turkey pen or run ?????????

[DaKid]

Another turkey question for you’ll turkey raisers;

I have a few turkeys that I want to keep and not butcher out of the 18 I have , right now there in 4 different pens 6 to 7 ft by 11 ft. x 6 high with the tops close up with netting so they don’t try to fly out runs or raising pens.

I ‘m thinking I will keep a pair of Bourbon Reds , a pr of Royal Palm , and a pr of my BB Bronze


My questions is this ;

I would like to place them all in one run /pen with an small coop to get out from the weather (not that them seem to use it as far as yet ) but how large of a fence in area can I do (width x length )
I have extra fence some is 5’ high and some is 6’ high , will I need to close the top up or place some type netting so they don’t fly out .like i have now in there outside runs I really don’t want them to fly out and get into the woods in my back yard or the next door neighbors yards either .

So how do you keep ur turkeys where they belong , and not flying out or going into the next door neighbors yards or in my case into the woods .

I was thinking on a fence in area about 18 ft by 18 ft. out back in the wooded area of my property but they would be no trees or limbs low enough for them to fly into to roost or fly over the fence . with a sm. coop like encloser to get out of the weather .

I know the large the better but what are you all doing for a small time flock of 6 or so mix breeds of turkeys living together ,

Thanks
Al

 

[Chickndaddy]

By pair I am assuming you mean a male-female pair. If that is the case I would not reccomend keeping them all in one pen. The toms will fight and if you want poults that are pure bred these won't be as the toms will mate for which ever hen squats.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Chickendaddy, that is a beautiful rooster in your avatar. What kind is he?

Sorry off topic.

 

[Chickndaddy]

Blue Cochin rooster from McKinney and Govero lines.

 

[pdpatch]

Well to keep them from going to far you need a run, or larger flyway. They would be really happy if you used an acre or two. But that is not usually practical. Looks like you are looking to keep 3 mating pairs.

I personely would not keep a mating pair of BB bronze as you would have to artificially insemintate them to make sure you got fertial eggs. Because they have short legs and large chest it nearly impossible for them to mate naturaly.

They others will cross breed so you won't know what you will be getting or how they will grow. So you most likely you would need to keep them seperated by breed, if you want to know in advance how big they will get and there temperment. Other wise it will take a few years to find that out. Generally One male to 6 to 9 females works out. 3 males to 3 females in the same pens/run there will be a lot of fights with the males.

An 18 by 18 run would be larger enough for a mating pair. But I would make it so you can walk into the run with having to stoop. With a fixed run you may have to clean it out once in a while.

 

[DaKid]

thanks for the reply 's