Keeping Toms from nesting box

[Pollogal1]

Need some ideas to help keep my toms out of the nest boxes when the girls are laying…and just in general. All of my next boxes are on the ground…I have no way to put them up higher. I had one Tom squeeze between a hardware cloth wall and a slanted board…only about 8” of space…to reach the 2 girls in the nesting box. I am afraid if I move the board closer to the hardware cloth wall, the girls won’t be able to fit in. I also have 2 boxes (about 20x20) that I have made smaller/shorter by screwing a board along the top, but the boys just duck down and still fit in it. I don’t have room to put a slanted board on them because it would block one of my entry doors to the inside of the pen. I will try to post pics later this morning (it’s too dark out right now), but if anyone has pictures or knows of a website with pics of what people have done to keep the toms out, that would be very helpful.

 

[R2elk]

Need some ideas to help keep my toms out of the nest boxes when the girls are laying…and just in general. All of my next boxes are on the ground…I have no way to put them up higher. I had one Tom squeeze between a hardware cloth wall and a slanted board…only about 8” of space…to reach the 2 girls in the nesting box. I am afraid if I move the board closer to the hardware cloth wall, the girls won’t be able to fit in. I also have 2 boxes (about 20x20) that I have made smaller/shorter by screwing a board along the top, but the boys just duck down and still fit in it. I don’t have room to put a slanted board on them because it would block one of my entry doors to the inside of the pen. I will try to post pics later this morning (it’s too dark out right now), but if anyone has pictures or knows of a website with pics of what people have done to keep the toms out, that would be very helpful.

One of the ways to prevent access for the toms is to build a cage around the nest area. make the cage entrance small enough that the toms can't get through it.

You may be surprised how small an opening that the hens can get through. I will get a measurement after it is daylight.

 

[Loving my girls]

Sorry if I sound
But what is a Tom ? Tomatoes growing through? Tom cats ?
… or is it another word for a cockerel?
Sincerely from Confused of Castelmoron

 

[R2elk]

Sorry if I sound
But what is a Tom ? Tomatoes growing through? Tom cats ?
… or is it another word for a cockerel?
Sincerely from Confused of Castelmoron

A tom is a mature male turkey also known as a gobbler. They need to be prevented from having access to the turkey hen's nests. They will take a sitting hen as an invitation to breed.

The unwanted breeding attempts can result in broken eggs as well as an injured hen or in the worst case a dead hen if the injury is severe enough.

 

[Loving my girls]

A tom is a mature male turkey also known as a gobbler. They need to be prevented from having access to the turkey hen's nests. They will take a sitting hen as an invitation to breed.

The unwanted breeding attempts can result in broken eggs as well as an injured hen or in the worst case a dead hen if the injury is severe enough.

OMG ! naughty little gobbler ! I had no idea !
Thank you for the info

 

[Pollogal1]

One of the ways to prevent access for the toms is to build a cage around the nest area. make the cage entrance small enough that the toms can't get through it.

You may be surprised how small an opening that the hens can get through. I will get a measurement after it is daylight.

Thanks for your help. Hmmm…I’m not sure I would be able to cage around the nest boxes. Space is a bit tight in those areas. Maybe I could just make the nest box entrances smaller? One is in the corner of an inside and hardware cloth wall, and the other 2 are inside…along a short wall. I know pics will help you assist me with ideas so I will go take a few shortly. Maybe I put the piece of wood slanted too high or something. I hinged it to the wall and leaned it on the lower end of one of the roost bars. Was SO surprised he could even fit in there! It’s good to know I can make the ‘entrances’ to the nests smaller…which is probably what I need to do. I have Bourbon Reds, Black Spanish, Blue Slate and Narragansett girls…so my largest girls are probably the Blue Slate and one of the Bourbon Reds. My Black Spanish girl is wide and ‘squat-tier’ to the ground…so she may be the widest girl. Any size suggestions as to the smallest size doorway/entryway these girls could fit through? Maybe a few picture ideas? I know if it was the same as cats “(if the head fits through…so will the body)”…this would sure be a lot easier!

 

[R2elk]

Thanks for your help. Hmmm…I’m not sure I would be able to cage around the nest boxes. Space is a bit tight in those areas. Maybe I could just make the nest box entrances smaller? One is in the corner of an inside and hardware cloth wall, and the other 2 are inside…along a short wall. I know pics will help you assist me with ideas so I will go take a few shortly. Maybe I put the piece of wood slanted too high or something. I hinged it to the wall and leaned it on the lower end of one of the roost bars. Was SO surprised he could even fit in there! It’s good to know I can make the ‘entrances’ to the nests smaller…which is probably what I need to do. I have Bourbon Reds, Black Spanish, Blue Slate and Narragansett girls…so my largest girls are probably the Blue Slate and one of the Bourbon Reds. My Black Spanish girl is wide and ‘squat-tier’ to the ground…so she may be the widest girl. Any size suggestions as to the smallest size doorway/entryway these girls could fit through? Maybe a few picture ideas? I know if it was the same as cats “(if the head fits through…so will the body)”…this would sure be a lot easier!

One way to make sure the hen can fit through is to measure how wide she is with her wings tight against her body.

 

[R2elk]

I used to have a fenced area that I made 8"x8" holes at ground level. The hens went inside that area to make their hidden nests.

The tom walked the fence line because he couldn't get through the holes.

Just checked with my sliding coop door set at 7" wide and watched a hen walk through with no problems.

I'm sure my toms need the opening to be at least 9" wide to get through it.

This one is 8 ¾" wide by 10" tall. A determined tom can squeeze through.

 

[Pollogal1]

I used to have a fenced area that I made 8"x8" holes at ground level. The hens went inside that area to make their hidden nests.

The tom walked the fence line because he couldn't get through the holes.

Just checked with my sliding coop door set at 7" wide and watched a hen walk through with no problems.

I'm sure my toms need the opening to be at least 9" wide to get through it.

This one is 8 ¾" wide by 10" tall. A determined tom can squeeze through.
View attachment 3776111

Ok…thanks. That gives me something to work with. I am going to measure my 2 largest girls…one of the boys (to be sure it’s not the same # ) and the openings…and cut some wood to make some changes in size.

 

[Loving my girls]

B***dy H**l from someone who knows nothing about turkeys except what temperature to cook them on Xmas day they can they get into a hole that small !!!
Do they fold themselves up or what !
My goodness we learn a lot from BYC