All about roosting

[houndit]

Cacklin" Hens :

Quote:
What kind of turkeys are they???

Three have Bronze coloring, the other looks a lot like a Narraganset. The lady I got them from had mostly Bronze breeding stock.​

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

Quote:
they dont need to roost. What about Broad Breasted turkeys? They cant roost. Also, i have roosts available but my red Bronze turkey Tom chooses not to rest. Not all birds have to roost.

i disagree. Turkeys do need to roost. As an avid wild turkey hunter I know wild turkeys roost. You will not find any type of wild turkey that doesn't roost. Broad Breasted Bronzes don't count because they are genetically altered to be heavier and therefore they can't roost. You get you a turkey and put him/her in a pen for a couple days without a roost. Then a couple days later, add a roost and you tell me where he sleeps that night. Have done that myself. As for your standard bronze, there is a reason why he doesn't roost. Maybe it is too high and he can't get up there. I have been raising chickens and turkeys and guineas for thirteen years and when the bird has the opportunity to roost, he/she will. I have read in numerous books and websites that domesticated birds not roosting that lay in their feces, have a have a high risk of catching disease. Your right, all birds don't roost, and the ones that don't are ground-nesting birds like ducks, geese, quail (especially bobwhite), and more and the ones that sleep in bird boxes and their nests (which means they are not sleeping on the ground though!!)

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Cacklin" Hens :

Quote:
they dont need to roost. What about Broad Breasted turkeys? They cant roost. Also, i have roosts available but my red Bronze turkey Tom chooses not to rest. Not all birds have to roost.

i disagree. Turkeys do need to roost. As an avid wild turkey hunter I know wild turkeys roost. You will not find any type of wild turkey that doesn't roost. Broad Breasted Bronzes don't count because they are genetically altered to be heavier and therefore they can't roost. You get you a turkey and put him/her in a pen for a couple days without a roost. Then a couple days later, add a roost and you tell me where he sleeps that night. Have done that myself. As for your standard bronze, there is a reason why he doesn't roost. Maybe it is too high and he can't get up there. I have been raising chickens and turkeys and guineas for thirteen years and when the bird has the opportunity to roost, he/she will. I have read in numerous books and websites that domesticated birds not roosting that lay in their feces, have a have a high risk of catching disease. Your right, all birds don't roost, and the ones that don't are ground-nesting birds like ducks, geese, quail (especially bobwhite), and more and the ones that sleep in bird boxes and their nests (which means they are not sleeping on the ground though!!)

Sorry but your wrong. I too am an avid turkey hunter. Thats why i got turkeys, cause they are so interesting. The only reason the wild turkeys roost is to stay safe, mine are safe in the barn. I have seen my turkey roost one time but that was it, about 6 feet high. I have a roost in my barn 3 feet high so i know he can get up there, like i said Ive seen him before at 6 feet. Also, another reason why your wrong is because i put him on a roost one time and the next night he preferred the ground instead. So im telling you not all birds prefer the roost. I have a 5 foot high roost, 3 foot high roost, 2 nest boxes, and a haybale. He sleeps in a pile of hay i provide.

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

Well i still disagree. I have never had a chicken, guinea, or turkey in my 13 years of raising them that prefer to sleep on the ground versus the roof. I was raised on a farm that also had chickens, guineas, and turkeys and I distinctly remember the same exact thing - they will always preferred to roost. Like I said, that is why all birds get off the ground except ground nesting birds. Think about it. Also, when I move my Royal Palms from the small pen without a roost (where they stay from 1 months until 4 months old) to the big pens with roosts- the first night they roost on the roosting pole and they have never been on one in there ENTIRE life and they are moved to a pen where there is not already other turkeys. So why do they roost when they have NEVER done it before in there life??????????????? BECAUSE THEY PREFER TO ROOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, like i said I have read in books and learned it in biology class (i do remember!) that any domesticated bird has a high risk of getting sick from laying in their own feces every night! I also have turkeys and chickens in barns and they too roost EVERY SINGLE night. Never had one that wouldn't in my 13 years of raising them. They (chickens, guineas, and turkeys) always get the highest they can. Also you are the one that made the post about do other peoples roost and 4 other questions. You also said this: I have a round wooden roost my turkey roosts on and he also roosts on a square one. I suggest not using PVC or metal cause its kinda slippy...wood has a better texture. 2nd most important thing about roosts...poop board hahah. LOOK AT YOUR FIRST SENTENCE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I have to agree, roosting is an instinct, when given the change most all birds will do it, it serves both of you twos points, in the wild and penned, it provides protection, and in the penned environment, it is also a sanitary issue, not sure they know that, but it is.
I have 3 strains of wilds, and a few heritage domestics, all roost just as high as they can get, my penned birds at 10 feet (no problem at all to get there) and my few free range wild "spare" toms, tops of 70 foot trees.
The only time a domestic bird will not roost, is usually in older birds, that have never had exposure to one and have just been broken from the habit. 99.9% of the time, all will roost if given the opportunity, there's always that odd ball out there some where, he's the exception not the rule though.
By the way, I too am an avid turkey hunter, just a few more weeks, cant wait!

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

Thanks. i am glad someone else agrees with me!

I too can not wait until turkey season. Ours doesn't come in until the first week in april!

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Cacklin" Hens :

Well i still disagree. I have never had a chicken, guinea, or turkey in my 13 years of raising them that prefer to sleep on the ground versus the roof. I was raised on a farm that also had chickens, guineas, and turkeys and I distinctly remember the same exact thing - they will always preferred to roost. Like I said, that is why all birds get off the ground except ground nesting birds. Think about it. Also, when I move my Royal Palms from the small pen without a roost (where they stay from 1 months until 4 months old) to the big pens with roosts- the first night they roost on the roosting pole and they have never been on one in there ENTIRE life and they are moved to a pen where there is not already other turkeys. So why do they roost when they have NEVER done it before in there life??????????????? BECAUSE THEY PREFER TO ROOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, like i said I have read in books and learned it in biology class (i do remember!) that any domesticated bird has a high risk of getting sick from laying in their own feces every night! I also have turkeys and chickens in barns and they too roost EVERY SINGLE night. Never had one that wouldn't in my 13 years of raising them. They (chickens, guineas, and turkeys) always get the highest they can. Also you are the one that made the post about do other peoples roost and 4 other questions. You also said this: I have a round wooden roost my turkey roosts on and he also roosts on a square one. I suggest not using PVC or metal cause its kinda slippy...wood has a better texture. 2nd most important thing about roosts...poop board hahah. LOOK AT YOUR FIRST SENTENCE!!!!!!!!!!

did you ever think i had more than one turkey? the other one roosts, jake. not tom, jake.​

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

And so what if 13 years you hadnt had a turkey not roost, have you ever thought thats not always the case?