The Poultry Keeper

adamntitch · Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 51 Location: edinburgh

can anyone give me info on houseing diet and anything else people think i need to know please as am taken on a couple as pets

debcat · Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:20 pm Post subject:

turkeys are so funny, really clumsy but right characters
they like to roost high up, mine go in the barn rafters but have been known to go on the house roof
they eat layers pellets and whole wheat and lay really well in the spring and summer
what sort have you taken on?

Sparklepeeps · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 1950 Location: Cheshire

They fly and are good escapologists, plus dont put themseves to bed unlike the chickens. This isall I know mind! (I was hoping to rear christmas dinner, but abandoned the idea on account of their excellent flying abilities).

debcat · Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject:

mine have never escaped, if the weather is bad they are the first in the barn, if it's good they are on the roof

they have such a great character once you get them you will never be without them Very Happy

Sparklepeeps · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 1950 Location: Cheshire

I suppose my situation would be a bit different to yours, my brood have to stay within a small 1 metre high fenced area. Cant risk having a turkey, as neighbours would do their nut if it started hanging round in their gardens!

debcat · Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:38 pm Post subject:

mine mostly stay on the yard, they do like to hop over the wall into the garden though (there's hens there as well so more food for them to pinch)
at a guess I'd say they roam less than 1/4 acre on their daily travels

Sparklepeeps · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 1950 Location: Cheshire

Whats an acre in metres/yards?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7165 Location: isle of lewis

mine have escaped once into next doors and then hopped on the wall and walked down the road back home ,think football pitch size Wink

Sparklepeeps · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 1950 Location: Cheshire

Is there anything you can do to stop turkeys from flying

CP · Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 3:24 am Post subject:

Ball & chain? Laughing

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7165 Location: isle of lewis

her wing was clipped one side
ball and chain might work Cool

sasha.p · Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 479 Location: gwent

i have to ask after the ball and chain comment lol how high can they actually get?my pair should be fine to roam but if they can get over a normal stock fence they may end up on my neighbours patch as i am looking at putting mine near my boundry and he has two dogs also how high would an electric fence need to be to retain them and as they grow large would netting or tape style fencing be best?i know they like to roost in the trees is this true as we have lots of wooded area for them but will have to trim a few branches so they cant start tree hopping to the other side of an electric fence also i read somewhere they are not supposed to be kept on the same soil as chickens as there is some disease black head or somthing if i remeber right they can catch from a parasite the chickens poo carrys how true is this?and how often can this happen

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

I've just put my name down on 2 blue hens and also a trio of slates. I'm very excited, I'm getting the blue hens on Saturday and the trio of slates after next weekend Very Happy

CP · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:20 am Post subject:

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7165 Location: isle of lewis

i was on the phone the other night and i and she could hear a scream from upstairs ,the turkeys had flewn onto her roof ,and in the half light the children hadn't reliezed that it was turkeys ,and had seen something at the bedroom window Rolling Eyes

,but these are lighter types of turkeys Laughing