First turkeys

[KrisH]

A 20%-protein nutrient-rich ration that provides top starting, growing and finishing nutrition for a mixed flock of chickens, ducks and geese from hatch until laying age (18-20 weeks) and for turkeys from 8-10 weeks until laying age of 18-20 weeks.



Game Bird Startena

A 30%-protein ration designed to promote maximum early development for game birds from 1 to 6 weeks.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Thank you so much for the feed info.

Now, regarding houseing...I built this tractor that tows behind a mini-van/mobile coop for my Freedom Ranger chickens last year. Do you think I could retrofit the tractor for the young turkeys? Perhaps some reinforced predator proofing and a raised roost at the end closest to the mini-van? The stuff I'm reading suggests they won't happily march up the ramp and into the mini-van at night like the Freedom Rangers did.





I could retro-fit the end closest to the camera on the bottom photo with a more predator secure area that I could close at night. There are wheels that would allow me to move it every day or two.

If not, I have a large dog run that has 6' high fences, but I don't know if that will be high enough to keep them inside. We have lots of predators in the Colorado mountains.

 

[BarneyChick97]

Are you using the van for the "hen house"? Our house we have for our turkeys is a box, about 2 1/2 ft x almost 6ft? It used to be up on stilts, maybe 3 feet or so off the ground. We never built them a ramp, we used to just pick them up and put them in. That box was too small for 4 turkeys, and they busted the bottom out, we had to reinforce it, and it worked okay. White turkeys, if they are toms, depending how long you keep them, can get pretty big. Our biggest tom, probably had to be at least 50LBS or more before we processed him....so whatever you build for them, make sure its very sturdy! We eventually cut the stilts/legs down on the turkey house, and they can just hop in by themselves. Our turkeys are fine in the yard, and have never been flighty. They stay within an area with field fence. We have a large coop, that has 3 sections, one for ducks, turkeys, and chickens. It has a complete roof, and is only covered in chicken wire all around. Each kind of bird has a 10x10 area. The more space you can give them, the better, but of course, if you have something around your area that would like to eat them too, then.... Bears? Cougars??

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Last summer I did use the back of the van as the "hen house" (here's a look at the inside). I figured the van wouldn't work so well as nightime digs for turkeys, but I'd welcome your thoughts.


BTW, bears - yes, mountain lions- yes, also coyote, fox, racoon, weasle, bobcat, owls and hawks. We had one chicken loss to a bobcat in broad daylight and something broke into the mini-van mobile coop one night and killed 4 juvenile Freedom Rangers. I reinforced the screned window (eldest son broke it in a run-in with a mailbox) and had no further problems.