Turkey coop?

[Chicken0Boy]

I am brand new to turkeys, and do you keep them in a coop or what? Any pics of housing would be great!

 

[Teach97]

i keep my turkeys in the freezer...but some folks keep them in coops....think big chicken house

 

[briana1975]

It all depends on where you are. Turkeys and chickens can give each other diffrent diseases. Check your local extension office to find out. We do keep our chickens and turkeys together and yes the turkeys go to roost each night. In the summer sometimes they think they need to roost on the roof of the coop. Turkey can stand much colder temps then chickens so a hoop house with shelter from the elements and winds would work well also. Good luck we love having turkeys.

This is when everyone was young and this was our BBW turkeys not the Sweetgrass or Burbon Reds.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Nice turkeys and coop!

 

[Kansaseq]

Could they live in an open fronted dog house?

 

[chickenannie]

Kansas,
It makes a big difference whether you're getting heritage birds (long-lived) or Broad-Breasted Whites just for Thanksgiving (short-lived).

The heritage birds would need a fair amount of space to run and roost, etc. The BBW could be more makeshift since they are usually butchered by Thanksgiving and don't need a winter coop. Also, BBW tend to move around a lot less than heritage turkeys.

An open-fronted doghouse sounds too small, but if you post a pic, we'll have a better sense of what you're describing.

Turkeys typically like to roost high, at least 4 feet off the ground. Most people put a high roost bar inside their turkey coop for that purpose. Not sure a doghouse would accomodate that.

 

[Kansaseq]

I'm thinking heritage breeds like Slate, so, no doghouse.

 

[chickenannie]

Are you planning to let them free-range daily?

If not, you'll want a large enclosed run attached to the coop. Usually for turkeys, it's at least 5-6 feet high (chickens don't need that much height).

If you do free-range, be warned that heritage turkeys will roam fairly far away (and return at night). You can always fence them in, but they fly also. So you must either cover your coop, or clip one wing (flight feathers only) to prevent flying (every 3-4 weeks).

Also, keep in mind that your coop must be predator proof (from dogs, foxes, raccoons, etc.). I learned the hard way when I lost a number of my turks to foxes. They had been roosting in the meadow for 6 months before the foxes discovered them. I hadn't thought foxes existed in my area.

 

[Kansaseq]

I'd use a dog run, and let them free range in a fenced in yard in good weather. They would most likely share housing with chickens. Got to get started building!

Briana-what breed is the lighter bird in the photo? He's gorgeous!
Thanks so much for the help, guys (and sorry for the hijak

)

 

[ljewell]

This is my Turkey pen in Naples, Florida.It is 900 sq.ft,chicken wire on top,with a 18ft perch, covered tin roof then palm fronds on top.And yes my turkeys are spoiled...Also we have an electric fence .