Help me resign my coop plans! (Please)

[affacat]

So we have 8 Narragansett poults. The plan had been to build them an 8x12 coop much like my chicken coop. It will be attached to a run that is about 8x36, with the plans to free range them (open the door all day on the run) during the day.

However, it seems like turkeys don't like coops?
So now I need to redesign, still with an 8x12 footprint. Do I even need a floor? Walls? I know i need a roof, and roosts, and I think I'm going to want an area only Jennies can fit in for nesting. I have the materials already to build a full on shed but it sounds like I will be able to repurpose quite a bit of that to an actual shed.

I was thinking perhaps making a 1 sided (prevailing wind) 8x12 that effectively is just posts holding up a roof and that single wall. The two other sides would be hardware cloth at the bottom, chicken wire up top. The 4th side completely open to the run

Within that footprint, I could chicken wire off maybe a 4x8 area with a small Jennie entrance I can close if poults are present.

Anyway, given the parameters of a 8x12 footprint, I'd love to hear ideas

 

[R2elk]

So we have 8 Narragansett poults. The plan had been to build them an 8x12 coop much like my chicken coop. It will be attached to a run that is about 8x36, with the plans to free range them (open the door all day on the run) during the day.

However, it seems like turkeys don't like coops?
So now I need to redesign, still with an 8x12 footprint. Do I even need a floor? Walls? I know i need a roof, and roosts, and I think I'm going to want an area only Jennies can fit in for nesting. I have the materials already to build a full on shed but it sounds like I will be able to repurpose quite a bit of that to an actual shed.

I was thinking perhaps making a 1 sided (prevailing wind) 8x12 that effectively is just posts holding up a roof and that single wall. The two other sides would be hardware cloth at the bottom, chicken wire up top. The 4th side completely open to the run

Within that footprint, I could chicken wire off maybe a 4x8 area with a small Jennie entrance I can close if poults are present.

Anyway, given the parameters of a 8x12 footprint, I'd love to hear ideas

I would recommend going with 3 sides and a roof.

I do not recommend using chicken wire with turkeys. I have seen toms cut their snoods off on chicken wire.

Dirt floor is fine.

 

[affacat]

I would recommend going with 3 sides and a roof.

I do not recommend using chicken wire with turkeys. I have seen toms cut their snoods off on chicken wire.

Dirt floor is fine.

Absolutely fantastic info on chicken wire. We rarely use it (only high up) but will be extra cautious for the turkeys.

We have read some turkeys like a view... Should we put windows anywhere?

Actually... My footprint looks like:

So the run is only up against 8 feet of one of the 12 foot sides.

Expanded view of the coop area (with each side labeled as a Letter)

So... Any thoughts?

A,B,C solid?

Or I could do B,C,D solid and have A and Run open?

We read they like a view... Any windows?

Also how big of a Jenny /nesting area should I make on the C side? 4x8?

Is there generally a size door that will prevent Tom's from entering but allow Jennys in? Do we need to be able to completely secure it if they have poults so the poults don't wander into Tom land?

Worth noting, it is our hope to open the run for free ranging daily.

 

[R2elk]

Make sure your back wall is facing the prevailing wind.

The roosts do not need to be under the roof. If they are under the roof, they need to be low enough that the turkeys have plenty of room over there heads.

If one side is completely open there is no need for windows.

You can build a nest are but you cannot force the hens to use it unless you lock them in.

Make the run as big as you possibly can. My shred run is 50' x 100'.