Footholds preferred by turkeys?

[chickenannie]

Does anyone know what kind of roost (foothold) turkeys like for roosting? My chickens are on 2 x 4's with the flat side of, but do turkeys like something else?

 

[dangerouschicken]

Mine wont roost. They sleep on the ground.

 

[chickenannie]

That's interesting... Do they have a roost available? Are they adults?
My poults slept on the ground for quite a while. Then they preferred the top of the fence. But now that i'm building them a roost I'd rather know what type is best.

 

[SterlingAcres]

We had Bronze turkeys when I was a kid. They never used the roosts, though they had them. They slept on the ground too... but they were also SUPER fat.

 

[dangerouschicken]

They have a roost, same as you have, basically. They still sleep on the ground. They are 4 months old and BIG (BB Bronze toms). I'm not sure why, but I have read some just prefer it.

 

[sbluvinit]

I have 2 bb bronze and 2 white grands or something and they all sleep on the top of the hens nesting box. it looks like a small box like home with a shingled roof and 4 hen boxes inside. They have a large thick branch in the center of thier boxed home but they never get on it. if they do roost it is on top of the fence coop that has a wood frame.

 

[sandspoultry]

We took a pine tree we had cut down about 6 inches in diameter and 20 feet long and placed it about 3 feet in the air. The hens and younger toms will roost on it but the older toms prefer to sleep on the ground.

Steve in NC

 

[chickenannie]

I have heritage turkeys (Bourbon Reds) which can fly. I think those of you who have Bronzes and Whites are talking about the big meat turkeys who don't fly at all, or don't fly well. Last summer and winter, my 6 heritage turkeys flew 40 feet up in the air to roost in the top branches of the tree in my yard. The heritage ones, once they are 4 months old or so, don't like sleeping on the ground -- for whatever reason. They DO nest on the ground though. I was just looking for specifics about the size of the roosting pole which will be about 4 ft up.