If you really want to give turkeys a try, you have 2 options. 1. day olds. they will need a higher heat for the first weeks than chicks do. 37C, reducing by about 2C each week until off heat. or 2. you buy them off heat at 5 weeks old.
Some people let their turkeys perch, but my Brian doesn't like anything to spoil the shape of the breast, so he always says no to perches, but if they can, they really will fly up onto the top of the coop or a shed to roost as they love being high up. We always use shavings, never straw which can harbour mould spores which an lead to aspergillosis.
Paul Kelly always recommends shavings too, and there isn't much he doesn't know about turkeys!
Breeds are up to you and what you can get. Kellys' have several different breeds and they reach different sizes, but we usually only have the one breed, all bought at the same time, although this year we are trying a few Kelly bronze too. We get our different sizes because the stags grow bigger than the hens do. We got them last Friday at day old and by Christmas they will be between 6kgs and 10.5 kgs oven ready.
