Turkey Travel Cage

[jullom]

I'm going to pickup 7 turkeys - some are a few years old and some are 4 months old. I want to build a travel cage that will accomodate 7 adults - can you post some pics or make some easy suggestions? i have some 4" x 2" fencing as well as checken wire that i'm hoping i can use...thanks

 

[turkey guru]

make sure the bottom is not smooth turkeys will spradel leg very easy, no slick bottom, turkeys have leg problems that will only make worse!! tom

 

[jenjscott]

Actually for traveling you want it fairly small, so there is not so much room to fall around. I've never moved that many at once. I usually use a pet taxi just big enough to get them in comfortably. So probably not over 2 sq feet per bird

 

[Soccer Mom]

I use a big dog kennel, the super large size and put shavings in the bottom. The extra large size is big enough to take all my son's pens of show broilers to the fair. It should accomodate young turkeys. I would give adult turkeys each their own cage so they don't fight. If you don't want to buy and want to build, look for rabbit cage building supplies. You clamp the wire enclosures together.

 

[turkey guru]

I haul turkeys all the time, old chunk of carpet cut to fit tight in the bottom of dog crate, coverd about 4 " of sawdust to keep it dry and the stink down apple for food and water!! happy turkey hauling Tom

 

[chickenannie]

You might want to use a regular chicken crate, but turn it up on it's side (the door will be on the side and it will be about 12 inches wide and 3 feet tall with the long side front and back.) Put thick bedding on the bottom - 4 inches at least. It fits turkeys well, and keeps them from slipping. You can line the crates all up and tie them down so they don't fall over or slip around.

I wouldn't try to make a big pen -- they can slide around too much and hurt a leg or crash into something. Better to have a semi-snug or small pen for each turkey.

Also, keep traveling to a minimum. I wouldn't haul turkeys much more than 2 or 3 hour distance at the most.

 

[jullom]

A local farmer suggested simply tying the feet together and putting the turkeys under a blanket etc to transport them to the processor...what do you think? I'm taking 5 to the processor and keeping two when i pickup the 7 turkeys. Is this okay or problematic...thx.

 

[hunter1hall]

You could cut the bottom corner out of a feed sack big enough to put the head through and tie the open end off with the bird inside. It keeps them from moving. Just make sure the hole isn't so big the turkey can get out.