )
Use to be called the American Livestock Breed Conservancy, now it is the Livestock Conservancy

http://www.livestockconservancy.org/

 

[BrownSheep]

I also raise turkeys and chickens and I actually prefer my turkeys.
I second what has been said about being cooped. Mine are very social bird and will actually go to where ever the people are. My toms are not agressive but my hens will go after the rooster once in a while.

 

[Southern by choice]

I love the poults sounds and the grown turkeys well they are just cool!
Mine love to forage throughout the woods but for some reason insist on hanging out on my covered porch, looking in the door and well.... pooping everywhere!

Our poults (the breed) grow rather slow for a long time than suddenly they are so big! The babies love when a new person comes to visit... they have to go say "hi" even when Momma is hollering at them to come back here! It is quite comical. They are very curious creatures.

 

[chicken pickin]

I raise turkeys also. I have Bourbon Reds they are a heritage variety. In the turkey world they are called varieties not breeds. My turkeys LOVE the chickens, on days I let them free range they fly into the chicken yard and that is where they will stay the majority of the day. If not herded back to their coop they choose to sleep on the railing of my front deck(I don't let them sleep there they always get penned up at night). On days they are penned for the day, come night fall they put themselves to bed on the roost inside their coop and I will go up after dark and shut the door to keep them safe from predators. I don't find Toms to be mean or aggressive. They will spar with the other Toms during mating season but that is normal behavior. I have yet to have a Tom attack another person or pet. I did last year have a Tom that would give me a look and he would lower his head at me towards my feet as he walked near me, he was challenging me. He ended up on the dinner table for Easter dinner.

Blackhead is the only concern most people have keeping chickens and turkeys together. It is something the chickens can carry and not be affected by it. But if a turkey gets it he could die within days if not treated properly. I believe you can call your states agricultural offices and ask if you have blackhead in your area and they should be able to give you an idea on what has been reported.

Turkeys are very friendly and sociable. As stated above they have to say "Hi" to everyone that comes to visit. They need to check out everything you are doing. And are always under foot or on your heels lol.

We raise our turkey for the enjoyment of them and also the meat. But Chickens will always be my favorite.