I need some wisdom

[I4Him]

My girls are raising turkeys for the first time for 4H (We've had chickens the last 5 years). We have 8 poults in the basement in dog kennels - they'll be 4 weeks on the weekend. We can either put them in a thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed wood-floor, insulated chicken coop that is 10' X 10' and has a light, or put them out in a mostly dirt 12' X 6' run with a small coop to lock them in at night with a light.

I admit I am very nervous about where to put them - even more so after reading some of the threads. Also, I had so much trouble with them eating wood chips and paper towel that I had to put them on old towels. I obviously cannot cover a 10 X 10 coop with towels. Will turkeys continue to eat the wood chips now they are older, or is there something better?

Any advice would be appreciated!
Thank you so very much.
Cindy

 

[KrisH]

My girls are raising turkeys for the first time for 4H (We've had chickens the last 5 years). We have 8 poults in the basement in dog kennels - they'll be 4 weeks on the weekend. We can either put them in a thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed wood-floor, insulated chicken coop that is 10' X 10' and has a light, or put them out in a mostly dirt 12' X 6' run with a small coop to lock them in at night with a light.

I admit I am very nervous about where to put them - even more so after reading some of the threads. Also, I had so much trouble with them eating wood chips and paper towel that I had to put them on old towels. I obviously cannot cover a 10 X 10 coop with towels. Will turkeys continue to eat the wood chips now they are older, or is there something better?

Any advice would be appreciated!
Thank you so very much.
Cindy

My vote is 10x10 off of dirt with pine shavings. and remember HIGH protien food like 30% game bird food. they might pick at the shavings but ours seem to do well on shavings after they are about 2 weeks old.

RobertH

 

[I4Him]

THanks so much! They are currently on turkey starter and doing very well. I think that was part of the problem at the beginning. I had them on chick starter so they were eating anything and everything to try to get what they needed.

At what age do you typically move them outside. I'm hoping to get some grass seed down in thenext couple of days to get their run a whole lot grassier.

 

[KrisH]

THanks so much! They are currently on turkey starter and doing very well. I think that was part of the problem at the beginning. I had them on chick starter so they were eating anything and everything to try to get what they needed.

At what age do you typically move them outside. I'm hoping to get some grass seed down in thenext couple of days to get their run a whole lot grassier.

I was told 8+ weeks before feet hit grass or dirt. that way they should be strong enough and less likely to get chilled, or sick. (has worked well for us)

your mileage may very though

RobertH

 

[kuntrygirl]

Wood floor is my vote. I'm not a fan of any kind of shavings though. Just my personal opinion on the shavings. I move them when they are feathered enough where the heat lamp will keep them alive. I have a heat lamp in their outside brooder. I keep mine on sand.