[pandora]

I bought half a dozen 5 week old turkeys 2 years ago and reared them for Christmas. They were lovely birds to keep, and tasted delicious! A new baby meant I didn't do it again last year, but this year I have a bit more time and energy and would like to hatch some turkey eggs. I am reasonably experienced with hatching chicken eggs, apart from taking 7 days longer are there any special tips I should know for turkey eggs? I am a bit concerned about blackhead - how far away should I keep them from my hens? Can I keep the hatchlings in the same room as my chicks have been in earlier this year, or should I use a different stable for the turkeys? How long do you keep them inside for? (I let mine out at about 7 weeks last time, but I don't know if that was too early.)

Any other tips also gratefully received! Thanks.

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't know about hatching turkeys are we buy ours at day old, but as I'm a bit paranoid about the possibilities of blackhead, no chickens run on the ground that we keep for the turkeys.  And I don't rear them either together or even near each other.

the big brooder shed is used for chicks throughout the year until a month before the turkey poults arrive, but once the chicks are ot of it, the shed is swept, vacuumed and then sprayed liverally with Jeyes Fluid, and to-date we have never had a problem with blackhead.