# Can sheep and turkeys be together?



## Jakerm12 (Sep 15, 2015)

Can sheep and turkeys be kept together in the same paddocks. They would have separate sheds at night? And can you clip turkeys wings so they can't fly or will you be able to get them to stay in the fenced area where the sheep are?


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

The turkey feed might be an issue as it likely has copper in it. I've never trimmed turkey wings but they never strayed from the barn and yards very far either.


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## Rosepath (Feb 18, 2011)

A consideration might be whether (no pun intended) your sheep are the wool variety or are hair sheep. Turkey poop is decidedly not an attractive addition to a fleece.
And welcome, fellow southern Indiana shepherd


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

I would also watch out for turkey poop contaminating water and food sources for the sheep. Bird poo is nasty stuff.


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## Oldshep (Mar 28, 2015)

Depends on how many turkeys over how many acres. You don't want your sheep eating turkey dropping or you are going to have problems.


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## Jakerm12 (Sep 15, 2015)

Will they get sick


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## Rosepath (Feb 18, 2011)

Yes, probably (the sheep, not the turkeys).


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

Yeah, they can get salmonella infections... that can turn into a dead sheep in no time.


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## Jakerm12 (Sep 15, 2015)

Is that the same with chickens and sheep


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

Yes, any bird poo would carry a lot of bacteria. If they share the same area, it should be big enough that the sheep can easily avoid grazing pooped on spots and hay feeders need to be something that doesn't invite birds to roost on them. Racks with hoods over them, maybe.


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## Jakerm12 (Sep 15, 2015)

Okay. We have an acre and a half fenced in and that is separated into four paddocks


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## Jakerm12 (Sep 15, 2015)

What about guineas? Are they bad for sheep too?

And I read some places that it was good to keep chickens and sheep together because the chickens will peck through the sheep poop and eat the worms off the ground? Is this true. And if so. How do I keep them together? Thanks!


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## Maxpowers (Apr 4, 2012)

My turkeys and sheep live in the same barn. You can clip their wings. The turkeys will poop all over everything but I haven't had any problems with it, just an annoyance. I did build a little shield for my grain and mineral area because the turkeys would roost above it and poop into the feeders. 

The other issue I have with birds in the barn is them pooping on the top of the hay stacks in the storage area.


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

Four paddocks probably offers enough room to be safe. I have chickens that run around the paddocks with the sheep without issues. There's plenty of space. I would be most concerned with indoor habitation, feeders, water sources, etc. You May never have problems, but then again, a lamb with scours can go down pretty quickly, so I don't like to take chances with contamination.

Guineas are birds too so their poo is like any other bird poo. It is true that chickens will peck around and eat the nasties out of the grazing area. That is one plus for poultry on grazing ground.


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## Jakerm12 (Sep 15, 2015)

Okay. Thank you all!!


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