Interested in Turkeys

[frank53061]

Thanks for the help. I looked on craigslist the other day and found someone whom is sexed selling BR poults which are descended from a porters line for $7 a bird. I have looked at the BR and like the breed. I will have to think about it though. They are selling the poults for mid-April which is a little early saying I wouldn't be able to start working on a coop until May but it may work. I also was wondering what suggestions you have for fencing? I understand that the heritage breeds for the most part have retained the ability to fly so the fencing should be high and I probably should put bird netting over the top. Like many people I am a little short on cash at the moment so ideas or suggestions for how I can try to bring down the cost of building the turkey area without compromising the effectiveness and durability of it would be appreciated. Thanks for the help!

You are right about the Heritage Birds they are able to fly as far as the Pen Frenching I over lapped 4ft tall Chicken Wire making it almost 8 ft for the Pen Enclosure I also took metal fence post and drove them into the ground and took another post and lashed it to the one drove into the ground for support of the wire.
If flying is a problem It is very easy to clip there flight feathers and it does not Harm them.
The feathers do grow back and allow them to fly yet again so if its needed they will need to be cut at the point they seem to be trying to fly again.
When my Red Bourbons got up in weight they no longer attempted to fly other than to there roost and down again so at about 6 months of age I no longer needed to clip there flight feathers even tho they have grown back fully they just don't try much after so long at least that's my experience.

 

[Arielle]

Thanks for the help. I looked on craigslist the other day and found someone whom is sexed selling BR poults which are descended from a porters line for $7 a bird. I have looked at the BR and like the breed. I will have to think about it though. They are selling the poults for mid-April which is a little early saying I wouldn't be able to start working on a coop until May but it may work. I also was wondering what suggestions you have for fencing? I understand that the heritage breeds for the most part have retained the ability to fly so the fencing should be high and I probably should put bird netting over the top. Like many people I am a little short on cash at the moment so ideas or suggestions for how I can try to bring down the cost of building the turkey area without compromising the effectiveness and durability of it would be appreciated. Thanks for the help!

You can cut the primaries on one wing to keep them grounded. Otherwise I have used baling twine to build a woven net over the top of one run.

My suggestion is build your housing FIRST, get your poults after home is ready if you are brooding them in that location.

 

[Celie]

So yours would get some cuts then in an APA show since they are over that 2 lb allowance?

Does yours breed naturally without too much trouble?