Will A Turkey Protect Chickens? Exploring The Pros And Cons Of A Mixed Flock

Raising chickens and turkeys together in a mixed flock can provide certain benefits, such as turkeys acting as guard animals to protect chickens from predators. However, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider before introducing turkeys into your existing chicken flock. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of keeping chickens and turkeys together to help you decide if a mixed flock is right for you.

Can Turkeys Protect Chickens From Predators?

One of the most commonly cited reasons for keeping turkeys is using them as a natural form of protection for chickens. The idea is that turkeys, especially toms (male turkeys), will act as guard animals and fend off predators that may threaten chickens.

This protective behavior in turkeys is believed to occur because

• Turkeys are larger and more intimidating than chickens, which can deter some predators A tom turkey displaying his feathers and “strutting” can look formidable

• Turkeys are more likely to fight back against predators than chickens While chickens will mostly try to flee from predators, turkeys are more prone to being aggressive and confronting threats

• When raised together from a young age, turkeys may form a social bond with chickens and have a natural instinct to protect their mixed flock.

However, turkeys protecting chickens is not guaranteed. Some people have success keeping turkeys and chickens together and report fewer losses to predators with a guard turkey on patrol. But others find the turkeys provide little real protection.

Much depends on the individual personality and breeding of the turkeys, as well as what predators are common in your area. Turkeys may fend off foxes, raccoons, feral cats, and other medium-sized predators, but likely won’t deter more formidable predators like coyotes. And aerial predators like hawks present a challenge as well.

So while turkeys can provide some level of protection in some circumstances, they should not be solely relied on to keep chickens totally safe. Proper housing, fencing, and other precautions specifically for deterring predators are still needed.

Other Pros Of Keeping Turkeys And Chickens Together

In addition to potential protection benefits, other pros of a mixed turkey and chicken flock include:

• Natural behaviors: Both species usually integrate well together and will exhibit more natural behaviors like roosting, foraging, dust bathing, etc. when housed together.

• Shared space and resources: You don’t have to build completely separate enclosures and infrastructure for each species. Chickens and turkeys can share a coop, run, pasture, etc.

• Companionship: Chickens and turkeys can form social bonds and may even “talk” to each other with their vocalizations. This companionship is beneficial to their health and emotional wellbeing.

• Increased flock size: The combined flock provides safety in numbers from some predators who prefer to prey on lone animals or very small groups.

• Brooding: Turkey hens can potentially help keep chicken chicks warm and protected under their wings during the brooding stage when chicks are most vulnerable.

Potential Drawbacks Of Housing Chickens And Turkeys Together

While there are certainly benefits to a mixed flock, here are some potential disadvantages to be aware of:

• Injury or harassment: Due to their large size difference, toms may injure or even kill small chickens if they try to mate with them. Hens can get harassed too.

• Competition: Turkeys may bully chickens and dominate food and water sources due to their larger size.

• Differing needs: Chickens and turkeys have slightly different habitat, feed, and climate needs that are tougher to meet when housed together.

• Messy waterers: Turkeys bathe in water dishes more than chickens, so shared waterers get dirtier faster.

• Disease transmission: While rare, turkeys and chickens can potentially transmit certain diseases to each other that their species is vulnerable to.

• Fighting: Roosters may fight with toms over territory and dominance in the flock.

Proper management and precautions can prevent or minimize most of these drawbacks of a mixed flock. And the benefits often make it worthwhile for many backyard chicken keepers to add a few turkeys to their existing flock.

Tips For Successfully Keeping Turkeys And Chickens Together

If you want to keep chickens and turkeys together, here are some tips to make it work:

• Start with poults and chicks. Raising them together from a young age allows them to imprint on each other and establish the flock hierarchy early. Introducing unfamiliar adult birds can cause more tension.

• Ensure adequate space and resources. Give them plenty of room to roam and multiple feeders/waterers placed far apart to minimize competition.

• Use turkeys as supplemental housing guardians. House chickens and vulnerable birds like chicks or bantams securely in the coop at night, and let the turkeys roost outside as guards.

• Separate a bully. Remove any aggressive turkey or chicken that is excessively injuring or harassing flockmates.

• Prevent breeding injuries. Keep hens and smaller fowl separated from a tom when he is actively breeding.

• Correct feed rations to meet nutritional needs. Ensure both species receive adequate protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients.

Starting small with just a few turkeys introduced into an established chicken flock tends to work best for a mixed flock newbie. Pay close attention to interactions and be prepared to tweak your setup as needed. But with proper planning and management, chickens and turkeys can live together contentedly. The added benefit of a built-in guard turkey may make a mixed flock worthwhile for many backyard poultry keepers.