Putting Turkey Poults outside…

[PolloGal]

Adult turkeys need much more roosting space than chickens. As adults they do not like roosting next to each other.

Another thing to consider when building turkey roosts is the amount of space they require to get down from the roost. My adults often land 30' away from their 6' roosts.

Do they require roosting far off the ground of the shelter? Or can I put a 2x6 just 3’ off the ground?

 

[R2elk]

Do they require roosting far off the ground of the shelter? Or can I put a 2x6 just 3’ off the ground?

You can put it that high. Heritage turkeys prefer roosting outside. They also prefer roosting high.

Broad breasted turkeys should have low roosts.

 

[PolloGal]

That sounds like plenty of room! I'm about to put my babies in a larger run also as soon as my husband puts the netting over the run to keep them from flying out. There is a huge rose of Sharon in the middle of the run that's about 7-8 feet tall that will act as a center support for the netting. I planted the rose of Sharon in the run for extra shade several years ago but I think it will work out. You can clip the primaries of one wing and that will help keep them from flying the fence. I know for a fact it will keep heavier gobblers in because I kept my wild turkey gobbler's wing clipped and he stayed in our backyard while I had him. The fence was only 4 feet but he was too heavy to fly over with one wing clipped.

Eventually most of mine will free range in my goat lot. I have quite a few more males than I will need so I plan on butchering the extra ones when they are old enough.

That sounds like it will work out Nice! I never thought of a tree or plant in the middle to hold up the netting! That’s a GREAT idea! What about the electric fencing? We have 5 strands. Wont’ keep out a raccoon maybe, but bigger animals like bear or bobcats will have a tough time. Will it all be dangerous for the adult turkeys? I don’t want them to hit the fencing or get zapped.

 

[KF0002]

That sounds like it will work out Nice! I never thought of a tree or plant in the middle to hold up the netting! That’s a GREAT idea! What about the electric fencing? We have 5 strands. Wont’ keep out a raccoon maybe, but bigger animals like bear or bobcats will have a tough time. Will it all be dangerous for the adult turkeys? I don’t want them to hit the fencing or get zapped.

Nah we've had chickens to get bit by our electric fence before and they survived. Might have scared a few years off their lives but they were fine. Lol

 

[GarrettW]

Does anyone else have them outside at night with a heat lamp at this age?Just want to be sure they will be warm enough if it gets to the 50’s at night.

I had 3 - 5-week-old turkey poults in as cold as 14 degrees last November, and they lived. I think once they're fully feathered they can tolerate about any temperature.

 

[KF0002]

I had 3 - 5-week-old turkey poults in as cold as 14 degrees last November, and they lived. I think once they're fully feathered they can tolerate about any temperature.

I'm glad to hear that because I have been like a helicopter mom with mine once I put them outside. They were fully feathered so I figured they would be okay. We put chickens outside when they are feathered. It got down to 40 one night after I put my poults out and I was so worried they would droop up and perish, but I checked on them the next morning and they were fine. I had spoken with a lady that raises them in my area who told me they needed to be kept no cooler than room temp until they were like 7-8 weeks old so I was paranoid. I know turkey poults are tender to temperature and even water temp can't be too cold. Mine outgrew their brooder by 4-5 weeks and I had to put them outside because they were getting overcrowded. But they have done well so far thankfully. Their pen is completely covered so they don't get wet if it rains.

 

[PolloGal]

You can put it that high. Heritage turkeys prefer roosting outside. They also prefer roosting high.

Broad breasted turkeys should have low roosts.

Great. Thank you.

 

[PetMomKathy]

I put mine outside at around 5 or so weeks with no heat lamp. They are fully feathered at that age and no longer need a heat lamp. They can huddle or pile for warmth if its cold and smother each other and corners is where they usually do that. I think that is what r2elk meant. You can remedy this by adding roosts and checking on them at dark and making sure they are all on roosts. Turkeys instinctively want to roost so you may not have any problem, just watch them. It has been as low as 40 at night since I've had mine outside and they've done fine. They have a covered pen and it stays dry.

I am a new turkey owner and had to put my 6 mixed heritage poults outside at 5 weeks due to overcrowding (though I technically had more space than the recommendation: they were flying because my "brooder" was too tall). The weather in SC has been unbearably hot, so I was not worried, but during the recent tropical storm, the temp went down to just below 60 for 2 nights. One of my blue slates did not look well - drooping head, crouching walk. He/she (still not sure) would be the last of the bunch to follow when we went on walk-abouts outside. I noticed that it was not eating, though it would pretend to. (I tossed meal worms for them to find). I called the breeder that I purchased them from and was told to give water with the mother and egg yolk. I used an eye dropper to force the water, then minutes later, it picked up and ate some of the yolk. Though it took two days of once a day

feeding inside then returning it to the flock, by day three it was flying again and has gained quite a bit of weight.
Bottom line: observe and ask questions!
BTW, Patches might be a tom, but that's a problem for another day.