A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[mowgli]

This is normal. My turkeys roost outside in all kinds of weather in an area sheltered from the prevailing wind. Fortunately we don't get ice storms here.

You do not need a fully enclosed coop unless you need it for predator protection. A three sided lean-to with the open side facing away from the prevailing wind can work well as long as it is tall with the roosts far enough away from the sides and roof to allow the turkeys to be comfortable on the roosts. The taller the structure is, the better.

I do not rely on treats for responses from my turkeys. When I want them to go somewhere, I herd them where I want them to go. If where you want them to go is not where they want to go, it can be helpful to put something up to block their possible escape path whether that block is a temporary or permanent thing.

Thank you for your suggestions.This helps alot. I have a very large unused shed on my property and I think I will prop the doors open and install a high roosting bar and see what happens. I may make a trail of meal worms to entice them in.

 

[sfgwife]

Thank you for your suggestions.This helps alot. I have a very large unused shed on my property and I think I will prop the doors open and install a high roosting bar and see what happens. I may make a trail of meal worms to entice them in.

You can try putting their feed in there. They will want food before bed.

 

[Molpet]

Thank you for your suggestions.This helps alot. I have a very large unused shed on my property and I think I will prop the doors open and install a high roosting bar and see what happens. I may make a trail of meal worms to entice them in.

The first two years I fed the last feeding in the coop and locked them in. A few had to be knocked out of the trees or lured in with mealworms or sunflower seeds.

This year I have over 30 and I gave up.

Most are roosting in trees

 

[memphis]

Ok....bragging again. Went out to put the girls to bed. They were in the process of walking into the coop on their own. Well....except for Iris....she was hanging out in the doorway.

 

[mowgli]

The first two years I fed the last feeding in the coop and locked them in. A few had to be knocked out of the trees or lured in with mealworms or sunflower seeds.

This year I have over 30 and I gave up.

Most are roosting in trees

Thank you so much.i have provided them numerous opportunities for shelter all of which they have snubbed.I have five bantums, mostly polish and they roost with them.I will try a variety of things but in the end I want to trust they know what they are doing.They are completely happy and healthy.

 

[CindyinSD]

Thank you so much.i have provided them numerous opportunities for shelter all of which they have snubbed.I have five bantums, mostly polish and they roost with them.I will try a variety of things but in the end I want to trust they know what they are doing.They are completely happy and healthy.

Turkeys, once they get reasonably started, are tough as nails. My nearly 6 month old jakes roost on a fence whose panels have 1.5” aluminum top rails. (This is temporary because winter rudely showed up several months early.) They insist on sitting up there in all weather though I put a tarped tractor in the yard for evil weather. I was putting their food in there to keep it out of the snow, but they didn’t like going in there to eat it. The funnies strut around in the yard all day (all but two or sometimes three of them who fly out) when they could be running around outside with the jennies and the chickens. I would put them out, but I really don’t want them in the (open) chicken yard, picking on my girls and eating their food. If we ever get a warm day (after we get the poly on the greenhouse) it will be time to decide who goes to freezer camp and who inherits the chicken coop.

The weather here has been horrible ever since October peeked around the door. No ice storms but lots of wind, snow, sub-freezing and even a few sub-zero nights, none of which fazes them a whit. The jennies sometimes spend the night with their girlfriends in the chicken coop, but more often choose to roost on its roof. Other times they sleep over with the laddies on the fence.

My (mostly) Sweetgrass poults usually choose to sleep in their grow-out coop with the not-currently-chosen roosters. There’s a sawhorse in their yard that the bolder amongst them sometimes roost on if there’s a warmer night. They’re around three months old and already stunning. (Thanks, R2!)

Anyway, I’m getting off track. Turkeys are unbelievably tough. They’re North American natives and not much changed as far as I can tell, besides all our “modern” pretty colors. We have wildlings wandering around too, and they’re also gorgeous. They survive magnificently with absolutely no help from me.

Put their water in their run/coop. Bring their food out in the evening twilight and they’ll learn to follow you into their yard. Bring them treats once in a while and they’ll mob you as soon as they see you. It’s so funny! Make sure the yard fence has no top rail or perchable posts... floppy is good as long as it’s secure. You might consider making their shelter with a steep shed-style metal roof. I would trim the top edge of the roof with some floppy wire fencing to keep them from roosting there and eventually flying out. That way, they’ll (mostly) only free range when you want them to. Have fun. Turkeys are the best.

 

[Eric Exley]

I have not had any trouble getting my turkeys into their coop, they learn to go into their coop just before it gets dark (normally i'm out there during that time) giving them attention, and refilling their food/water before they go back into their coop for the night

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Mine just know the routine. I go out after dusk and herd them in. A few are always in there already. It helps having a light on in the coop.

 

[memphis]

Yep....mine know the bedtime routine too. I'm impressed that my two new girls caught on so quickly. Daisy helps. They are letting me pet them now. No laptime yet....but that's hard with Daisy around. She seems to be snoozing in my lap most of the time. But they have figured out I usually have a treat in my jacket pocket and will try to investigate. Smart girls!

 

[mowgli]

Turkeys, once they get reasonably started, are tough as nails. My nearly 6 month old jakes roost on a fence whose panels have 1.5” aluminum top rails. (This is temporary because winter rudely showed up several months early.) They insist on sitting up there in all weather though I put a tarped tractor in the yard for evil weather. I was putting their food in there to keep it out of the snow, but they didn’t like going in there to eat it. The funnies strut around in the yard all day (all but two or sometimes three of them who fly out) when they could be running around outside with the jennies and the chickens. I would put them out, but I really don’t want them in the (open) chicken yard, picking on my girls and eating their food. If we ever get a warm day (after we get the poly on the greenhouse) it will be time to decide who goes to freezer camp and who inherits the chicken coop.

The weather here has been horrible ever since October peeked around the door. No ice storms but lots of wind, snow, sub-freezing and even a few sub-zero nights, none of which fazes them a whit. The jennies sometimes spend the night with their girlfriends in the chicken coop, but more often choose to roost on its roof. Other times they sleep over with the laddies on the fence.

My (mostly) Sweetgrass poults usually choose to sleep in their grow-out coop with the not-currently-chosen roosters. There’s a sawhorse in their yard that the bolder amongst them sometimes roost on if there’s a warmer night. They’re around three months old and already stunning. (Thanks, R2!)

Anyway, I’m getting off track. Turkeys are unbelievably tough. They’re North American natives and not much changed as far as I can tell, besides all our “modern” pretty colors. We have wildlings wandering around too, and they’re also gorgeous. They survive magnificently with absolutely no help from me.

Put their water in their run/coop. Bring their food out in the evening twilight and they’ll learn to follow you into their yard. Bring them treats once in a while and they’ll mob you as soon as they see you. It’s so funny! Make sure the yard fence has no top rail or perchable posts... floppy is good as long as it’s secure. You might consider making their shelter with a steep shed-style metal roof. I would trim the top edge of the roof with some floppy wire fencing to keep them from roosting there and eventually flying out. That way, they’ll (mostly) only free range when you want them to. Have fun. Turkeys are the best.

Thank you.This helps alot.They roost on to the 10 ft tall fence around the coop.They free range with my chickens all day and have never picked on them.I view them as gentle giants.They free range further than the bantums into the field.They have never fought over food.