Chicken hens and Toms?

[The Peckers]

Hello everyone!

We are planing on getting some turkeys, but we have chickens where they will live. We know about blackhead already, but what about having toms exposed to chicken hens? Will the toms mount the hens? Does age group play a role? We dont want turkeys if they will mount our chickens...anyone have any info on this? Thanks for all the help!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've never had a Tom try to mount chickens. Both hens and Tom turkeys can and will kill chickens. It's not common and doesn't happen often but it is always a risk.

My young turkeys will chase my chickens. If they couldn't escape they would be in trouble. I have had young toms kill a rooster and hens seem to harass the chickens more.

I would recommend that you keep your turkeys separately from your chickens, though some free ranging in the same area can work as long as the chickens can get away, but the turkeys should have their own shed and run.

 

[Molpet]

mine are together and I wish they were not. 4 jakes got a cockerel .. he had a broken back and blown out hips , along with the back of his head pecked bloody... they were the best of buddies until that day
one jake kept going after the chickens on the roost at night, so I divided the 8x 24' coop and 100'x 70' run so the chickens can get into their own space... need to build a separate turkey coop/run when it warms up.

 

[R2elk]

Hello everyone!

We are planing on getting some turkeys, but we have chickens where they will live. We know about blackhead already, but what about having toms exposed to chicken hens? Will the toms mount the hens? Does age group play a role? We dont want turkeys if they will mount our chickens...anyone have any info on this? Thanks for all the help!!

If you keep lone toms, they will eventually try to mount the hens which very often ends in dead or crippled hens. If the toms have turkey hens of their own they are not likely to try to mount chicken hens. Turkeys need lots of room. If you try to put them in a small space like some do with their chickens, their will be problems.

 

[The Peckers]

Ok, thanks! That's great advise!