Pasturing turkeys?

[extraordinaryfowl]

How much space (square footage or the like) do you give to broad-breasted as well as heritage meat turkeys on pasture?

 

[dwest]

http://www.kellyturkeys.co.uk/kellybronze-turkeys-chickens-default.aspx?m=6&mi=105

This page is from Kelly Bronze Turkeys in the UK. According to it European rules for "free range" is no more then 2500 birds per hectare (1000 per acre) which seems really high to me. Kelly Bronze themselves work on 6 square metres per bird (100 sq ft roughly) or 435 birds per acre. Personally I think even that is too high. I myself am leaning towards no more than 200 birds per acre (220 sq ft per bird) for next year's crop, and even that I would be more comfortable if I could have rotating pasture for that number of birds. If you have rotating pasture that would allow areas to rest for a week or two before birds are back on them you could probably stock a bit heavier.

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

Quote:
Thanks, that is very informative. In one of my old poultry books it says 100-500 per acre, so that gives me a pretty good idea. Yes, I would house them similar to my chickens and geese, in portable pens.