Free ranging

[Paco]

Is it ok for 2week old poults to free range? Its been in the 100's for this week and even hotter in the coop. I have a little pen they could be in its shaded and everything.

 

[poultryfan73]

I would at least wait till they are 4 weeks old.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Rain and dew can kill them. Are they with a hen? I know hens raise them all the time but it depends where they take them. If they stay around the barn they might be OK but if you don't have a momma, I wouldn't turn them out until 8 weeks atleast. Some hens are not good mommas and lead them to their death by marching them through the tall, wet morning grass.

 

[Paco]

They are not with a hen. I bought them as week old poults from a breeder near me.And if they get to go out it would be in hte middle of the day when its the hottest and thats when I'm home. But If its gonna hurt them I'm not gonna do it.

 

[ziggywiggy]

I put mine out at that age for a few hours a day but, I live in a very hot dry environment. They don't stay out until they're 8 weeks. I'd think it would be OK as long as they don't get wet and as long as the temperature is above 90.
Mine love it. Plus, it's less mess to clean in the brooder.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Mine were in their own stall for a couple of weeks before I let them out. Turkeys are so difficult to raise that I didn't want to take any chances of anything happening to them. I am very protective of them. I waited until they were 4 weeks before letting them free range. And when I did, I was right there. I did not leave them alone. I was too scared to let them free range without me being there. It only takes a second for something to happen to them.

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
Yep. You can lose a lot of turkeys real quick if you're not careful and the heritage breeds can fly very young which adds to the danger. I had some fly in my garden and if I had found them an hour later they would have died of exposure.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Yep. You can lose a lot of turkeys real quick if you're not careful and the heritage breeds can fly very young which adds to the danger. I had some fly in my garden and if I had found them an hour later they would have died of exposure.

My bourbon reds would fly in my pecan tree and they were only 6 weeks old. I didn't think they could fly so high!

 

[Lagerdogger]

I solved this problem by attaching a screen porch to my coop. The coop is 4 X 6 and raised about 3 feet off the ground for easier access for me. It has two access doors to check on poults and clean out litter. But on the back side, there is a sliding door that opens to a 4 X 8 chicken wire screen porch with a roost about 15 inches high. I start letting them out there at about 3 weeks whenever it is fairly warm. Than I don't have to feel rushed to put them out on their range. I put them out on the range at about 6 weeks. There is a shelter available with roosts, but they don't seem to want to use it until about 8 weeks.