Poultry Questions (calling ALL turkeys, and geese people)

[BarredBuff]

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[ohiofarmgirl]

here's what i know:

1. Whats the breed for me? I want a large heritage breed thats hardy and will raise their own young. I like the Standard Bronze most of all. Do they meet these qualities?

- i dont know about Standard Bronze but we LOVE our Bourbon Reds.

2. Can chicks and poults be brooded and live together as adults?

aside from blackhead, still not a great idea but can work. ours roost separately and some hens get into the turkey run but we keep the turks - who are much larger and can throw their weight around - out of the hen yard for sure. that being said, our BR turkey momma, Runner lived with the chickens and hatched a clutch of chicks just fine. but after they were grown and she went back to the turkey yard. remember that toms and roo's might fight each other for dominance. i know someone who's fabulous roo died..... terribly from..um.. er.. an "encounter" with a tom.

3. I know they can catch blackhead from chickens, do you allow them to mix?

as above

4. Do home raised, heritage birds have a different taste than storebought hybrids?

YES! its much more turkey-like. thats the only way to describe it.

5. Are they primarily self sufficient with their feeding?

my turks would rather free range than eat bagged food.

Any other turkey tips would be appreciated.

separate the setting mommas from the toms - he'll try to get into her nest and may injure or killer b/c she wont leave her eggs for his..um.. amorous advances.

turkeys are fun and funny. we love them.

Now to Geese!

1. Whats the breed for me? I want a lmedium to large breed thats hardy and will raise their own young, and VERY docile. I like the Pilgrim most of all, I know those are sex linked, do they breed pure? Do they meet these qualities? Any breed suggestions?

would love some pilgrims but i'm totally nutty for my Roman Tufted mixes. i love the little top knot.

2. Can goslings and ducklings be brooded and live with chickens and turkeys as adults?

no. my gander is a hen killer and thats not unusual. the ganders are VERY protective of their mates especially when she is setting. also you want to keep your waterfowl away from your turkeys. Turkey Steve let me know this in no uncertain terms. of course we didnt listen and then a bunch of our poults died from cocci - which the ducks make worse from how wet they are. but geese only need a very low fence to keep them in, same with turks after 6 or 8 months.

3. Do they sell good? What do they taste like?

like duck. but we ended up liking our geese too much to dress them. plus they are always lookin' at you like they know what you are thinking.

5. Are they primarily self sufficient with their feeding?

we free range ours except for a little corn at nite and thats it. during the winter we give them more feed and hay...but they are grass eaters and are very happy "mowing" the grass.

and not to be a stick in the mud...but geese can be mean. like, really mean. that stupid gander and i have been in hand to hand combat and he was winning and i have the scar on my arm to prove it. and today i walked by with the goat and he bit her on the bottom! (boy was she surprised). so just be forewarned.

i loved the pair that we hand raised last summer. we ended up selling them - appropriately priced we've never had much of a problem selling our geese. people love them - and so do i. especially that gander.

 

[Wannabefree]

1. Make SURE you are getting the HERITAGE bronze.
2. Mine do.
3. I do.
4. I dunno yet
5. Pretty much. i give them corn in the morning, and they range the rest of the day on about an acre with 50-60 or 100 or so...however many chickens I have now

Geese

 

[BarredBuff]

Thanks OFG! I'd rather have turkeys than geese, because I think theyd be more useful. But something about geese I like even though Ive never had any. Did the turks get cocci as adults?

WBF, thanks for your input as well!

Mine would all be free ranging together on a very large lot. Over a acre and a half. So I think they would all mix well.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

1. Whats the breed for me? I want a large heritage breed thats hardy and will raise their own young. I like the Standard Bronze most of all. Do they meet these qualities?

Bourbon Reds are a nice, large heritage bird that does very well setting and raising their young. I myself prefer Royal Palm turkeys, but as adults, they are a more medium turkey and much smaller than Bourbons.

2. Can chicks and poults be brooded and live together as adults?

I keep Mama's and babies in their own quarters, but most of the time do hatching myself with false mama (incubator) so I brood them in a brooder

3. I know they can catch blackhead from chickens, do you allow them to mix?

Yes, but only as babies. I will put new turkey poults in with new chicks just so the turkeys learn to eat and drink. They watch the chicks and copy. Poults are much harder to raise because sometimes they just don't start to eat and drink like they should.

Also, turkeys don't have to mix with chickens to contract blackhead. Blackhead can also be in the ground.


4. Do home raised, heritage birds have a different taste than storebought hybrids?

Can't answer this, haven't butchered my own yet. But I will say home raised will be healthier for you than the storebought.

5. Are they primarily self sufficient with their feeding?

Oh yes! Turkeys are better foragers than most of my chickens!

Any other turkey tips would be appreciated.

Now to Geese!

1. Whats the breed for me? I want a lmedium to large breed thats hardy and will raise their own young, and VERY docile. I like the Pilgrim most of all, I know those are sex linked, do they breed pure? Do they meet these qualities? Any breed suggestions?

PILGRIMS! They are a medium goose, but the most aggressive my gander got was to hiss at us when we walk by during mating season. Even at that, I can go in the pen and pick him up like a dog! They've never bit anyone (people anyway), not even during their nesting. yes, they breed true to the sexlink if that's what you are asking. Yellow babies will be white boys and dark grey babies will be grey with some white on the head females. I don't think you can go wrong with Pilgrims, PLUS they are on the conservancy critical list. But, also keep in mind that sometimes the Pilgrim breed can have lower fertility than other breeds, thus less babies. Mine had good fertility this year, just we had a rat issue.

2. Can goslings and ducklings be brooded and live with chickens and turkeys as adults?

No no no! and especially keep any animals/other poultry away from a nesting goose! My Pilgrim Goose murdered my Blue Orpington Rooster because he got nosey and stuck his head in her nesting box. (he wasn't even supposed to be in her pen, but the gate had got left open by mistake)


3. Do they sell good? What do they taste like?

Pilgrims, in my area, seem to be in high demand! They are one of the first breeds of gosling to sell out at the local swap, and I put my adult pair up for sale and had no problem finding a buyer within the hour. Day old goslings normally sell for about $25 a pair from a hatchery.

5. Are they primarily self sufficient with their feeding?

They are kind of like a cow in this aspect - give them pasture and they'll graze and graze and graze, and other than giving them hay/feed in the winter, shouldn't have to throw too much feed their way!

 

[BarredBuff]

Thank Quail Antwerp! I probably should mark geese off of my list because of their agressiveness. But Turkeys are sounding better and better.......

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I agree - can't go wrong with Turkeys!!

 

[BarredBuff]

Will turkeys still be aggressive to my other two flocks (ducks and chickens) even if they are not "tightly" confined. They would have run of the yard. My ducks and chickens are two different flocks despite being together for almost 7 monthes now.

 

[freemotion]

Turkey Steve answered my question about chickens/turkeys and blackhead disease a few years ago. He said to call your local ag university or extension service and find out if blackhead is in your area. If it is not, then mix those birds at will. If it is, use the blackhead precautions...keeping the poults off the ground, etc.

We don't have blackhead in this area so it wasn't a problem.

 

[BarredBuff]

Turkey Steve answered my question about chickens/turkeys and blackhead disease a few years ago. He said to call your local ag university or extension service and find out if blackhead is in your area. If it is not, then mix those birds at will. If it is, use the blackhead precautions...keeping the poults off the ground, etc.

We don't have blackhead in this area so it wasn't a problem.

Yeah I need to do that if I get them. What are other blackhead precautions?