4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[tara]

Ive got 8 chooks 2 ex bats and want to rescue a turkey but dont dont where to start ive rung some farms but they talk to me like im from the funny farm.I live in rochester kent dose any body know where l can get one.

[Griffin]

I know of a rescue in Wales with dozens of turkeys but I guess they're too far away? I sponsor one there and I called her Twizzler!

[TAJ]

So your rescued chickens - are they egg laying or meat varieties? It is very common to rescue egg layers having their life cut short, but I guess rescuing a turkey would be like rescuing a meat bird as they are not usually kept for eggs (are they?)

 

I know there is a sheep rescue up in the Yorkshire Dales, she rescues to stop sheep becoming meat.

 

Tracy

[tara]

No my ex bats where laying birds and they are just lovely or tho they would have been in dog or cat food by now. There having real trouble adapting to normal life they keep hiding away.Id rescue every thing if l could from being eaten or laying.What id like is to go to a farm where you choose your turkey and id keep it alive

[xChicken04x]

The problem is you cannot keep turkeys and chickens on the same land. Chickens carry a disease called Blackhead disease, which they are naturally immune too. However, turkeys aren't so it is easy for them to contract blackhead, which is fatal.

Even after 10 years, turkeys still can't be kept on land that chickens were once kept on as the bacteria stays alive for a looooooooong time.

 

If you have a large garden were you can keep the turkeys and chickens separate then it will be fine, but you will have to be careful coming in and the pens and hose your shoes down. Sounds serious I know but you really won't want a blackhead outbreak, you'll have D.E.F.R.A knocking at your door.

 

You can buy turkeys from poultry auctions, you have the option of the turkey coming home with you alive or dead.

 

Good luck.

[Old Speckled Hen]

My parents kept hens, ducks, geese and turkeys all together for years without any problems.

They each had separate sleeping quarters but free ranged through the day.

Unfortunately all but the hens were eventually eaten but I was a child then and had no control over the matter.

[Jules.]

Where I bought Gertrude & Rosa they had turkeys wandering around with the hens too.

[xChicken04x]

Fair enough. Just thought I would give it a mention for my own peace of mind. Some people risk it, some don't, it's up to the individual.

[SAB]

One of the biggest and best respected turkey experts out there is Janice Houghto-Wallace (author of "not just for Christmas"). Her advice is to use Flubenvet religiously every 6 weeks (there is slightly different dosage for turkeys than chickens) if keeping both breeds on same land as this disrupts the natural lifecycle of the worm which causes blackhead in turkeys (chickens are immune). This level of precaution is also needed if turkeys being kept on land which previously had chickens (even if chickens not there anymore) as may harbour the parasite (and chickens don't tend to succumb to). I did huge amount of research before getting my turkeys due to also having chickens and ensure I do the Flubenvet 6 weekly - I think it is a case where a healthy bit of paranoia is useful in ensuring the best for these wonderful birds.

[bronze]

The fact that turkeys ate generally kept as meat birds so there wont be any to rescue is a good point.

Instinct tells me you would need to get more than one too.

[SAB]

Good point bronze - turkeys are very sociable creatures and deserve to be kept as a pair at least. Our 3 have turned out to be 2 boys and a girl, but have grown up together and get on well. I suspect a lone turkey would be a lonely turkey, which may result in behavioural difficulties.

[Jules.]

Huuby is really hankering after a turkey........ guess we'll have to get two of 'em now

[abwsco]

Huuby is really hankering after a turkey........ guess we'll have to get two of 'em now

 

So is mine after having seen this thread. I'm not convinced we have the room though in the garden. Also, how noisy would two turkeys and nine chickens be?

[bronze]

I really want to hatch turkeys now I'm giving into an omlet must have

 

Must make sure the new house has a big enough garden.

[SAB]

Turkeys do make noise but different from chickens - males make the "gobbling" noise we associate with turkeys, but also all sorts of other noises and females make chirruping noises, like some sort of exotic garden bird. They will also make soft hissing noises if afraid. The noise is not as constant as chickens I have found, nor as strident. Definately not the noise problem of a cockeral. Ours tend to make the gobbling noise in response to us saying hello/coming out with food, or if they see someone approach the house - great guard birds! The sounds they make are lovely and I don't think would worry neighbours.

 

Difficult to say what size of garden you would need - we have a bungalow with a bit of garden on each side and have given over one of these to the poultry. Obviously turkeys have longer legs and are bigger than chickens so need more space but bear in mind that they also like to perch and can fly. Turkeys which are to be eaten are often fattened up to the extent they can't fly (or in some cases even walk) but ones kept as pets tend to be much slimmer and so can fly. (they can be hard to catch to as huge periforal vision and they fly straight up like a jump jet!). Thus some way of containing them is required - we have not clipped wings as have mesh roof on "their" garden. Even if you do clip wings, there would have to be precautions about predators at night.

 

When turkeys young (poults) they would need kept safe in same way as young chickens - remember that even if big compared to your hens, turkey poults are still youngsters and chickens might have a go at them. I found that when letting them mingle at first, some of my hens (unexpectedly the most placid) had a go at the biggest of the turkeys - none of the turkeys instigated an attack, but with turkeys being big with pointed beaks the chickens would have come off worse when turkey retaliated. Same sort of caution as when introducing new chickens to one another.

[tara]

Mmmmmmmmmmm interesting its so nice here from people who have them.

[SAB]

mmmmmm - I think Tara is going to get a turkey (or 2...or 3..... or....)

[tara]

mmmmmm - I think Tara is going to get a turkey (or 2...or 3..... or....)[/quote

 

 

hehehe l like that Wonder how many l could get before other half notices

[KAZAROO]

I know a local guy at Gatwick... Any good?

[tara]

mmmmm could you send me his details thanks