# Tortoises and Poultry



## StudentoftheReptile

Am toying with the idea of raising either chickens or guineas. I know that tortoises can be opportunistic and chomp on birds! But aside from that, would there be anything else one should worry about regarding the welfare of tortoises or poultry kept together in the same area?

I would certainly appreciate (and value more) the advice from those who actually have experience keeping poultry.

One of my main reasons for venturing into poultry is for pest control (spiders, ticks, etc.).


----------



## jaizei

Will they be confined to the same enclosure or will the chickens be free range and just have access to the tortoise's area?


----------



## tortoiselove25

I have had no problems with my chickens and my russian tortoise in his own enclosure. My chickens have the back yard to themselves while my tortoise is in an enclosed area.

My chickens aren't to keen on anything that moves so they stay away. They haven't tried to jump in his enclosure either. 

One thing to consider is the size and temperament of the chickens. Mine are fairly small, my rooster is a bantam brahma while his hens are a tad smaller than him (frizzle/silkie cross). They aren't very aggressive. 

Oh, and one more thing! Guineas can jump extremely high. I'm sure you already knew that but just wanted to throw it out there. The chickens I have aren't big jumpers.


----------



## yagyujubei

Guineas look cool, but are very noisy, and will run around everywhere. Vulturine guinea fowl are very cool, however. If you let either have access to the tortoise pen, you will be feeding your tortoises a lot of crap, literally. I would worry about disease to the tortoises, personally. Also, having poultry is an invitation to every rat in the area to move to your place.


----------



## EricIvins

Disease transmission between Reptiles and Birds can get really complicated and nasty. That is the only disease transmission issue I'll ever worry about...


----------



## Tom

I keep my chickens and tortoises separate.


----------



## Jacqui

After reading your facebook comments on the ticks, some how I am not surprised with this thread.


----------



## Baoh

Chickens would get killed by my adult tortoises and adult chickens have killed baby tortoises in my presence in the past (not in my setup).

Andy of ATC spoke well of, IIRC, button quail for purposes such as yours.


----------



## mike taylor

I keep my chickens away from my tortoises. Chickens are movement Hunters all it takes is one head movement and out with a eye. By the way I have had chickens for years and have never had a rat or mouse problems. I don't know how many chickens you want to get but you can make your self a chicken tractor and keep them cooped up . Just move the tractor around the yard and they clean the bugs and fertilize the yard all at the same time . Here is a picture of a chicken tractor u made for three hens . 

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app




mike taylor said:


> I keep my chickens away from my tortoises. Chickens are movement Hunters all it takes is one head movement and out with a eye. By the way I have had chickens for years and have never had a rat or mouse problems. I don't know how many chickens you want to get but you can make your self a chicken tractor and keep them cooped up . Just move the tractor around the yard and they clean the bugs and fertilize the yard all at the same time . Here is a picture of a chicken tractor u made for three hens .
> 
> Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app



Sorry forgot to post picture.

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app


----------



## SANDRA_MEISSNEST

I do have 5 hens and 2 sullies,never had an issue,chickens are pretty smart,they know what to peck.at least mine are like that, sullies have their . enclosure. chicken runs around the whole yard

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app


----------



## lighthiker2

To give an adolescent sulfate a wider grazing area where there is no permanent enclosure (i.e., family's house) has anyone tried using a modified chicken tractor? The yard I am referencing has an endless salad bar for my sulfate, and he is very active. Is considering building a portable pen with 18" opaque sidewalls "chicken tractor style" with a built in weatherproof hide (with ramp, floor tray and lots of coconut coir) a feasible option? 

We have access to all sorts of building materials, and always like new crafty ideas. We could put retractable wheels on one end and handles on the other to move it around the yard, or even motorize it so it moves 6' an hour across the yard. New ideas are not always feasible but I would like feedback before I present the possibility of building a brick 'tortoise garden' in their back yard.


----------



## Yvonne G

I'm assuming auto-correct wanted your sulcata tortoise to be called 'sulfate?'


----------



## ascott

The neighbors next to us have about a million and one chickens and roosters....and there are two guinea hens that have run the two properties (mine and the neighbors) free range since 2006 and while they can jump/flutter over a 4 foot fence--they don't seem to like to...and the noise they make is rathe funny--like someone suddenly having a hissy--it is a sound you get use to and they not only control bugs but snakes as well...they can pick a flower clean of bugs and never destroy the flower---they do scratch like a chicken but not near to the same degree---they are super super fast....the two here always remain together--so when I don't see one for a couple days I know she is laying eggs...then she will show back up with the other...

Pretty smart for a bird as well...one time I pulled into the yard in the car and began to walk up to the porch and was confronted by a frantic guinea--it was running towards me and again away in the same direction, it would stop and yell at me and like it wanted me to follow it--this was the sense I was getting by its behavior--so I followed it to the neighbors yard where it ran right to its distressed trapped partner---the other one had somehow slipped off the chicken house roof down between the chain link fence and the wood structure...could not get out...so after some work and cutting a piece or two of the fence away she was free and off they went....was cool and funny---that darn guinea was channeling Lassie, "timmy is in trouble"....lol 

I would say guineas....


----------

