While thinking about the question of urban chickens (and the danger of urban coyotes), I came across an interesting book Starting Right with Turkeys by G.T. Klein.

It was published in 1972, based on an earlier edition from 1946, and ultimately goes back to The “Have-More” Plan, a 1940s back-to-the-land manual by Ed and Carolyn Robinson.

The Robinsons believed everybody could raise their own poultry, fruit, vegetables, and even goats, and this book says, “Yes, you can successfully raise turkeys in your backyard.”

But if you think it’s just like raising chickens, G.T. Klein sets you straight,“You will be badly disappointed if you attempt to raise turkeys as you would chickens.” Feeding and disease control are handled differently – though it seems turkeys can catch infections from chickens, and if you’re raising both you’ll have to keep them carefully separated.

On the plus side, most of the work of raising turkeys is over when they’re eight weeks old. They make less noise than chickens. Your neighbors shouldn’t have any reason to complain as long as you keep the poultry house clean. “Yet, in spite of their good points, you will be disgusted with their dumbness. It is extremely difficult to teach them to eat.”

This is supposed to keep you from getting too attached to your turkeys and having any trouble when you get to the chapter on “Killing and Dressing”. I’d have trouble with that part anyway, in spite of the helpful line drawings that show you exactly where to cut.

Turkey eggs are good, it says – too good for us, in fact. Anybody with more than a few turkeys should be selling the fertilized eggs to breeders.

Even if you don’t want to raise turkeys, this book gives you an interesting, upbeat look into their world.

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