Raising turkeys in Tractor question.

[R2elk]

So I've considered an alternative to a tractor and free ranging. How about I put them in a tractor and allow them to range in an electric fence? How tall does it need to be and what size should I use in order to keep them happy? FYI their wings will be clipped to minimize flying.

I might even just build a cover with some roosts that's portable. TIA

I have no idea since I do not use electric fencing. Turkeys even with wings clipped can jump very well. Mine never had any trouble getting up on a 6' high roost even with their wings clipped.

I have their 2 acre free range area enclosed with a 6' high 2"x4" welded wire fence. Mine do a pretty good job of staying within their fenced area because there is no top rail or top bar to lure them into thinking it is a desirable perch site. If it had a top rail or top bar, they would perch on it and they would invariably get down on the wrong side of the fence.

The other reason that I seldom have escapees is because the area inside the fence is lush and green with trees and water while the area outside of the fence is (other than in the spring) is dry, treeless and uninviting.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[LearninMyFlock]

View attachment 1726041

This is my friends Narragansett Tom he processed out at 18 pounds at 7 months old.

View attachment 1726042

These are the fertilized eggs I picked up yesterday. There's 19 Narragansett and 5 Royal Palm eggs. Dropped them off at my breeder to incubate them on the way home.View attachment 1726022

These were the only 2 eggs that have her any concern. Would be nice if they're the only 2 that don't hatch.

Any special tips and /tricks for brooding poults compared to chicks. FYI I brood outside.

Maybe I should read the whole thread before asking and if you've already answered I'll read it. How do you brood outside? What is your brooder like etc? I would like tips for my son who is looking to start raising some turkeys this year for Thanksgiving.

 

[R2elk]

Maybe I should read the whole thread before asking and if you've already answered I'll read it. How do you brood outside? What is your brooder like etc? I would like tips for my son who is looking to start raising some turkeys this year for Thanksgiving.

My brooder is in a sectioned off area in my unheated coop. The brooder is a 4'x4' wood "box". It has a GQF brooder heater hooked up to a digital thermostat with the sensor on the bedding below the heater. I also have a two fixture light with one heat lamp and one daylight bulb that is on a pulley system making it easy to raise or lower the light fixture. I have another indoor/outdoor thermometer with the remote sensor located on the bedding. I use the heat lamp to keep the large part of the brooder at a reasonable temperature such as 70° to 80°F while the brooder heater is set at 90°F for the first week and lowered by 5°F each week until they are at the ambient temperature or are removed from the brooder and placed in the grow out pen.

 

[JB8907]

My brooder is in a sectioned off area in my unheated coop. The brooder is a 4'x4' wood "box". It has a GQE brooder heater hooked up to a digital thermostat with the sensor on the bedding below the heater. I also have a two fixture light with one heat lamp and one daylight bulb that is on a pulley system making it easy to raise or lower the light fixture. I have another indoor/outdoor thermometer with the remote sensor located on the bedding. I use the heat lamp to keep the large part of the brooder at a reasonable temperature such as 70° to 80°F while the brooder heater is set at 90°F for the first week and lowered by 5°F each week until they are at the ambient temperature or are removed from the brooder and placed in the grow out pen.

Do you have pictures of this?

 

[JB8907]

Maybe I should read the whole thread before asking and if you've already answered I'll read it. How do you brood outside? What is your brooder like etc? I would like tips for my son who is looking to start raising some turkeys this year for Thanksgiving.

Here's the thread I have for my outdoor brooder.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/outdoor-brooder.1296617/

Once my permanent coop and run are built I'll not use this and I'll let hens so the brooding.... Even if it's turkeys or guineas hens will do the work.

 

[R2elk]

Do you have pictures of this?

 

[JB8907]

Where did you get the brooder heater?

 

[R2elk]

Where did you get the brooder heater?

It is a standard GQF brooder heater that is readily available from any vendor that carries brooder parts.

Stromberg's

GQF

 

[JB8907]

It is a standard GQF brooder heater that is readily available from any vendor that carries brooder parts.

Stromberg's

GQF

Ok thank you. I should have about a dozen and a half poults at the end of the first week of May and no broody hen to do the work for me. They'll be in my outside brooder from the link above. I have a question of you read that thread I'm experimenting with a "self cleaning" brooder. Do poults like a clean brooder or are they more hardy? I'm only concerned Menasha I heard /read somewhere that they like clean brooding environment.

 

[R2elk]

Ok thank you. I should have about a dozen and a half poults at the end of the first week of May and no broody hen to do the work for me. They'll be in my outside brooder from the link above. I have a question of you read that thread I'm experimenting with a "self cleaning" brooder. Do poults like a clean brooder or are they more hardy? I'm only concerned Menasha I heard /read somewhere that they like clean brooding environment.

I start my poults in a clean brooder with nice fresh bedding (sand). I don't normally keep them in the brooder any longer than two weeks. I clean the brooder out before the next batch goes in. If there are a lot of poults in my brooder, I will add more sand right on top of the current bedding. I clean the brooder out before each new batch goes into the brooder.

I am not fastidious about keeping the brooder spotless like some people are. I have not had any issues using my method. One of the benefits of using sand is it is easy to get the poults eating by sprinkling starter on the sand. They will pick the feed off of the sand for a few days until they figure out what the feeder is.