Is my space big enough???

[Pine Roost]

I live on about 1.3 acres and already have 20+ chickens, all in coops and cages. I am interested in getting 2 or 3 turkeys. Before I do, I am wanting to know...on average...how much room they need. Can you keep them in a pen or do they have to be able to free range? As far as free ranging goes... how far do they usually stray? I have a big cutdown in the back yard they could use....

I would appreciate any advise. thanks.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Welcome to the world of turkeys. What breed are you thinking about getting?

Do you have predators in your area? If you have predators, then you will need to keep the turkeys in a pen. Turkeys can free range if the area is a safe area. They really should be penned at night. If not, you stand the chance of them coming up missing or you finding them dead the next day. With you getting 2 or 3 turkeys, you definitely don't want to lose any of them. As far as them straying, that will be individual responses. Each turkey owner will have a different answer for that. Mine do not stray at all but that is because they were hatched at my place and I handled them daily and I interact with them daily, so mine are tame. They will fly over the chicken yard fence into the human yard because they are nosey but they will fly back over into the chicken yard. Free ranging is an excellent way to go if and only if you are confident that you won't lose any.

What size coops and cages do you already have?

Housing Turkeys
http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/turkeymanual/ALBCturkey-6.pdf

 

[Pine Roost]

Thanks for the response. My chicken pens are basically limited to chickens only. One is 4x8 and one is a 4x8 coop with a 12x12 run. If I decide to get the turkeys then I will build a seperate area for them. I really dont have any pretadors. Have had my chickens for 1 year and let them free range around the yard for a few hours a day. Never had any problems with anything getting after them. You mentioned turkeys being noisy... are the hens really noisy or is it mainly the toms gobbling? So at the end of the day, a few turkeys would be fine living in a pen, right? How large would you recommend for 3 or 4 max?

 

[kuntrygirl]

No, they are not noisy, they are nosey (curious). They like to know what's going on at all times.

Yes, they will be ok living in a pen if the pen has adequate room.

Please read these threads about turkey pens.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/430378/turkey-pens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/460841/turkey-pens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/788231/turkey-pens

 

[Pine Roost]

You have been a big help Kuntrygirl. Thanks for all of the info. I think that I may try em out. Maybe 3 hens and a tom.

 

[kuntrygirl]

You are welcome. You really should get them. You won't regret it.

Glad that I could help.

 

[motherhubbert68]

Hey Kuntrygirl I took your advice about letting my Tom in ... you should have seen him lol Mr Romeo himself lol. I think we have one hen the bourbon colored ; thats the one he followed around and pranced for the other two just stayed out of his way. The Bourbon also talked back whether it was back off or sweet talk i dont know she really didnt run from him but gave him some space. We have seperated the young ones from him and starting to work on a special place to accomidate them .... how

 

[motherhubbert68]

How old should the youngsters be before we put them in the same pen ... will prob seperate the other Toms and just put Lonely Tom and the one hen in one and them in the other.

The one above is the one he followed around he ignored the other two pretty much.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Hey Kuntrygirl I took your advice about letting my Tom in ... you should have seen him lol Mr Romeo himself lol. I think we have one hen the bourbon colored ; thats the one he followed around and pranced for the other two just stayed out of his way. The Bourbon also talked back whether it was back off or sweet talk i dont know she really didnt run from him but gave him some space. We have seperated the young ones from him and starting to work on a special place to accomidate them .... how

Well good for Mr. Romeo. LOL. Sounds like everything is going very well. Good job!

 

[kuntrygirl]

How old should the youngsters be before we put them in the same pen ... will prob seperate the other Toms and just put Lonely Tom and the one hen in one and them in the other.

The one above is the one he followed around he ignored the other two pretty much.

Good looking birds !!!!!!

My youngsters met their yard mates at the age 3 1/2 months. I was comfortable with their size and I monitored them on that weekend to make sure that there was no fighting. This was their size at 3 1/2 months old. Size is the deciding factor for me.