Do Turkeys need to roost at night?

[ChickenRaunchy]

Hi all,
Apologies if this has been dealt with previously. I have a mixed flock that includes one turkey hen, 9 months old. She is the leader of the pack, mostly based on size. She has always hopped up onto the top roost plank but recently is showing signs that the roost is wrong for her. She has many broken tail feathers and when I watch her trying to get down in the a.m., she looks like a "stop, drop and roll" demonstration. And it's still winter here, but she has lost most of her underbelly feathers. Other than these signs, she is healthy, laying about an egg a day, but I am concerned for her. I think she is bonded with the other birds and will not be accepting being separated. Other thoughts about protecting her from the big leap every morning?

 

[R2elk]

Hi all,
Apologies if this has been dealt with previously. I have a mixed flock that includes one turkey hen, 9 months old. She is the leader of the pack, mostly based on size. She has always hopped up onto the top roost plank but recently is showing signs that the roost is wrong for her. She has many broken tail feathers and when I watch her trying to get down in the a.m., she looks like a "stop, drop and roll" demonstration. And it's still winter here, but she has lost most of her underbelly feathers. Other than these signs, she is healthy, laying about an egg a day, but I am concerned for her. I think she is bonded with the other birds and will not be accepting being separated. Other thoughts about protecting her from the big leap every morning?

If your turkey is a broad breasted turkey she needs to not be up on a roost. Broad breasted turkeys do better with a bale of straw or hay as a roost.

Breaking the tail feathers is a sign that the turkey is being kept in too small of an area. Constant brushing of walls and fences will damage tail feathers.

 

[Molpet]

Is she a BB meat bird? They have lots of leg and heart problems because they are meant to be harvested around 16 weeks
A bale of straw could be a roost for her.
Heritage turkey can fly up.
Both need room to get down.

 

[ChickenRaunchy]

Thanks for the feedback. She is a heritage. Time has kind of taken care of the roosting issue. She now pretty much stays on the pine chips in a little shallow nest she digs out on the floor, and lays in. She still looks a mess with her feathers, but she seems fine otherwise. We do not have a tom turkey, so have been collecting her eggs for our food. She has started hiding where she lays them. We have found a few of those nests, and as soon as we collect her eggs, she finds a new and more private spot. Like inside a rhubarb plant, and under low shrubs. She seems pretty determined to be a mom, but it's not happening. Unless ... (we live in northern michigan) and there are lots of flocks of wild turkeys roaming around. Have not seen any on our property, but she is a resourceful and determined bird. It breaks my heart to know what a great mother she would be and see her trying so hard to protect her future babies. Any thoughts to help her out of this broodie-ness? It has been sustained for the whole summer, so far.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks for the feedback. She is a heritage. Time has kind of taken care of the roosting issue. She now pretty much stays on the pine chips in a little shallow nest she digs out on the floor, and lays in. She still looks a mess with her feathers, but she seems fine otherwise. We do not have a tom turkey, so have been collecting her eggs for our food. She has started hiding where she lays them. We have found a few of those nests, and as soon as we collect her eggs, she finds a new and more private spot. Like inside a rhubarb plant, and under low shrubs. She seems pretty determined to be a mom, but it's not happening. Unless ... (we live in northern michigan) and there are lots of flocks of wild turkeys roaming around. Have not seen any on our property, but she is a resourceful and determined bird. It breaks my heart to know what a great mother she would be and see her trying so hard to protect her future babies. Any thoughts to help her out of this broodie-ness? It has been sustained for the whole summer, so far.

If you leave fake eggs or mark some of the eggs and leave them she will stop making new nests.

Just because a hen is a dedicated broody does not necessarily mean she will be a good mother. Most turkey hens are good at going broody but not all are good mothers.