How much space for 15-20 turkeys?

[Celie]

Thanks.

As for taste I bet what they eat effects the flavor. I was a bit disappointed when my BBW tasted like grocery store birds. Cheaper to buy that flavor in the meat section.

I free range my flocks and they get plenty bugs to eat, and that probably makes a difference, too, but mostly, I don't want birds that are fed "who knows what". I have raised BBW that tasted nothing like the ones you buy in the meat section!

 

[Celie]

Hi Arielle,
I have found the heritage type turkeys to have better flavor. I raised production type bronzes for several years before switching to royal palms and have found the royal palm meat to have better flavor and be much more versatile to cook with. My family has used it to replace pork in many of our recipes that we make and in many cases it actually tastes better than the original recipe.

I do not eat pork, anymore either, for health reasons, but I find the dark meat on the thigh, cooked like beef stew or hash, with beef gravy left over from the night before tastes just like beef stew. The other night, everyone thought they were eating beef. People who tell me they "hate dark meat from a turkey" they love my beef(dark meat turkey) dishes!

 

[Arielle]

While we are on the space issue, is 10 sq ft the right number if NO run space is allowed?

 

[TamTurkey]

I am new to this but Texas A&M suggests at LEAST
2 sqft per poult until 4 weeks.
6 sqft from 4 to 8 weeks
7 sqft per hen 8 weeks +
10 sqft per Tom 8 Weeks+
Please note that this information is based on market meat Turkeys not for pets and those wanting to breed them.

 

[poultrypalacewhidbey]

Quote:
I would say yes, but be aware that you will be in for a lot of work cleaning cages and are going to run through a huge amount of bedding trying to keep the birds clean. Particularly if the climate is humid or it rains a lot. Also i forgot to mention before that roosts would be a must it you were keeping them in a coop that small. they allow the birds to get away from each other if their is any fighting going on.

 

[beanmcnulty]

I raise this many inside 2 poultry electronets strung together. Then I have hoop coops that I just always leave open for shelter when they want it. They usually just roost on top of them which is why I plan on building a turkey range shelter in the future, they rip up the tarps pretty bad. Some fly out during the day, I could cut wings but I just shoo them back in the fence at dusk. This has worked really well for me, the only maintenance is moving the hoop coops occasionally, topping off feed, hosing out water pan (I use a trough float in a rubber dish hooked to a hose), shooing in at night, and very occassionally moving the electronet. Works for me!