Grow out Pen ideas

[Tiger Shark]

What are your plans for the extra toms you will have out of the 10? I am assuming your total will shrink down to 1 tom with minimum 4 hens

I’m going to sell them and eat 1. So yeah I’ll end up with less than 10. Probably like 5

 

[FredsGobblers]

5 would be a good number for area you are planning. That will give you 500 sq ft per bird free range. Any more and they may turn that area to barren ground eventually.

 

[mandelyn]

We ran them last year in 9x6 pasture tractors, had to reduce it to 3 birds each by the time they got to size.

This year we did a bigger tractor, but set the base too low and it proved too hard to move on bumpy ground. So we parked it near a fenceline and used dog kennel panels to fence it in. 20x20 surrounds the lockable shelter.

Started with 10 in there, once gender became obvious we started selling off the girls (we don't eat the girls, instead their sale feeds the boys we keep).

It took them 3 months to take the grass down to dirt. In theory, we could shift the pen down the fenceline to refresh the grass but the next spot over isn't flat and there is a tree in the way. I sold 3 more girls, leaving 4 Toms in there, which has the grass growing back if I keep it watered.

We netted the top to keep them from flying out, since they're Heritage birds.

 

[Tiger Shark]

We ran them last year in 9x6 pasture tractors, had to reduce it to 3 birds each by the time they got to size.

This year we did a bigger tractor, but set the base too low and it proved too hard to move on bumpy ground. So we parked it near a fenceline and used dog kennel panels to fence it in. 20x20 surrounds the lockable shelter.

Started with 10 in there, once gender became obvious we started selling off the girls (we don't eat the girls, instead their sale feeds the boys we keep).

It took them 3 months to take the grass down to dirt. In theory, we could shift the pen down the fenceline to refresh the grass but the next spot over isn't flat and there is a tree in the way. I sold 3 more girls, leaving 4 Toms in there, which has the grass growing back if I keep it watered.

We netted the top to keep them from flying out, since they're Heritage birds.

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Thanks a lot. I think I’m gonna keep the remaining turkeys I have in the 10 by 7 cage I have at night. I’m gonna let them pasture during the day and probably change their grazing grounds every couple months. Out of curiosity.. how much did you sell the hens for? I plan on selling most of my toms. Are Toms more expensive? Where did you sell them?

 

[mandelyn]

Thanks a lot. I think I’m gonna keep the remaining turkeys I have in the 10 by 7 cage I have at night. I’m gonna let them pasture during the day and probably change their grazing grounds every couple months. Out of curiosity.. how much did you sell the hens for? I plan on selling most of my toms. Are Toms more expensive? Where did you sell them?

With anything, it's supply/demand. I only sell locally, through craigslist since it has had the highest response rate. Girls only are $40-$60/ea depending on age. Pairs are anywhere from $75-$120. Boys only typically bring $30-$40 (basically $4/lb if they're 5-6 months old)

I get the most in Feb/March... instant gratification aged just in time for breeding season. $250+ for a quad, they're more labor intensive with winter care. I have some seasonal regulars that snatch them up fast that time of year.

My number one seller though is replacement hens. A lot of people around here free range their Turkeys and lose the hen/s. They don't want to buy babies and end up with more boys. The very moment gender is known, the price goes up. Everyone and their uncle wants girls and there's never enough of them to go around. I've seen boys listed pretty cheap and it still takes days/weeks to find them a new situation. Girls will sell out in a matter of hours sometimes, if you don't have to buy a boy with them.

 

[Anita Scott]

I have 5 broad breasted turkeys. 2 toms and 3 hens. We expanded the 6x6 coop to a 12x6 coop. They are roosting about 3 1/2 feet up on a 2x4 that used to be part of the old wall. Only 3 of them fit on that roost and the other 2 either use the board across the back or the old log bench that we put in. The toms were needing help to get down in the mornings, so we added a ramp (using a 2"x12" board) to their roost and they seem to be liking it.