Anybody have any experience raising turkies? we have 5, new to us, have had chickens before.

Glad you are expanding your food production now. I waited too late to study it up. I was going to look into chickens this year, but every time I went to my Coop they were sold out.

They have no had chicks for the last few years due to bird flu scare.This year they had chicks and ducks for a few weeks, but every shipment was presold it seems. They had a long waiting list of people they called. Never got to see one bird in the 4 or 5 trips I took to the Coop.

We got lots of wild turkeys here. One was at my back door pecking on it one time. But when TEOTWAK arrives, the gun crazy people here will no doubt wipe the turkeys and deer out in short order.

Good luck with your project.

I'd normally say do some research/reading, or that you should have before you got the turkey poults, but that seems to just get me in trouble around here. Raising turkeys successfully does, unfortunately, require you do some work beforehand.

All I'll say is that raising turkeys is completely different from raising chickens. Turkeys have a different mindset, need different feed, different care. They also can transmit certain diseases to chickens, so shouldn't be kept together with them.

Probably a good idea to look into it before "The End Of The World As We Know It" (aka "TEOFTWAWKI") arrives. You don't want to be caught unprepared & get your hand slapped by the survivalists.

quote:

I'd normally say do some research/reading, or that you should have before you got the turkey poults, but that seems to just get me in trouble around here.

And you got say it anyway, didn't you? A gentle suggestion to do just that would be welcome and is sometimes called for but that doesn't seem to be forthcoming from you. How do you know lilly of the valley girl didn't do just that? How do you know she's not just trying to find someone here to (pardon the pun) talk turkey with?

Want to make a bet not much, if any, research was done about raising "turkies"?

Hi lilly,and welcome to og forums.

I've never raised turkeys.I wish I had the space.

Here is a link that might be helpful.
http://www.essortment.com/all/turkeycare_rkky.htm

again welcome,lilly.
please share more about your location,and your animals.

Hi everyone, thanks for the welcome. To answer your questions. We are located in Ne Massachusetts, zone 6. Only have a small space , garden is raised beds, 3500 sq ft. total including walkways, been in this home 35 years. Started with raw clay, only 1 inch of topsoil left by the builder. Now through composting and soil amendments and organic fertilizers we have 12" of rich dark friable soil. When I was a child, my grandfather and uncle raised chickens for eggs and meat, they had a biweekly route delivering to local business and households. There were six girls in my generation,my sister and 4 cousins, who all had our turn doing the Saturday "egg route". Some years, they also raised a few turkeys, on another piece of land across the road that belonged to a friend. My husband took a "Back Yard Poultry class" at Essex Aggie a few years ago. My uncle passed away at 90 last November , so first hand information is no longer available. Also we know not to raise chickens and turkeys together, and have'nt chickens for a couple years. Any insights would be most welcome, I can tell you the turkeys are very entertaining. Have been reading OG since 1967. Lily Sue, I like King too.

I totally understand the "different poultry are very different" thing.

I raised chickens all the years I was growing up, but haven't had any since I married. So this spring I got chickens as well as ducks.

I did do lots of reading about ducks, but nothing prepared me for the true meaning of "ducks are messier than chickens". The chickens are just like I remembered.

I don't have any experience with turkeys at all.

I did think some of the heritage breeds I have seen pictures of are truly beautiful.

I have raised turkeys. They are fun birds. I do know they can sure eat a lot when they get bigger. Also, make sure the pen is dog proof. It really hurts when a dog gets in and kills them.