AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Would turkeys get on well with Hamburg’s including 2 roosters? They would have to live full time in the large coop together as I cannot let them out because of foxes

Socially they would probably be OK in a large pen. The risk for the turkeys however when being run with chickens, is blackhead disease.

The turkey can pick this up from the chickens. Briefly, the worms that the chickens carry have the blackhead organism. The turkey can then pick it up from the pens. Once infected the turkey will be come seriously ill and probably die.

If you very regularly worm your chickens, or if you live somewhere very dry, or if you change the litter in the pen very reguarly, then the risk to the turkeys is lessened.

Currently there is no licenced medication available to treat turkeys since Emtryl was taken off the market.

I have heard of this METROGYL being used. I have 6 turkey poults which are kept in a separate pen to the chooks and ducks however there are chooks that regularly visit the pen. This pen has never housed chooks or ducks only calves in the past so has no history of worms. Having said that I regularly worm everything and keep my pens clean and as dry as possible. I have heard of those who have housed turkeys and chooks together for many years with out incidence of blackhead but as you said andrewschooks it does depend on many factors.

None have mentioned that fact that the turkey toms will mate with the chooks = a small chook stands no chance at all against a large amorous turkey!!!!

Also some toms will 'stomp' on a small bird and kill it – depends on the individual turkey of course but personally I wouldn’t take the chance

So really its is not worth the risk to both the chickens or the turkeys. So plan b, how much room would a pair of turkeys need as in coop size?
I appreciate your help thank you

If they are going to be exclusively on deep litter I would allow 4mt X 6mt as a minimum size with 2 nesting boxes that are large enough for a turkey [off the ground about ½ to ¾m] as she will probably change her mind daily which one she will lay in – put a fake egg in each to encourage her to lay IN the box of course. Also = roosts at various heights [away from drafts] to allow them to ‘play’ and for the hen to get a break from the tom being the only female with him.

Note they will need a lot of greens as well as the grains/pellets as turkeys are large eaters and in a pen they may run to fat from lack of exercise if solely fed grains/pellets. They can be fed grass clippings [start with small amounts and build up daily] = put the clippings in a milk crate that is tied steady to the mesh to keep the birds from walking over them and pooping on them

If possible have them running loose in a paddock [or larger backyard = 1acre per 2 birds] during the day and in the pen at night only – that way they get exercise and a good amount of greens [grass], they will denude the average size suburban backyard in a matter of weeks tho.

Their wing will need to be clipped to keep them from flapping up and out over the fence tho. Turkeys are suprisingly good at flying UP, but not so good at flying down.