[joyfull]

Have already picked mine out - he/she is a little kelly bronze but has slightly different markings on it's head - so hopefully Grannie Annie can keep tabs on which one it is amongst all of them  .

[Aunt Sally]

Mine wears a little gold necklace Joyfull.  Can't mistake it then 

[Bantymad]

Can i jump in and ask a few questions please? is it ok to keep Turkeys near Chickens? Have been thinking of doing this next year. I would keep them seperate from chickens. How much space do they need, when to buy so they are ready for Christmas, what to feed etc. I have a 6x4 shed and 4x2 metre run i could use. would be looking to have two or three. Would this be posible or not. Thanks

[joyfull]

chickens can give black head to turkeys - the chickens themselves do not suffer with it but it can be lethal to the turkeys - so if you have had chickens on the same ground you really need to treat the gound first. Hopefully Grannie Annie will be along soon to let you know what she does 

[GrannieAnnie]

People like Tom do keep turkeys and chickens together, but your housekeeping has to be really good!  Worming etc.

We never keep ours together.  the turkeys have their own shed and run, which I do use for chickens when the turkeys have been eaten.  However, once the chickens are out everything is cleaned top to bottom, washed with Jeyes then Poultryshielded before getting ready for the next lot of turkeys.  the runs are washed down with Jeyes, then garden lime and rotovated in.  I've never had blackhead in the turkeys.

We got our turkeys poults last Friday 6th August at 1 day old and this particular breed should reach between 6kgs and 10.5kgs oven ready by Christmas.  But when we had separate sheds for them years ago, we got them at 4 weeks old in August, September and October so as to get different sizes.

[corkee]

they are adorable ~ you must be proud!

 

I have removed your link and put it in your own thread 

[Bantymad]

Thaks everyone i will take note of all advice, good to know its all here. Do they make lots of noise as i have close neighbours, if yes then a friend has offered to let me have some space at her farm. think that may be the way to go. Think she may want to do a joint venture with turkeys, she provides land and housing, i provide turkeys, look after them ect and she has a couple for herself when ready. Sounds like a plan! will carry on with reserch.
Thanks again

[pigeonpie]

Is it wrong to get broody when you see pictures of fluffy little chicks?  I have the same problem with puppy pictures yet when I see baby pics I don't feel anything.  Perhaps it's the knowledge that puppies and chicks are easier than babies and at worst you can sell them on the internet without social services getting all upset!

[GrannieAnnie]

Bantymad, they are noisiest when they are gobbling, which isn't all the time, but when they are frightened, or as a warning.  Otherwise they are pretty quiet I think.  But we are lucky in that we don't have many neighbours!

No, Pigeonpie, it's fine to go broody when you see pics of fluffy chicks and little puppies!  As long as you don't want to sit on any eggs for 3 weeks!  then I'd worry!  

My proudest moment Corkee, is when I get an email from someone telling me how much they enjoyed their Christmas dinner!  

[Bantymad]

Hmmm thanks granny will keep my options open then, would love to have them here. Went on the serch mode and got quite a bit of info from other posts. if the 4x 6 shed would be ok for 3  sure i coud move shed over a bit and let them have vegie patch bit by bit as things are finishing, they would end up right next to the brussle sprouts!!! the area would be 5mtrs x 7mtrs of outdoor space with grass and lots of bits to pick over, would that be ok? and would i need perches in the shed?

[joyfull]

you mean you've not put your sprout to cook yet?   

[Bantymad]

Oh Joyfil if you could only see the veg garden!! Think my bruccles are late ones got plants from garden centre. First time growing veggies for me. My daughter has a Huskie who has been living with me since last year and she has destroyed my whole garden, eats anything she can dig up. fenced off an area to grow veg, even had to re turf. Could write a blog on how a dog destroys a whole garden. little sweetie she is.

[joyfull]

last year I tried growing cabbages, caulis, beans (french and green), tomatoes, sweetcorn and potatoes - the only thing the chickens didn't steal was the potatoes 
Good job they haven't noticed the apples on the trees yet 

[Bantymad]

Haha, i'v used some trellis as a fence to keep dog out but my little bantys fit through the squares perfectly, had all my carrot tops. In the mad world we live in today its so good to have something that makes me smile every day, bless em

[GrannieAnnie]

DON'T GIVE THEM THE VEG PATCH!

I lent mine to the turkeys 2 year ago and haven't had it back since!   I've only just dug a new veg patch near the kitchen door because after the turkeys had it, then we turned that shed into a big brooder shed, so the next few lots of meat chickens got it, then more turkeys, it goes on....

Turkeys can roost, on the roof of the shed if they can!  But ours don't because as we sell a few, my Brian doesn't like any marks on the breasts which you can get if they roost on perches.

Found the video!  The difference between their normal noise and the gobble!!