Heritage Turkey nest design

[brynmdow]

Good morning all. I raise heritage turkeys, buff cochin bantams and standards, blue bantams, Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. My turkeys keep going into the hay loft to lay eggs (as well as successfully raising poults in our fields). I want to build some turkey nest boxes to place in the loft, as the "hay nests" have to be moved to feed our sheep. Anyone know of successful designs? Thanks Bryn

 

[VerlonCox]

Brynmdow, good luck on that one. I think that mine like the 2 x 2 wooden covered nest boxes that I built more then any of the other ones. I do have some that lay in the cut 55 gallon plastic barrels but by the most part them suckers lay where they WANT to lay in my opinion! I do a nightly search behind the barn (I free range) and have found eggs in the weirdest places. I have spent a lot of money on nest boxes for them to have them only decide to lay amongst all of my spare heat lamps on my workbench or on the seat of a tractor or anywhere BUT the nest boxes. If anyone has any better answers to this let me know to with a PM. I will tell you that most of my birds like "weathered" wood better then new in their nest boxes and roost too. If you have some scrap wood around the place try to use it up first.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio. Sorry I can't help with nest boxes, we only had toms.

 

[pringle]

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

from Vermont!

I can't give any good advice on the nesting issue, I'm still waiting for my Narragansett turkeys to lay their first eggs

Some people have had success with igloo type dog houses or by simply leaning plywood against the wall of the coop in a quiet cornere. You may want to check out the Turkeys forum for more info.

Nice to have you here!

 

[Gonzo]

from Indiana!