I have checked the archives but still need advice. I ordered turkeys that will arrive in late March. We haven't had turkeys since I was a little kid and I just realized I don't remember a thing about them.

What kind of feed for how long? How much room? (I'm getting 20 - white and bronze), how old when you butcher? If I get them in late March, will they be O.K. for my daughter to take to fair in mid-August? (size and marketability)

What do you feed them (supplimental) if they free range? What kind of care, feed, etc. would make them organic if I decide to sell them for meat? Thanks for any help, I know you guys have the answers!!!

-- kathy swietlik (kathy0801@msn.com), February 24, 2002

Answers

The turkeys need game bird feed or something that has high protein. They can't be raised with chickens or they'll get blackhead and die. I don't know if they would be organic if you use purchased feed. I wouldn't get excited about the space. Good Luck!

-- Carla (herbs@computer-concepts.com), February 24, 2002.

I have always raised chickens & turkeys together with no problems.

-- Wendy (weiskids@yahoo.com), February 24, 2002.

Start here. www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/202 and then put "raising turkeys" in your search engine. You will get lots of info. The Storeys Guide to Raising Tuukeys is also excellant. Good luck, LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), February 24, 2002.

Hi Kathy,

Turkeys are a bit more delicate than most chickens so it is very important they are kept warm enough. They also need a higher protein feed at least the first week or so. We too have raised our chickens and turkeys together and never had any problems. Turkeys chicks are very curious (ie will peck at the rings you wear etc, eat anything shiny, and always seem to have the most tragic accidents on our farm!). If you are having problems getting them to drink when they first arrive, we always put marbles in their waterer. They love to peck at them and learn to drink.

Good luck, Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), February 24, 2002.

We always had a bunch (err a flock) of turkeys, mostly bronze around the homestead when I was growing up. They didn't waste as much feed as chickens tho. Here's a few sites that might help: http://eru.usask.ca/saf_corp/livestok/poultry/turkey.htm http://www.strombergschickens.com/books/turkey_books.htm http://www.ralphmag.org/briefs4.html (ignore the first article and page down to the second) George

-- George (wycowboy2@yahoo.com), February 24, 2002.

First bit I'd like to add is, make sure to use a red light bulb in your brooder! It cuts way down on the number of picked-on poults (something about not being able to see the blood....). See if you can get some "turkey starter" from your feed mill, but game bird feeds are pretty close, I believe. Marbles in the waterer is a must in the beginning, and try to use the smallest waterer you can, to avoid drownings (seems like of all the chicks/poults/ducks we raise the poults like to go "diving" the most). I read a bit about the "blackhead" disease, in several of the university sites a while back, and found that particular disease is communicable to both chickens and turkeys, but in chickens the symptoms are more like that of a cold, while it is pretty-much deadly to turkeys. The disease is transmitted thru the bugs' "eggs" (occosists, I believe theyr'e called). So the infected chickens "drop" the occosists, earthworms eat the occosists, then the turkeys inadvertantly "pick" them up while in the same area. And it seems the occosists live quite a long time in earthworms, thus the "old farmers rule" of never raise turkeys with chickens or where chickens were living. That's also the reason you see turkeys raise "on raised wire" floored pens, so they can't get to the dirt/earthworms.

-- TonyG (here@here.com), February 25, 2002.