[Oliveview]

Any advice on rearing turkeys? 
Pamela

[Vember]

Hi Pamela

Hope your ok?

Congrats on the turkeys

All I can say is don't let them out too soon if they are tiny babies, damp wet conditions can kill them at a young age

If they are to run with your chickens keep a constant poo watch and mustardy looking ones and there could be trouble in the form of blackhead

I worm Paxo once every 4-6 wks with Flubenvet but just for 3 days, I don't know if this is the reason he is still alive or not but it doesn't appear to be doing him any harm

Normal turkey poops are slightly more solid than hens (not great to look at but needs must at times ) the other thing is their poops stink

That said Paxo is a pet, Grannie will be more help with the what to do with the meat birds

I'll pop you over to the hen house, then Grannie will spot you

Sarah

[GrannieAnnie]

Yoohooo!  Only just seen this one, thanks Vember!  We rear our turkeys separately to the chickens Pamela, just in case of blackhead, but lots of people do rear them together.

They are fed on proper turkey food, which is slightly different to chook feed, but not sure what you can get over there in Spain?  Ours are 4 weeks old now and in the next few days we are hoping to get them outside onto my veg garden. 

How old are yours?  We kept them a few degrees warmer than chicks for the first 4 weeks, but once they are feathered up properly they will be fine in very cold weather.

They like a bit of greenery too like chooks do.  they are more inquisitive than chickens and you may find it's hard to part with them when the time comes!
They do like perching, but Brian always says he doesn't like ours to perch in case it flattens their breasts!  Watch out for them pecking each other.  As you only have a couple you will probably be okay, but although I trimmed their beaks a bit, they still try to kill each other and I ave 8 segregated at the moment. 6 with pecked wings, 1 with a badly pecked neck and one with a pecked head!

Anything specific Pamela, ask away, but its late now and I can't think straight!!

nite nite, talk soon   

[Oliveview]

What is blackhead?  I´ve got pelleted type food for the turkeys. They have a nice cosy house made out of pallets and plastic covered (we call it Alexander Palace, it was built by my BIL Sandy!) We did think they might be able to mix with the hens once they get bigger, but how would we keep their food seperate?
Pamela

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Pamela, apparently blackhead is something chickens carry, but can pass on to turkeys and it can kill them.  It's a parasite carried by the heterakis worm, my little bit of info here says if you worms your hens with flubenvet, it removes the vector, so I suppose if your hens are wormed regularly, then the turkeys won't get it.

Feeding them separately though, could be a problem.  The turkeys would eat everything and you'd have starving chickens!!! 

but see what people like vember do about their food, as our turkeys are completely separate to the chicken area.

[SMD66]

we had some last yr who ate nettles!  Brilliant!  We used to string cabbage for them to peck too. 
Ours were good at flying over a 4' 6" fence, even with clipped wings!
I found them more flighty generally than hens, more easily spooked, they don't like aeroplanes!

[Oliveview]

I found them more flighty generally than hens, more easily spooked, they don't like aeroplanes!

We had 6 Eurofighters go over on Sunday, just as well the turkeys were not here then!!  We are not far from the Morón airbase (as the crow flies that is)
Pamela

[SMD66]

ours used to look up at them and make strange noises, I don't think they will like fighters!

[GrannieAnnie]

Our turkeys last year used to look up sideways at the planes going over, as if to say, I'm not arguing with you, you're bigger than me!!!

And yes, ours used to fly over the electric fencing too, but not towards the end when they got too big!!! 

Just thought too Pamela, these pellets, are they medicated at all?  If they are, then you will need to put them on some plain feed for the last week or 2 to get the medication out of their systems before they are killed.

[poppies]

Hi also they like to roost as high as they can get, ours used to get up on the fence and when oh was getting them down the big stag whacked him with his wing and gave him a blackeye,

and apparently they suffer with high blood pressure

[Oliveview]

Ours were roosting up on top of their house last night- so I took them down and put them inside their house!  I clipped a wing on each of them this morning.
I´ll check if the food is medicated Annie, I´ve only bought a 5kg bag, so it was weighed out from a big sack.
Pamela

[Gareth J]

Hi oliveview, Im rearing two turkeys for the first time this year and although I do not have any advice, I am concerned that my birds dont seem interested in eating too much. At the rate they are going I think they will be ready for Christmas next year not this

[Vember]

What are you feeding them Gareth? How old are they now?

Where are they indoors or out, with chickens or alone?

What are their poops like? Are they standing around scrating and pecking or just very withdrawn ?


Sorry for all the questions but they might help sort out if there is a problem or not


Sarah

[Gareth J]

Hi vember, I am feeding them rearers pellets, they are outdoors with a covered lean to for shelter. their poops have been a bit runny occaisionly. they do scratch and peck around, they are kept in the run next to the chickens not mixed. I got them in late july and I think they were about 12 weeks old. they just dont look big enough for the table!

[Vember]

Really horrid sounding question but poop colour is quite important  

I shall pop a pic up of my new girls who are about 5 months and they aren't huge, the fact they're girlies does make a difference Hopefully that may give you an idea if they are as they should be for their age

I'll be right back with a pic



Sarah