A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[duluthralphie]

Well in my experience, once they grow up, they are a lot easier. Especially the adult toms. They just want to stay on the ground and strut all the time!

I so agree with this. During the day I never have to wonder what my Toms are doing, or if they are getting in trouble. All I have to do is look up or behind me and see they are just strutting and talking.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Thanks for posting this pic... Made my day a bit better. My girl who used to fly out of the pasture to be wherever I was, perch on my shoulder and coo when petted was lost today and she's the spitting image of your girl. She was one of my best breed birds.

sorry to hear this

 

[rjohns39]

Aw, I'm so sorry. Is she lost dead or lost missing? If missing, maybe she will return.

She was out of the pasture doing her morning routine and got attacked by something. She survived the attack but didn't make it through the day.

 

[duluthralphie]

Thanks for posting this pic... Made my day a bit better. My girl who used to fly out of the pasture to be wherever I was, perch on my shoulder and coo when petted was lost today and she's the spitting image of your girl. She was one of my best breed birds.

Bummer, I so can identify with this, this year.

I am thinking of making a nasty virus that kills all fur bearing critters this year. I have lost so many good birds....

 

[Flashpoint]

Ok, I have a strange (maybe) question. How do you measure the height of a turkey? Foot to top of head? Shoulder? I am still a bit concerned that my big Tommie turkey may have BB relatives as he is so much bigger than the other tom Iron.

 

[rjohns39]

Ok, I have a strange (maybe) question. How do you measure the height of a turkey? Foot to top of head? Shoulder? I am still a bit concerned that my big Tommie turkey may have BB relatives as he is so much bigger than the other tom Iron.

I'll add to the question... How tall would you make the door for the turkeys to exit their new armor plated house? Is two feet wide good?

 

[rjohns39]

@Flashpoint Your poults are about the same age as mine. This is the phase when they are at their most annoying! I sold three of my Dingleberries yesterday, and I must say, bedtime was easier last night, chore time was easier this morning, and the two I have left still acted up but it was much less noticeable than having a group of 5 doing it!

Now my group of 5 week olds (6 of them) is old enough to free range. It's like starting all over. Little tiny hoodlums in the making! But they are fun to watch as they explore their world and figure stuff out. They discovered the top of the chicken coop already. But they did it from outside the netting cover over the pen instead of inside. So they sank down and could walk on the shingles, but couldn't figure how to get back to the ground. I guess my netting is too saggy. I had to walk under the netting and bounce them out over the sides of the pen.
This would make more sense with a picture. Here is one that shows how the netting goes over the chicken coop:
View attachment 1107350

Are your poults talking to mine? I just went out to check on them and their sitting on top of their perch shelter, on the tarp

 

[Flashpoint]

I'll add to the question... How tall would you make the door for the turkeys to exit their new armor plated house? Is two feet wide good?

I did a google search on measuring turkeys. Almost all of the info was about length of the beard or weight OR oven size and how tall the average Turkish human male is.


I have an old shed that is approximately 60 years old, but it has (technically) 4 rooms or rather 3 rooms and a lean-to. 1 room is about 20 x 14, another is about 14 x 14, the little room is about 5 x 10 and the lean-to is approximately 12 x 12. All rooms have regular sized door openings.

As an added bonus, almost every wall is a double wall. That is, the inside boards are horizontal, while the outside boards are vertical. It has a tin roof with open spaces where the walls and roof meet. Two rooms have a window and I am debating on putting a big window in the largest room. I haven't done so yet as I just hate to mess up the double walls.

After reading on here (and someone can correct me if I am wrong), if I use the lean-to as my winter turkey home, they will enjoy the open end that will be enclosed by wire fencing. The open end will be approximately 8 foot tall x 10 foot wide and covered.

Since I am in Western Maryland, we "usually" have pretty intense winter weather. That did not happen this last winter, but I expect it will be more normal this year.

Is there anything wrong with this idea?

 

[Flashpoint]

Are your poults talking to mine? I just went out to check on them and their sitting on top of their perch shelter, on the tarp

A good possibility. I think they are telepathic! I know mine go up and down on all the roofs like a set of ping pong balls and they do not care if they are not supposed to do that. One of my coops is covered in grape vines and I guess they like it up there for all the bugs and berries. Well, no berries now since they ate them all.

 

[rjohns39]

I did a google search on measuring turkeys. Almost all of the info was about length of the beard or weight OR oven size and how tall the average Turkish human male is.


I have an old shed that is approximately 60 years old, but it has (technically) 4 rooms or rather 3 rooms and a lean-to. 1 room is about 20 x 14, another is about 14 x 14, the little room is about 5 x 10 and the lean-to is approximately 12 x 12. All rooms have regular sized door openings.

As an added bonus, almost every wall is a double wall. That is, the inside boards are horizontal, while the outside boards are vertical. It has a tin roof with open spaces where the walls and roof meet. Two rooms have a window and I am debating on putting a big window in the largest room. I haven't done so yet as I just hate to mess up the double walls.

After reading on here (and someone can correct me if I am wrong), if I use the lean-to as my winter turkey home, they will enjoy the open end that will be enclosed by wire fencing. The open end will be approximately 8 foot tall x 10 foot wide and covered.

Since I am in Western Maryland, we "usually" have pretty intense winter weather. That did not happen this last winter, but I expect it will be more normal this year.

Is there anything wrong with this idea?

You might want to invest in some greenhouse film if the temps go to where they were a couple years ago. Some black barrels 2/3 full of water on the north wall might also be a good addition. I'd also leave the southern exposure mostly open for airflow. Our weather seems to be very similar and I use greenhouses for their winter housing.