moving turkeys from inside to outside in the winter......?

[spish]

just wondering if there is anything i should be aware of....anything 'special' i should be preparing for putting turkeys outside for the first time..in 0 degree weather (we had our first mini freeze this week)

scenario is as follows.....

8 x 12 week old turkeys
plan was to keep them inside until spring but yeah plans change and they have to go out

last flock of turkeys, moved out at 12 weeks, died within 2 weeks from possible cocci or blackhead disease, so im wary about putting these out (but they've been brought up on medicated food against cocci/blackhead, the first lot weren't)


house will be filled with straw/hay but no electricity out there for a heat lamp......


they'll be ok.....................................................................................wont they?

 

[OmaBird]

Don't you wish you had a crystal ball that shows the future. Can you put them outside when you can keep a good eye on them for a few days? If they act cold or hurdle in the corner they are not ready to go outside. The stress could cause them to get sick.

 

[pdpatch]

Generally the first two main guidelines that can be followed:
1. are they older then 9 weeks old.
This is to ensure that there immune system has developed.
2. are they fully feathered.
This is to ensure they have protection.

As far as cold I have experienced adults in the cold, generally around 0 F they start to get uncomfortable as far as the cold is. Generally until the wind chill is down to -10 or 20 do you need to worry. You definably should keep them out of the wind as that will chill them more. This last winter we used a single milk house heater when the temps were below 0 F, we ran several extension codes out to the coop. When using heat lamps with adults you should be aware that you can start them laying early, it doesn't matter if it's clear or red. For some that is not a bad thing but in the cold, to cold an egg and it will never hatch.

You also need to keep fresh unfrozen water for them. This can be the hard part.

Tom

 

[Lotsapaints]

I hope to try mine outside soon they are 12 weeks old thinking about making a windbreak where I put the roost for them I already have learned the whole pen must be covered......I have 4 that are 22 weeks old going to try and put them all together since the Bourbons seem to be at the bottom of the turkey order.

 

[spish]

sadly using heat lamps/running out extension leads is not an option, its just to far out.last night hit -5 and everything is frozen out there. turkeys are still inside in an unheated shed......i dont dare to put them out i think its just too cold...

do you think they would live with mini-pigs? my minis have a lovelycovered enclosure with a spacious indoor sleeping/roaming area in the barn fullof hay and old roosts (the chickens used to use it before we moved them to the fields)

i just dont know if turkeys can catch any illness from piggy poop???

 

[pdpatch]

i just dont know if turkeys can catch any illness from piggy poop???

That is outside of my experience, I would not think so but i don't know.

Turkeys can get along with other animals. You can try it to see if it would work.​

 

[Frosty]

I would be worried about the pigs eating the turkeys. When you say 0 and -5, I assume you are talking C and not F? I really am not a believer in heat lamps for older birds, they can start fires. I don't heat mine in the winter and have had temps down to -38F. If they are already in an unheated shed, will there really be that much of a temperature change for them? I have heard of people spreading lime on the ground, I think they rake it in and it's supposed to help with blackhead. Possibly keeps earthworms away from the area. I don't know what you have in the way of predators - both on the ground and in the sky - but also keep in mind that if prey type critters go into hiding due to weather, that increases the risk to your birds.