The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: newchick on July 21, 2011, 08:26:20 am

Title: Can a duck raise a turkey chick?
Post by: newchick on July 21, 2011, 08:26:20 am

Help - 3 weeks ago I hatched a turkeys at the same time as a Jersey giants chicken -  fed well together - then recently a friend gave me 3 nortfolk bronze turkey eggs - popped in incubator with duck eggs - didnt think would hatch - one started pipping so put it under my broody aylesbury duck - its hatched - but she is not best mum - hatched some goslings for me but didnt want to bring them out to eat just wanted to sit in her house with them and love em!  I know turkeys need to eat asap and all the time! do i take the chick off her and put it in with the chicken that hatched the turkey egg (1 turkey and 1 Jersey Giant) who are now 3 weeks old or do I chance the duck doing the mum thing - she is such a broody duck - makes nests all the time - doesnt lay just sits - unless I keep her door closed and make her go outside - which is why I put the egg under her. Pretty new to turkeys as you can tell - I have bowl of water and turkey starter crumb just outside her house door - tried to put the chick in the bowl of food but mum ran back in house and left chick outside - what to do?

Title: Re: Can a duck raise a turkey chick?
Post by: doganjo on July 21, 2011, 09:45:49 am

I'd be a bit worried that she'd lead the chick to water and encourage it to swim.  I'd be inclined to keep it with chicks if possible rather than ducks.

Title: Re: Can a duck raise a turkey chick?
Post by: Pandora on July 21, 2011, 11:30:49 am

I thought turkeys give chickens a disease, and shouldn't be kept on the same ground?

Title: Re: Can a duck raise a turkey chick?
Post by: doganjo on July 21, 2011, 12:17:35 pm

I think it's the other way round - blackhead. Chickens are a carrier of blackhead. THough you may never actually see the disease in chickens, it could show up in young turkeys.  However, there are medications that you can treat with to avoid the turkeys catching it.

Title: Re: Can a duck raise a turkey chick?
Post by: sabrina on July 21, 2011, 04:34:07 pm

what is black head Anne ??

Title: Re: Can a duck raise a turkey chick?
Post by: doganjo on July 21, 2011, 05:55:04 pm

Don't know ??? tbh.  Chickens don't display symptoms but they can be carriers.  And it kills Turkeys apparently unless they are vaccinated.
OK - googled it - http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=651 (http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=651)

Title: Re: Can a duck raise a turkey chick?
Post by: Skirza on July 21, 2011, 06:03:17 pm

Found this on the web

"I keep my turkeys the same as chickens free range on grass with a shed / building for shelter. Plenty of water and I feed them on Turkey Grower pellets. This food has a medication in it for a disease called Black Head, which is fatal if contracted. Four weeks before dispatching (slaughter) you must change the feed from Grower Pellets to Finisher Pellets to clear the system of the medication."

This is the link

http://www.thegoodlife-online.co.uk/Keeping_turkeys_and_help_with_cooking_bronze_turkeys.html (http://www.thegoodlife-online.co.uk/Keeping_turkeys_and_help_with_cooking_bronze_turkeys.html)