New to me Turkey - A few questions

[R2elk]

@R2elk can you 'home' a turkey to a coop by confining them there for a few days to a week, like you can a chicken?

I would guess that you could but I don't know for sure as I do not coop my turkeys. Once my turkeys are big enough to not provide a desirable target for owls, they spend the night on their roosts in the run. Their roosting area is protected from the prevailing wind but they do spend their nights outside in all temperatures and weather conditions.

This is his coop and run and then he free ranges in our yard during the day. This is the coop and run he has had since he was a chick. We got him, his coop and his three chicken friends all together.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-welded-wire-canopy-coop-gc001?cm_vc=-10005

That coop is nowhere big enough for a turkey. I doubt that any amount of training is going to get him to go in there on his own.

 

[happymom99]

That coop is nowhere big enough for a turkey. I doubt that any amount of training is going to get him to go in there on his own.

R2elk - thank you so much for telling me! No wonder he doesn’t want to go in if it is too small. Poor guy!! I wonder if he would be happier just sleeping in the run, like you are saying yours do. Where do you live? I’m asking because I’m curious about the kind of weather you get. I live in Southern California, just 20 minutes from the coast- it doesn’t get too bad here cold-wise.

How big a coop should he have? And how big if he gets two lady friends. He only sleeps in it. His water and food are in his run.

Thank you very much!!

 

[happymom99]

Once my turkeys are big enough to not provide a desirable target for owls, they spend the night on their roosts in the run.

How high are their roosts? Are they flat or round? How do they get up there? I can’t even imagine my turkey getting up onto a roost. He is just, I don’t know... big I guess. He moves very slow. He doesn’t fly at all.

 

[R2elk]

R2elk - thank you so much for telling me! No wonder he doesn’t want to go in if it is too small. Poor guy!! I wonder if he would be happier just sleeping in the run, like you are saying yours do. Where do you live? I’m asking because I’m curious about the kind of weather you get. I live in Southern California, just 20 minutes from the coast- it doesn’t get too bad here cold-wise.

How big a coop should he have? And how big if he gets two lady friends. He only sleeps in it. His water and food are in his run.

Thank you very much!!

I am in central Wyoming. Between October and November, I have already had 34.5" of snow this winter along with sub zero temperatures. It is common for the temperature to get down to -30°F during our winters.

I consider 10 sq. ft. of clear floor space per adult turkey to be the minimum along with a minimum of 50 sq. ft. of run space.

Where you live, providing the turkeys with shelter from the wind and shade from the sun are what is important. Depending on what your predator situation is will determine whether or not you can get by with a 3 sided shelter or if you need something more secure.

Good luck.

 

[R2elk]

How high are their roosts? Are they flat or round? How do they get up there? I can’t even imagine my turkey getting up onto a roost. He is just, I don’t know... big I guess. He moves very slow. He doesn’t fly at all.

Their roosts are staggered from 3' to 6' high. They get up by jumping or flying.

I can't tell for sure from the photos but am not convinced that he isn't a Broad Breasted Bronze. I can see the barred wing feathers which means that if he is black, he would have to be a Barred Black. I can see the iridescence of the feathers which a bronze turkey would exhibit.

 

[happymom99]

I am in central Wyoming. Between October and November, I have already had 34.5" of snow this winter along with sub zero temperatures. It is common for the temperature to get down to -30°F during our winters.

I consider 10 sq. ft. of clear floor space per adult turkey to be the minimum along with a minimum of 50 sq. ft. of run space.

Where you live, providing the turkeys with shelter from the wind and shade from the sun are what is important. Depending on what your predator situation is will determine whether or not you can get by with a 3 sided shelter or if you need something more secure.

Good luck.

Oh wow. Ok, so turkeys are cold hardy. We get a few nights a year they go to freezing. Yes, you hit the nail on the head about sun and wind. We get bad bad winds in the fall and some heat in the summer and fall. We are in fire country.

Our predators are hawks and owls, which aren’t a concern with him of course. But then we also have coyotes, bobcats and raccoons. Not sure if raccoons are a concern with him or not. ???

I need to make it so coyotes and bobcats can’t dig under his run, and also make it so raccoons can’t reach into the bars. This all calls for... a big job and a lot of hardware cloth. Then he can roost out there. I bet he will like that more.


I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help.

 

[happymom99]

Their roosts are staggered from 3' to 6' high. They get up by jumping or flying.

I can't tell for sure from the photos but am not convinced that he isn't a Broad Breasted Bronze. I can see the barred wing feathers which means that if he is black, he would have to be a Barred Black. I can see the iridescence of the feathers which a bronze turkey would exhibit.

I can’t imagine my turkey jumping, much less flying. I am starting to think maybe my turkey is overweight? He just sorta waddles around.

I think you might be right about the breed. He is black, but he does have barring and he does also have sort of bronze and green iridescence to his feathers.

His tail feathers are very sparse right now. His previous owner said he was molting.

 

[R2elk]

View attachment 1975615 View attachment 1975614

I can’t imagine my turkey jumping, much less flying. I am starting to think maybe my turkey is overweight? He just sorta waddles around.

I think you might be right about the breed. He is black, but he does have barring and he does also have sort of bronze and green iridescence to his feathers.

His tail feathers are very sparse right now. His previous owner said he was molting.

He is a Barred Black. The iridescence is because he is Bb (B = dominant black and b = recessive bronze). Toms can spend the whole day slowly strutting around but you would be surprised just how high they can jump. I had a Broad Breasted White that dressed out at 34 1/2 lbs. who surprised me when he jumped high enough to go right at the head of my Airedale with his feet.

 

[memphis]

I use a covered chain link reinforced with hardware cloth dog run for my turkeys. The back one fourth has a wind break where their roosts are. Its 16x16 and they free range most of the day. I mount box fans inside the enclosure during our hot summers. I worry more about the heat than the cold. My combo coop run is covered and the shade in the summer is welcome. And it keeps them dry in the winter. I use fence boards in the back by the roosts to provide three sides of wind break. They stay cozy in the winter & cool in the summer. Works for me.

 

[happymom99]

He is a Barred Black. The iridescence is because he is Bb (B = dominant black and b = recessive bronze). Toms can spend the whole day slowly strutting around but you would be surprised just how high they can jump. I had a Broad Breasted White that dressed out at 34 1/2 lbs. who surprised me when he jumped high enough to go right at the head of my Airedale with his feet.

Wow. That is amazing.

Regarding his breed, Does this mean he is not a heritage bird and I need to worry about his weight? Or is this still a heritage breed?