How many sq ft do turkeys need in coop

[beak]

We are going to start raising turkeys for meat. We are going to keep about 3 hens and 1 tom on hand and hatch out eggs and raise them for meat sells during the holiday season. How big of a coop would be needed for say 20 turkeys? Probably white midgets.

 

[Oklahoma Lightning]

I hope you get answer because I got the same question. I want to raise 100 on pasture and need to know how big a pasture I need for the 24 weeks they on it. I also need to know if I can use a wood area that has a lot of grass.

 

[sandspoultry]

Depends on the size of the bird and the soil, well drained soil will support more birds than say clay type soil for example. Alot of the books recommend about 5 square feet per bird but they are going by broad breast meat type birds. We use alot more than the recommended to give them space to roam and forage.

Steve in NC

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

if they are to stay in the coop 24/7 then you will need a min. of 8-10 sq.ft a bird. Clay soils about 100-150 an acre, if you have good forage. Sandy soils about 200-250, if you have good forage. Yes you can raise them in wooded area, just more of a risk of them flying up in a tree and in the morning flying down, but crossing the fence line as they do. Other then that, if they have good forage then they will do just fine.

 

[Oklahoma Lightning]

Ok this is my idea of what my pasture set up should be. See if a head right or gone of course.
I well have 50 poults on pasture
Its a five acre hay meadow and we over seeded it with rye and white clover. It has summer grass already there and some clover.
It will be in strips 100 feet wide by two hundred feet long.
The house is 4 6 by6's that 8 ft long, spaced 8 foot apart. And 2 by 6 nails to each end. We will put I hooks down the length of the 6 by 6's with the hooks pointed down on the outside of both sides.
Then we put chicken wire tight over them to make a floor. I plan to hook three cattle panels over the hooks and bind them to the other side and hook them again so you have a upside down U. Cattle panels are 52 inch high by 16 long

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Over that I will lay down two pieces a roof tin on each side then a trap. I thought this might help control critters because it slick. My ends would have a wooden form and chicken wire. Oh and of courses doors. My roost are small trees cut of our places where we clearing. All lumber being sawed on our mill and is green.
How many roost do I need for 50 turkeys? What height?
I will have a PVC pipe feeder and water running down the center. They were laying in Dad's barn form when he worked for the water board. Just have to buy caps and some glue.
I got a pair of Lamas off Craigs list cheap because the people are being transfer. They been use to guard sheep. And a guard dog.
Oh for shade area and protected areas we taking six feet high poles and driving them in the ground and covering with brush, figure three should be enough. With feed and water under them.
We using solar turkey fence 48 inches tall for fencing.
How many waters do we need for 50 birds?

Cost is
3 cattle panels I borrowed them from the holding pens around our 50 foot around corral
Took a Quail pen down for a guy and he give me the wire
2 pcs of barn tin 14 foot long I am buying rainbow, it's cheaper.
I found two pcs left over from another shed.
Tarp $20
I hooks $4
End caps for pipe and glue $12
Fencing its about $170 a roll and I will need four
That the cost that hard to come up with.
Labor, my husbands already praying he be called back to work because I got four small operations to start. Turkeys, bottle calves, heriloom tomatoes and peppers plus bushel size gourds,candles and soaps. Plus four pairs and getting 20 more pairs. We have 350 acres with a mile of creek and 10 springs on it. The spring for my garden puts out 20 gallons of water a minote during dry years. All I owe is the loan for the 20 pairs and the money to do the turkeys.

I figure we have to move the house and pen very two weeks. I can move the house once in the same pen then the second move would be to a new pen.
Think I have covered everything but probably not.

Ok here where you guys that know what you are doing dive in and let me know if my thought are right or totally off.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

The house is 4 6 by6's that 8 ft long, spaced 8 foot apart.

2x4's will work just as good, that is what we use on our houses of the same design.

I plan to hook three cattle panels over the hooks and bind them to the other side and hook them again so you have a upside down U. Cattle panels are 52 inch high by 16 long

2 panels make you a house 9' x 12'. 3 panels makes you a house 13' x 12'.

Over that I will lay down two pieces a roof tin on each side then a trap. I thought this might help control critters because it slick.

You just need to run 2x4 wire or chicken wire around the bottom first 2' and cover with a tarp. 2 panels a 9x16 tarp works great. If you put the metal on the thing will be VERY HEAVY. The whole purpose of that design was to be light enough one man could move it, but heavy enough the wind will not take it away.

Then we put chicken wire tight over them to make a floor

Again not necessary, will add more work to keep the chicken wire clean.

How many roost do I need for 50 turkeys? What height?

need 1sqft of roost per turkey. You can squeeze 50 in one of them houses, its tight but they are their only to sleep. You'll only be able to get them about 2' or so off the ground in that style of housing. not much height in one especially on the sides. any higher and you'll loose precious space.

How many waters do we need for 50 birds?

We use two large bell type waters, that each are plumbed to a 55 gallon plastic barrel. Per 100 turkeys. If they always have water then their will be no problems, if they run out for any time span and you refill they will crowd each other really bad for the first 15 mins or so till they all have their fill of the water. during hot times they will go through about a 1/2gallon or so a day, normally the 55 gallons will last us about a week per 50 turkeys to a barrel. give or take.

Good luck on your adventure sounds like you'll be busy. The biggest thing i would worry about if I was you is the tornadoes and the heat. You solve those two problems you'll be fine. and of course all your predators.​