Turkey Roost / Shelter / Coop Help

[smoknz28]

Okay, first, I will point out that i am very new to turkeys. I have two at the moment. A Chocolate tom and hen and both are adults.

Up front question... What is the difference between the three; "Roost", "Shelter" and "Coop"?

Are coops referred to for chickens to be protected from inclement weather and direct sunlight? Are roosts only where turkeys are to hop up on poles, branches, etc off of the floor to relax, but not for overnight protection? Are shelters the same as a coop, but referred to mostly for turkeys? Or am I just all boogered up here? I'm thinking the answer is the last question...I'm all boogered up here. Maybe I've just been going to the wrong places for answers though I'm hoping my friends here at BYC can help set me straight and help me in building what is required of my turkeys.

I do plan on hatching more turkeys to possibly add up to 8-12 total.

Now...what to build???

I have been housing my turkeys in with my chicken in their chicken coop/pen. It's wired and made with wood. You will see a picture of it from a distance...but it's in the last photo along with the other areas I have. In the day time, I remove the turkeys and put them in with the goats in the goats pen. I built them a perch and both turkeys have been taking advantage of it...more so the hen.

I have been putting the turkeys in with the chickens at night because I fear the foxes will attack them.

What to build???

In the first picture, I found this in one of my books and am considering building it...but what about for sleeping...would this be the same place they sleep at? If this works for them to sleep at night...I am trying to figure out where to put it. Ideally I'd like it in with the goats as the goats are surrounded by a 4 1/2 foot (approx) fence. It won't keep the turkeys in if I let them out to roam in the goat's pen, but at least they know to come back in there. It will at least protect them from the foxes at night...I think. If I build something in with the goats...the problem I'd see is keeping the goats out. They love to eat the turkey's food.

The middle picture is one I snapped off the net in building a hoop house for them. Seems easier to build it then the first picture....but I don't honestly know what would be best for our turkeys. Maybe I need to think a whole different approach??

Would love to hear your thoughts please...

 

[smoknz28]

An update....

I went into the goats pen and elevated the plastic dog igloo and cleaned it out real good...adding fresh straw to it in hopes that the turkeys will find home there.

This should hold them over until I find a better way to house them.

 

[zekii]

I built the turkey roost shelter this past year, and my turkeys would spend all night on it if I let them, but I
prefer to lock them up at night to prevent predators from getting them. A hoop structures is Ideal especially for a breeding pen setup, I plan to
build a couple of those this coming season.

Here's a picture of my turkey roost shelter...

 

[smoknz28]

I built the turkey roost shelter this past year, and my turkeys would spend all night on it if I let them, but I
prefer to lock them up at night to prevent predators from getting them. A hoop structures is Ideal especially for a breeding pen setup, I plan to
build a couple of those this coming season.

Here's a picture of my turkey roost shelter...




Will you please post a picture of what you lock your turkeys in at night? What you built for their perch is similar to what I will be building. It will be smaller in size and once we get a larger flock of them...then we'll build another structure large enough for up to 15.

I'm thinking of just having the perch and which will be housed in with wire fence in a perimeter and then adding some electric fencing around it....still not made up my mind completely and this is why I'd like to see what others are using.

Thanks

 

[chicken pickin]

An update....

I went into the goats pen and elevated the plastic dog igloo and cleaned it out real good...adding fresh straw to it in hopes that the turkeys will find home there.

This should hold them over until I find a better way to house them.

Honestly I find it doubtful that the turkeys will use that elevated dog igloo. Turkeys, like chickens, prefer to sleep up on roosts. They should have a coop with roosts inside it for sleeping, as well as the outside roost for during the day. The dog igloo to me would work well for a nesting area for the hen but on the ground not elevated, turkey hens tend to be ground layers from my personally experience anyhow.

I have a shelter/coop for my turkeys that have a roost in it and a nesting area also a door that closes for overnight protection. They then have a covered pen attached to the house for hanging out in during the day. The pen also has a large roosting area and I plan to add a second outside nesting area also.

 

[chicken pickin]

Here are some pictures of what I have for my turkeys

 

[smoknz28]

I built the turkey roost shelter this past year, and my turkeys would spend all night on it if I let them, but I
prefer to lock them up at night to prevent predators from getting them. A hoop structures is Ideal especially for a breeding pen setup, I plan to
build a couple of those this coming season.

Here's a picture of my turkey roost shelter...

Very nice. This is the same system I plan on building this week though I will make it smaller as I only have two birds at the time, but plan on moving up to about a dozen.

Thanks.

Honestly I find it doubtful that the turkeys will use that elevated dog igloo. Turkeys, like chickens, prefer to sleep up on roosts. They should have a coop with roosts inside it for sleeping, as well as the outside roost for during the day. The dog igloo to me would work well for a nesting area for the hen but on the ground not elevated, turkey hens tend to be ground layers from my personally experience anyhow.

I have a shelter/coop for my turkeys that have a roost in it and a nesting area also a door that closes for overnight protection. They then have a covered pen attached to the house for hanging out in during the day. The pen also has a large roosting area and I plan to add a second outside nesting area also.

Well, you are right...they've yet to spend more than 5 minutes in it. Hopefully she's at least scoping it out for her nesting when she's ready to start laying.

This coming week, I plan on building a perch area with a roof but no sides. Then in the next month or so...I'll work on building a coop for them.

Seeing how others have their turkeys taken care of definitely helps me get great ideas to draw from. ;-)

Thanks

Here are some pictures of what I have for my turkeys

Very nice.

Do the hens like to nest on the ground level or do they prefer to be up with their nests?

The hoops are there to lay tarps/netting over....or am I not seeing that there actually is something over them? If you do net over them...it doesn't look like you have issues with the snow sticking to the netting...this is a huge concern of mine.

Thank you for sharing your photos and assistance.

 

[chicken pickin]

Very nice. This is the same system I plan on building this week though I will make it smaller as I only have two birds at the time, but plan on moving up to about a dozen.

Thanks.


Well, you are right...they've yet to spend more than 5 minutes in it. Hopefully she's at least scoping it out for her nesting when she's ready to start laying.

This coming week, I plan on building a perch area with a roof but no sides. Then in the next month or so...I'll work on building a coop for them.

Seeing how others have their turkeys taken care of definitely helps me get great ideas to draw from. ;-)

Thanks


Very nice.

Do the hens like to nest on the ground level or do they prefer to be up with their nests?

The hoops are there to lay tarps/netting over....or am I not seeing that there actually is something over them? If you do net over them...it doesn't look like you have issues with the snow sticking to the netting...this is a huge concern of mine.

Thank you for sharing your photos and assistance.

Yes there is aviary netting draped over the top of the pvc arches.

And yes my hens nest on the ground.

 

[smoknz28]

Yes there is aviary netting draped over the top of the pvc arches.

And yes my hens nest on the ground.

Ah, thank you. ;-)

Do turkeys prefer to nest on the ground or in higher elevation? Again, I'm a newbie at raising turkeys, but I know she will be laying eggs very soon and want to make sure I have a good setup for her.

 

[chicken pickin]

Ah, thank you. ;-)

Do turkeys prefer to nest on the ground or in higher elevation? Again, I'm a newbie at raising turkeys, but I know she will be laying eggs very soon and want to make sure I have a good setup for her.

From my own personal experience and from what I have read from many people, typically hens make nests on the ground to lay eggs in.