Raising turkeys and chickens together is a common practice on many small farms and homesteads. While it can work well, there are some important considerations when housing turkeys and chickens together. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons, best practices, and things to watch out for when keeping these two types of poultry together.
An Overview of Keeping Turkeys and Chickens Together
Turkeys and chickens are both gallinaceous birds, meaning they are ground-feeding fowl. This makes them suitable companions in many respects. However, there are some key differences between chickens and turkeys that need to be taken into account:
-
Size Turkeys are much larger than chickens. A mature turkey tom can weigh over 30 pounds while a mature hen weighs 16-24 pounds. Standard chickens only reach weights of 5-8 pounds.
-
Behavior: Turkeys can be more aggressive. Hens are usually docile, but toms may fight with each other or pick on smaller chickens.
-
Care needs Turkeys require more space, need higher roosts and are more susceptible to certain poultry diseases.
With proper precautions, these issues can be managed successfully in a mixed flock. Many backyard flock owners do find benefits to housing chickens and turkeys together.
The Benefits of Keeping Turkeys and Chickens Together
There are several advantages that can come with allowing turkeys and chickens to comingle:
-
Shared housing: One coop and outdoor run can service both species, saving space and construction costs.
-
Shared duties: Chickens will alert turkeys to danger. Turkeys may protect chickens from aerial predators.
-
Entertainment: Watching the interspecies interactions can be fun and educational.
-
Brooding: A broody chicken may hatch and raise turkey poults. Vice versa is possible too.
-
Increased immunity: Exposure to turkey diseases may increase chicken immunity to certain illnesses, like Marek’s disease.
-
Pest control: With their larger size and sharper eyesight, turkeys help control insects, mice, and snakes that can bother chickens.
-
Increased egg production: The presence of a turkey tom stimulates hens to lay more eggs.
As you can see, there are compelling reasons why housing chickens and turkeys together works well for many backyard flock owners.
Risks and Challenges of Housing Turkeys and Chickens Together
However, there are also some risks and challenges to be aware of:
-
Disease transmission: Chickens can carry and transmit diseases to turkeys, especially blackhead disease. Turkeys are much more susceptible.
-
Aggression: Turkey toms may attack and injure chickens, especially during breeding season. Hens can get wounded or killed.
-
Smothering: Larger turkeys may crush tiny chicks if allowed to mix together when young.
-
Competition: Turkeys are more aggressive eaters and can push chickens away from feed.
-
Cannibalism: Turkeys may peck at and consume chicken eggs if they gain access to nests.
-
Nutrition: The higher protein requirements of turkeys call for separate feeding areas and diets.
-
Roosting issues: Turkeys prefer to roost higher up than chickens. Lack of space can cause conflicts.
Proper management and preventative measures can help avoid these potential issues in a mixed turkey and chicken flock.
Best Practices for Housing Chickens and Turkeys Together
If you want to keep turkeys and chickens together successfully, follow these tips:
-
Allow a minimum of 10-15 square feet of coop space per turkey, along with ample outdoor range.
-
Introduce poults and chicks gradually at a young age for easiest integration.
-
Monitor for aggression, especially among mature male turkeys, and separate any bullies.
-
Provide multiple feed and water stations to prevent crowding.
-
Feed age-appropriate turkey and chicken feeds to meet nutritional needs.
-
Ensure adequate, elevated roosting space preferred by turkeys.
-
Keep feed and water clean to avoid disease transmission.
-
Check for parasites and illnesses frequently. Isolate and treat any sick birds.
-
Maintain excellent biosecurity and hygiene practices in housing areas.
-
Worm poultry regularly to prevent blackhead outbreaks.
-
Separate species during highest disease risk periods for chickens.
Following these guidelines will allow you to benefit from the pros of joint housing while avoiding most of the potential drawbacks.
Introducing and Brooding Chicks and Poults
Special care should be taken when brooding chicks and poults together. Young poults are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations and drafts. A poult-friendly brooder setup is a must. Provide extra space and use visual barriers in the brooder to discourage piling or smothering.
Until around 4-6 weeks of age, turkey poults have different nutritional requirements than baby chicks, needing 28-32% protein feed rather than the standard 20% chick starter. Separation at feeding time is wise. Once on grower feed, they can safely dine together.
