grow out pen for turkey poults

[NY Coturnix]

I have 6 BB and 8 heritage poults that I'd like to get out of my back room into a grow out pen. They're currently 3 weeks. I just finished their 8 x 20 hoop coop enclose. I would like to build a grow out box and put it in the hoop coop to get them out of my back room(wife getting on me). Weathers calling for near 80"s over the next week to 10 days in the north east. The coop is cattle panel wrapped in 1/2 inch hardware cloth with one one covered with tarp to keep the rain out. I've skirted the wire so I'm confident on it being safe and I'm going to run a couple heat lamps. Here's the question. I have them in 2 50 gal Rubbermaid tubs. I have a half a sheet of plywood that I was going to use as the bottom of my box and a couple used full sheets that I was going to make the walls from. Does a 4 foot square with 2 foot high walls sound big enough for 14 poults. I'm thinking I'll have them in it for probably another month to 6 week and its way bigger than what I have them in? I cold go bigger if this is too small and with the price of plywood right now I don't want to waste it.

Thoughts

 

[R2elk]

Are they good to go on the ground at 3 weeks? My coop will be a grass/dirt floor so I was thinking the box more to keep them off the ground. It sounds like I could do a 3 sided box with the heat lamps and just let them have the run?

Mine are basically on the ground right from the start since I use sand in the brooder. Once I take them out of the brooder at 2 weeks old, they are on the dirt in their grow out pen. I live on a sand dune so the floor of my coop and grow out pet is sand.

 

[R2elk]

I have 6 BB and 8 heritage poults that I'd like to get out of my back room into a grow out pen. They're currently 3 weeks. I just finished their 8 x 20 hoop coop enclose. I would like to build a grow out box and put it in the hoop coop to get them out of my back room(wife getting on me). Weathers calling for near 80"s over the next week to 10 days in the north east. The coop is cattle panel wrapped in 1/2 inch hardware cloth with one one covered with tarp to keep the rain out. I've skirted the wire so I'm confident on it being safe and I'm going to run a couple heat lamps. Here's the question. I have them in 2 50 gal Rubbermaid tubs. I have a half a sheet of plywood that I was going to use as the bottom of my box and a couple used full sheets that I was going to make the walls from. Does a 4 foot square with 2 foot high walls sound big enough for 14 poults. I'm thinking I'll have them in it for probably another month to 6 week and its way bigger than what I have them in? I cold go bigger if this is too small and with the price of plywood right now I don't want to waste it.

Thoughts

At 3 weeks old, they do not need to be in a box. I take mine out of the brooder at tw0 weeks old and move them to my grow out pen that is about 15' x 10'. Because it is often still cool and night, I do provide them with a heat lamp for another week or too but it only heats a small corner for them.

4' x 4' is the size of my brooder. It is way too small for a grow out pen.

 

[RLockhart68]

I'm not sure where you are in NY but I agree with you about a 3 sided box with a heat lamp over it. Then go by their activities. If they huddle in the box under the lamp add another one for a couple days. If you find them spread out through the pen come night you could probably do away with the lamp. I put mine on an automatic timer for the first week. I've never put them out permanent until a month old, mainly because they didn't have their own house. We are building them their hoop coop now. They will have it plus free range during the day. I have 22 poults (BB white and heritage)

 

[NY Coturnix]

thanks for the advice. Its time to move outI think I was making it harder than I needed to. I'm in Chemung County so just north of the PA boarder. My future plans would be to brood in a shed but this year I'm doing in the house and they're getting to be a bit much and the BB are like small chickens already. I guess I didn't expect them to grow so fast.

 

[RLockhart68]

Hello neighbor. I'm in Chautauqua county, between Erie and Buffalo. This is my second year with turkeys. I was just like you last year This year I'm moving them up quicker, basically because I am doing meat chickens and only have one brooder big enough for each batch. So the turkeys moved into a converted dog kennel and are free ranging in a fenced area until we get the hoop coop done. Meat Chix are spending their first day in the new tractor.

 

[NY Coturnix]

It's amazing you don't have to tell them what to do.

 

[NY Coturnix]

At 3 weeks old, they do not need to be in a box. I take mine out of the brooder at tw0 weeks old and move them to my grow out pen that is about 15' x 10'. Because it is often still cool and night, I do provide them with a heat lamp for another week or too but it only heats a small corner for them.

4' x 4' is the size of my brooder. It is way too small for a grow out pen.

Are they good to go on the ground at 3 weeks? My coop will be a grass/dirt floor so I was thinking the box more to keep them off the ground. It sounds like I could do a 3 sided box with the heat lamps and just let them have the run?

 

[NY Coturnix]

Well hello neighbor. Thank you for the advice. I'm sure I'm making things harder than they need to be. I'm wanting to take advantage of this warm spell and get these guys outside. How old are your poults? Mine are just 3 weeks today.

 

[RLockhart68]

I'm just a couple weeks ahead of you. Mine are 5 weeks yesterday. We had planned to get the hoop coop done before they got here, but then we had all that crazy weather, other projects, and my husband and son only having Sunday off to work on things. Just have to get it netted, tarped and the door put in. Fingers crossed for nice weather this weekend.