Do turkeys need an enclosed house at night?

[erinszoo]

Just wondering if having a covered raised platform that isn't actually completely enclosed would work for overnight quarters for turkeys? We've always put them in the house with the chickens but lately they are picking on the chickens and they killed all of our broody hens eggs 5 days before hatch so we moved them to a new pen for the day that has a covered platform but it is too hot for us to work outside to build a full enclosure. What do others do with their turkeys at night?

 

[cassie]

The commecial turkey raisers that raise their birds outside just have a roofed area for them to roost. They are healthier in the fresh air.

 

[zekii]

Depends if you fell they are safe from predators..?
I had mine in a hoop house for a month with electric fence netting, but now I feel they are safer that they are locked in an enclosed coop at night. Lots of predators around my area.

 

[frank53061]

Like others have stated here it depends on the animals in your area that might get to them.
I for a long time always went out each night and closed up the coop for the Chickens locking them in.
This spring the Chickens decided when it got warm this last spring they wanted to roost outside the coop but in side the secure pen.
A raccoon climbed up on top of the coop that extends out side of the pen and standing on top of the coop and maneged to tear a hole in the Chicken wire and killing half my flock.

So since then I always lock my Chickens and Turkeys up in there own coop at night but they are able to free range during the day.

 

[PekinBantam]

I just leave mine to go on a large wooden perch outside the chicken coop, if it rains, they will automatically go in the spare chicken coop we have.

 

[erinszoo]

Well, for now our turkeys are going inside for the night still. Once it cools down enough that we can work outside during the day, we'll get their new pen secured and then they can roost out there for the night. We've already lost three to a opposum this summer and I couldn't handle losing any more at this point.

 

[frank53061]

Sounds like a great Idea

.

It hurts in more than one way when you loose what you have spent so much time effort and money just to feed the local wild life.

I like old sayings such as an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure I hope I got that wright.