Some other brooding tips:
- Give poults their own feed and water lines at chick height initially
- Make sure poults can access heat lamps safely
- Use additional heating pads or stones for poults
- Let poults and chicks intermingle under supervision only at first
- Ensure adequate brooding space for all young birds
- Watch for signs of chilling, pasting, or smothering
With attentive management, it is possible to brood newly hatched chicks and poults side-by-side.
Housing Considerations for Turkeys and Chickens
The right housing setup goes a long way towards smooth integration of turkeys and chickens.
Turkeys prefer roosting up high, so ensure roosts are installed at heights over 5 feet. Dedicate the highest perches to turkeys to prevent competition with chickens.
Since turkeys are larger, they need more elbow room at feeders and waterers. Separate feed and water stations help. Allow multiple areas for dust bathing and lounging.
Turkeys are also messier with their feed and water. Plan for extra maintenance and cleaning time. Solid flooring that can be shoveled out frequently is a must in a turkey coop.
Make sure ventilation and airflow meet turkey needs. Ammonia builds up rapidly from turkey droppings. Good airflow keeps coops smelling fresh.
Predator protection is also more serious for turkeys. Their size makes them an appealing target. Fortify fencing and coops properly against digging and climbing predators.
Overall, when housing turkeys and chickens together, just take the extra size, mess, and care needs of turkeys into account. Give them enough space and roosting options and your mixed flock should thrive.
Common Health Issues to Monitor
Preventing illness is imperative for successfully raising turkeys and chickens together. Here are some common health issues to watch for:
Blackhead disease – The biggest disease threat. Caused by a protozoan parasite. Birds show liver damage, weakness, yellow droppings. Prevention involves keeping litter clean and reducing exposure to carrier animals like earthworms. Add vitamins E and K to water 1-2 times per week. Worm regularly. Quickly isolate any sick birds.
Marek’s disease – Common viral chicken disease. Turkeys carry a mild form that lowers risk for chickens. Symptoms include gray iris, leg weakness, and paralysis. Isolate and cull affected birds.
Fowl pox – Viral infection causing wart-like nodules on skin and internal lesions. Provide good ventilation. Isolate affected birds, treat lesions gently.
Parasites – Worms, mites, lice, etc. Check for parasites frequently. Dust bathing opportunities help control external parasites. Use veterinarian prescribed treatments if needed. Quarantine any new birds.
Fowl cholera – Bacterial disease causing sudden death. Look for fever, swollen wattles, troubled breathing, bluish combs. Isolate sick birds. Disinfect equipment thoroughly.
Promptly separating any ill chickens or turkeys and taking biosafety measures can limit the spread of disease in a mixed flock. Offering good nutrition, reducing stress, and keeping their environment clean are the best preventatives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Housing Turkeys and Chickens Together
How much space per bird do turkeys need vs chickens?
Turkeys require a minimum of 10-15 square feet of coop space per bird, along with ample outdoor range. Chickens need 3-4 square feet of coop space each.
Can a chicken hen brood turkey poults?
Yes. A medium sized hen can usually hatch and raise 4-6 poults effectively. Take care not to let the hen get overloaded.
Will turkeys eat chicken feed?
Yes, turkeys will eat layer feed, but
Raising Turkeys with Chickens
Many people who wind up raising turkeys with chickens do so accidentally, or coincidently as it may be. I’ve been raising turkeys with chickens for years now, but I never planned on doing so, it just kind of happened that way.
You may have pardoned a turkey from the Thanksgiving processing line, decided you wanted to try turkey eggs, or only wanted a new living yard decoration. Regardless of the reasoning or situation, anyone who plans on raising turkeys with chickens needs to come to terms with the potential health risks.
Unlike when keeping goats with chickens, chickens and turkeys can share diseases. When raising turkeys with chickens, histomoniasis, also known as blackhead disease, is a concern. Blackhead, named after the dark coloring of the face it causes, is a disease that both chickens and turkeys can contract.
Turkeys are highly susceptible to black head, unlike their chicken counterparts. Any turkey infected with the disease is likely to die from it, and little can be done without the guidance of a veterinarian.
Benefits & Pitfalls Of Raising Turkeys With Chickens
Raising turkeys with chickens has been discouraged for years, but despite that, many homesteaders are going back to a mixed flock approach. There are some excellent benefits to keeping a mixed flock, but there are some serious bird health hazards associated with it as well.
The ultimate question a flock owner needs to answer is, what are the risks and do the benefits outweigh them? Let’s give you the information you’ll need to make that decision, and a few tips in case you decide that raising turkeys with chickens is for you.