A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[OneMountainAcres]

seems kind of small to me for 8.... BUT even more interesting will be your getting them to go into the coop..

Ok thanks. 8 will be the max in it at a time (if we can get them to go back in lol). We will drop down to probably 4, 5 at most by winter. I'm hoping to be able to train them to go to bed at night but I know that's going to be a challenge.

 

[chickadoodles]

I just want to double check before we really start throwing together our coop and run this weekend. Will a 12 x 20 run be plenty big enough for 8 heritage turkeys? The coop itself is an 8 x 10. Our birds will get to free range but for when we have to keep them confined for whatever reason.

I agree with Ralph that the 8x10 will be small for that many turkey. You might try putting roost's up on opposite walls extended away from the walls to give them more room.
I had 4 turkey in a 15x50" run.

 

[duluthralphie]

I got to see into the turkey hens nest this morning, she has 3 turkey eggs along with the chicks, SO I stole the eggs and put them in the incubator, I am afraid she would abandon them before they would hatch next week, They were very warm this morning so I hope they are good.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I agree with Ralph that the 8x10 will be small for that many turkey. You might try putting roost's up on opposite walls extended away from the walls to give them more room. 
I had 4 turkey in a 15x50" run. 

The plan for the roost right now is to put it about 4' up off the floor in an L shape along the back wall and one side wall. This should be about 16' total roost space with poop boards beneath and a ramp up to the roost on the one side. I'm thinking probably 2' off from the wall. Like I said, 8 is the max we'd have in there at a time with the average only being about 4-5

 

[duluthralphie]

I am betting you will find the space adequate simply because the turkeys will refuse to use it. Mine stayed out all winter and refused to go inside, I had one hen that roosted with the chickens every night and 3 other hens that would go inside on the real nasty 20 below nights. They would sit out there on the fence during the blizzards even... Made me feel so sorry for them I had a hot toddy just watching them through the window.

Turkeys are not really susceptible to predators like chickens are. They roost high and are large. I only lost one adult turkey to a predator and that was too an eagle that was attacking a young poult and the hen jumped in to the fray.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I just want to double check before we really start throwing together our coop and run this weekend. Will a 12 x 20 run be plenty big enough for 8 heritage turkeys? The coop itself is an 8 x 10. Our birds will get to free range but for when we have to keep them confined for whatever reason.

Ummmm...all of you saying this isn't enough space really don't want to know how many birds I usually have in half that much space. They will be fine. They will love their free range time. And if you handle them as much as I know you are you won't have any trouble herding them in or even walking over & picking them up to return them to the coop when needed. My hand raised turkeys are never a problem when I let them out or even when they escape. No problems getting them back in at all. Usually all I have to do is step inside the run & fill the food bowl & they come running.

 

[duluthralphie]

That is amazing, I can pick some of mine up, but I am too lazy to carry them into the coop, I figure if they want to stay outside and freeze their tushes off, let them! Ethel goes in every night on her own. I am redoing the coop for this winter so hopefully they will all go inside.

I have a single car garage I have turned into a coop. ( Of course, what building have I not turned into a coop). I have it divided into halves. The wear half is my layers and it is connected to a covered run. The front half is for turkeys. I have taken the door off and am using screen/hardware cloth to cover it so I get lots of air flow. I figure an open air coop has to be better than sitting on a fence rail all winter... But I am probably wrong about that.

 

[feistychick]

Got some new babies today, they are so darn cute!

 

[memphis]

Awww...too cute! What breed are they?

 

[chickadoodles]

Got some new babies today, they are so darn cute!

Your new poults are very cute!