Feed for Turkeys, Ducks, and Chickens

[jsin]

Can turkeys, chickens, and ducks all share food? If so, what food should they be given? They range in age from 4 days to 1 month. Right now I am using chicken starter.

 

[SilkieShar]

Turkeys need a higher protein than ducks and chickens and should have their own food. That said, my ducklings, chicks and turkey poults are all on the same diet - free choice chick starter (non medicated), insects, grasses and lesser duckweed. Everyone tears up the duckweed including the older members of the flock to the point that they are consuming only 1/3 to 1/2 of the feed that they did before I discovered duckweed.

 

[frank53061]

I don't know any thing about Ducks but I raised same age Turkeys and Chics together on Game Bird Starter and the higher protein didn't hurt the Chics they seem to have grown bigger faster.

I dont know if there would be a problem with the higher protein or not with the Ducks but SilkieShar sounds like she knows what she is talking about.

I had thought about getting some Khaki Campbell ducks and still might and that will be yet another learning experience.

 

[SilkieShar]

Oh, for me it's still learn as I go! I've had ducks, chickens, guineas and turkeys altogether in the same flock for roughly 17 years. I just lost my old turkey girl last fall at 12 years old (someone dropped a RIR Rooster here one morning before we got up and he was a mean bast(somebody). He ran her down through the woods and she got hung up in a brush pile. I cooked him!

I just hatched out two turkeys from a batch of 10 eggs (VERY poorly packed and shipped) and apparently I have two little red bourbon toms. At least I don't think hens ever display, do they? They are just 23 days old and both are spreading tail and dragging wings : ). They look like toy Toms LOL. I guess I either need more eggs or to buy hens outright.

 

[frank53061]

I have seen a few of my hens do a display but at over 12 weeks of age now not so much more so the Toms.

I hate to hear about your Tom to have it that long must have been like a member of the Family.
I dont know that I have herd of a Turkey living that long I think more like 7 years and I might be wrong about that number.
You must have taken very good care of him to live that long I would have done the same thing with that @#*%*& RIR Rooster.