Curious about turkeys.

[roaminggnome61]

Can someone help me? I am considering getting a couple of turkeys to raise for the holiday meals. At this time I have chickens in a portable coop, but am considering buying a wooden structure for the chickens to have during the winter. Once Spring comes, the chickens can go back into the portable.
My question is: if I move the wooden structure to a new area can I raise 2 or 3 turkeys using the winter chicken coop and a fenced in run?

 

[Buster52]

You mean for Thanksgiving and Christmas? This year? I don't think you have enough time.

Unless they are already a couple of months old when you buy them.

 

[farmerlor]

Without knowing the exact size of the winter coop it would be hard to give you a definitive answer but it sounds like a good plan. Now your next problem is what kind of turkey to get.....

 

[roaminggnome61]

Of course NOT this Christmas and Thanksgiving.....2010!
I found a coop thats 4 x 4 x 6...would that that work for a couple of turkeys?

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
Thanks for the clarification.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

sandspoultry and harp are VERY informative. Different views but they are a wealth of information!. I will tell you this though, from our experience the bronze breasted only took us 5+ mos. and the tom was 40# and the hen was 30#. My DH butchered them today. Pay attention to the breed you get and how fast they grow. Get your timing figured out then you will be okay. PM the above and they will help you. Good luck

 

[roaminggnome61]

I am sorry to be such a pest, but before I choose a turkey breed I need to know if a turkey will utilize the chicken coop. Will they fit through the chicken door or do we need to enlarge it? I am trying to justify buying a coop to winterize the chickens but also use it in the summer for something else. I am trying to talk the DH into it.

 

[Buster52]

I tractored mine this year for the first few months, then let them out in their own pasture protected by my dogs. They have never needed nor used a coop, although I guess the tractor was a sort of mini coop. I built a shelter for them mostly to keep their feed dry that is large enough for them to use and sleep in, but they never use it except to eat in. I'm not sure that helps, but there it is.

The breed does matter because it will determine whether or not your birds will need long term housing.

We also don't know the size of opening you are talking about. A big chicken weighs 10 pounds. A big turkey 4 times that or more. Plus they stand much much taller. So, they need considerably larger openings to get into your coop.

I second the recommendation to PM Sands Poultry and Harps.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Quote:
My poults used a rabbit hutch for 3-4 mos. How they got through the door as they got bigger is beyond me.

Sometimes they did lay in the chickens' coop but the door was plenty big enough. Again, it depends on the breed you get. The BB grows fast while others do not. Feeding has a leverage in it to. I have read that turkeys don't like to be cooped up as they get older. Do you have to coop them in the winter?

 

[DaKid]

My 8 Turkeys will not use a coop , so in there run I just build x-tra large nesting boxies , I build two --- 4 ft. long X 2.5 ft width X 2.5 ft. high boxes with a roof that over hangs the front about 8" , which is all open - so 3 sides and a floor with a roof.
I do place some hay in there and thats it ,but they are out all year long ,the only time i do see them in there boxes is when there sitting on eggs or when it is raining for a few days , but most of the time they sleep on the roof, even when it is snowy.