keeping a mixed flock

[the funny farm6]

ok, need advice from the experts here. what can/cant be kept together? i got my first turkeys and have been told NOT to keep them with other poultry. i have heard about the blackhead disease reason for the turkeys, but i have also heard of people keeping mixed flocks with turkeys. i have also been told i am doing a no-no by keeping chickens, ducks, and guineas in the same coop. nobody is getting beat up and nobody has been sick. anyone got advice, or experience?

 

[BarredBuff]

Okay, I am no expert but here are my experiences. I acquired 15 turkey poults from two sources both the same breed (Bourbon Reds) and all of them either died or dissappeared all at different ages and sexes. I lost several in the brooder, and when they went out on range some did great for a while and were looking great then mysteriously died and the other dissappeared. So I am not advocating turkeys because my experience with them has been that they are not hardy at all. I fed them correctly and they had good housing. I know from WBF's experiences that hers wouldn't die if a nuke was dropped. But that wasn't my experience.

As far as Chickens, Ducks and Guineas together. That should work fine, I don't have any problems with my Muscovies and Chickens being together. The Drake can be a jerk sometimes but 90 percent of the time he is fine. I keep my geese, ducks, and chickens together right now and everyone is great. But when breeding season arrives the geese will be relocated for the other's safety. I am pretty satisfied with my flock now, and I free range completely so that helps.

 

[Beekissed]

Love that new siggy, BB!

 

[the funny farm6]

they didnt give me a reason that the chickens, ducks, and guineas couldnt be together. but most people i know keep at least guineas and chickens together.

its not like they are going to interbreed. but can you picture a guinea/duck. ewww.

another question i have is, i am ok with keeping them separate if i HAVE to, but how far apart do i have to keep them? i would love 1 big coop. but can they be in coops next to each other?

and i have been told not to keep the chickens too close together. but a lady i know keeps her rabbits in the chicken coop. she just keeps a board on top of the rabbit cages, and said to make sure the chickens cant poop in their food and water. (she has the covered j feeders). and the chickens clean up under the rabbit cages. she said the problem is that there is something that can be transfered to the rabbits from the chickens.

 

[BarredBuff]

they didnt give me a reason that the chickens, ducks, and guineas couldnt be together. but most people i know keep at least guineas and chickens together.

its not like they are going to interbreed. but can you picture a guinea/duck. ewww.

another question i have is, i am ok with keeping them separate if i HAVE to, but how far apart do i have to keep them? i would love 1 big coop. but can they be in coops next to each other?

and i have been told not to keep the chickens too close together. but a lady i know keeps her rabbits in the chicken coop. she just keeps a board on top of the rabbit cages, and said to make sure the chickens cant poop in their food and water. (she has the covered j feeders). and the chickens clean up under the rabbit cages. she said the problem is that there is something that can be transfered to the rabbits from the chickens.

You don't even have to keep them separate, I wouldn't let it interfere with my plan. If you have them cooped and in a run, make sure there is alot of outdoor room. I have 28 Chickens, 2 Ducks, 2 Geese in an 8 by 8 coop right now. But 12 hours of the day they are outside on at least 4 acres. I have next to no problems. Rabbits can get coccidia from chickens and the poop carries it.

 

[BarredBuff]

Love that new siggy, BB!

Thanks

 

[Bettacreek]

Everyone here runs together. Turkeys, ducks and chickens. That includes chickens ranging from the 15lb cornish cross roo down to 1.5lb OEGB roo (and even his chicks, two 6oz little rats). The only problem I've had so far is that my dominant turkey is in full swing of breeding and has no hens, so he humps the pekin hens on a regular basis. I have not had any problems. As for turkeys being frail, well, poults seem to need a little bit of attention, but after they feather out, they seem to be just fine. I DID have problems when I had to put a duck and a turkey into the brooder with button quail. I think they passed something onto the quail that made them start dropping like flies, even after the turkey and duck were removed, but haven't had any illnesses in the outdoor flock. *Knock on wood* My buddy also has some ducks, turkeys and a few of his basic layer hens running together (all of the exotics are kenneled to keep them pure) and he has never had any issues either.

Our count here is 10 standard layers, several young ameraucanas (maybe four months now?), a pair of OEGB with their two chicks, a dozen cornish cross, four silkies, five turkey toms and six ducks. Granted, everyone free ranges and when they're locked up for the night, they have a huge room to roost in, so I don't have any issues.

 

[pinkfox]

tureys and CHICKENS are nonos because of black head, (chickens can be carriers and it can and will kill turks) but your turks should be safe to run with any other kind of poultry.

guineas can run with anythign (and its actually suggested they be rasied with soem chickens to help encorage them to continue returning home to roost) but be VERY carefull with guineas around NEW additions to an existing flock...they can be serious bullies and ive heard of them pecking new commers to death.

the only issue ive seen with ducks/any waterfowl and chickens together is that ducks sleep on the ground (unless muscovy) and chickens roost...its inevatable that at some point your chickens are going to poop ON your ducks, the otherissue is simplyt that ducks are MESSY and like to play in their water so youd have to be carefull about mud outside and wet coop inside but otherwise shouldnt be an issue.

i think assuming you have a CLOSED flock (ie not bringing in random birds) and could ensure your chickens arnt black head carriers id have no problem runing turks with chickens either...

 

[Hinotori]

they didnt give me a reason that the chickens, ducks, and guineas couldnt be together. but most people i know keep at least guineas and chickens together.

its not like they are going to interbreed. but can you picture a guinea/duck. ewww.

Chickens and guinea can interbreed. They are close enough related. Doesn't mean it is common. Grandma always kept the chickens, guineas, and ducks together and never had problems. Actually, I think all my relatives just put all the birds together, but none ever kept turkeys. Grandpa Furrer had peacocks with his as well.

 

[Marianne]

I bought 10 chicks and 4 keets at the same time last spring. I read that if you raise them together, the guineas will be more like chickens. Oh har. Now I have 10 chickens that think they are guineas.

I had to put them in the duck run for a while. After a couple weeks we had to build a new area for the ducks (3 Pekin - all drakes). They didn't like the guineas. As time progressed we had trouble with the ducks humping the female guinea and any chicken that couldn't outrun them. Ducks went into lockup, but now everyone is free ranging again. Ducks have their own housing and run, guineas and chickens are together, including the 7 old hens. Peacock moved back over to the neighbors, but he always roosted in a tree.

As far as I can tell, every critter is healthy.