Turkeys are fun.

[lleighmay]

That brings up another question I forgot to ask- would the turkeys have a tendency to take off for no reason? They would be closed up in a covered pen when unsupervised but I'd love to let them out during the day to graze in my yard/goat pasture (fenced with 4 ft 2x4 dog wire) when I'm home. I do know enough not to let them out during wild turkey breeding season (we have tons of wild ones) since a friend told me all his grandfather's turkeys once absconded with some wild ones and they had white turkeys roaming the woods for years!

 

[chickenannie]

Yes, you only have to clip one wing about every 6 weeks. It's the solution for your husband's concerns. Somewhere I've seen the diagram for where to clip the wing feathers on BYC I think. Making sure the turkey's needs are met: grass/forage, food, water, dust bath, roosting spot, and protection from predators and this will persuade them they don't need to fly away. I've discovered that my turkeys like to wander in "brush-like" areas, even if it's just a few tall ornamental grasses along the side of a building. I have one nesting in my mint patch at the moment. You could dedicate a small area in their pen to tall grasses and they will like that.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Leighmay, your plan sounds like an ideal situation to me. I don't think you'll have any problems letting them out to graze.
I wanted to add that you will love having turkeys, and there's really not too much to worry about. Just enjoy them and worst case scenario, you can always sell them later. I have so many turkey converts: People who are terrified of them free-ranging when they first visit my farm, and then end up loving them once they see how sweet and gentle they are.
Ninjapoodles -- your husband will end up liking them I'm sure. Even if a hen wanders, she'll likely come back. The only trouble I've had is that ocassionally mine wander over a bridge to a nearby market space because they've discovered that people will feed them treats (argh). there is one ringleader on this, and I now pen her up on market day.

 

[lleighmay]

thank you everyone for your help and advice; I feel like this would work with my set-up. I've left a message for the folks with the Narragansett poults and I hope they call me back! Pics if I get one (or two ) This is one of my favorite websites (regardless of topic)- everyone is so knowledgeable and helpful..... Maybe someday I can be of some help to someone else.

Thanks again- Leigh

 

[pdpatch]

Q: How soon can they go outside? Alex doesn't have their coop finished yet, so it won't be this week or next, but maybe after that? Temps are already in the 90's every day.

A: It all depends on What is in the soil in your area. If there is no know viruses or other dieses then at about 4 weeks they can take
day trips out. But if there is or you have had previous turkeys die off suddenly then it would be advisable to wait until they are about 10 weeks old.
It takes a while for the turkeys emune system to mature you should wait until 8 to 10 weeks setting them out.

Remember Turkeys need a Momma to take care of them until they are about 10 to 15 weeks old. They are not like Chickens.
When you do make sure they had shade and plenty of water.

Q:My chickens are all heavy breeds and good sized; Will they get along?

A; There is a number of dieses that Do no seem to effect Chickens that much but are deadly to Turkeys. So you will
see most people who say No. But there are many who raise chickens and turkeys together with no problems.
It's easier if the turkeys and Chickens were raised together from chicks. But if that's no possible do not introduces them
until they are about the same size. The keep an eye on them to see if they will get a long.


You must be careful about the feed. Usually Wild Game starter is the best. If you add calcium such as oyster shells,
you must put Vitiams in there water else the calcium will not be proceed correctly and lead to leg problems.

Q; Trample each other?
Possible turkeys have a tendency to see where they want to go, But not what is in between.
Generally everything gets pushed out of the way.


Q: When they're grown would turkeys prefer to stay outside (ex. a dog house out in the run)
or will they generally come in to roost?

A: As a general rule turkeys love being outside, as long as they learn where the food, water and shelter is they stay around.
They will range further then your Chickens. But if you do have a lot of wild turkeys then hens may be stolen by a Wild Tom.

They also prefer wide blade grasses and weeds then regular lawn type grass.

Q: He didn't think they would make good pets, but looking at those pics

A: Yes a turkey can make a wonderfully pet and watch/warning bird. But it all depends on the turkey. As
you raise then the one with the better Human to Turkey personalities will become apparent.

Q: I'm considering wing-clipping to try and keep them at home while still allowing them freedom to range. Would that work?
A: Yes that would work but you have to clip wings every so often. It's slight different for each type of turkey.


Q: would the turkeys have a tendency to take off for no reason?
A: No, they would have a reason, like some wild tome Turkey showing up and stealing the flock, not enough food or water.
things like that. Other wise once they learn were the regular meals come from they come back.

Other that might help info :

Turkeys will start slow they take off growning. They will grow at least twice as fast as a Chicken. Faster then a CornishX
So have you brooders, pens, coops, runs ready before you need them.

Always start Turkeys off with wild game bird, of turkey starter ration, which is 22% to 29% protein. If they have runny
poo for more then three days cut back on the protein. If they runny poo last longer then 3 additional days then they are sick.

It can take up to 7 to 10 weeks for a Turkeys imune system to fully develop. Which is much longer then it takes a chicken.

Be prepared to change there litter often. They are eating and pooing machine, and there poo smells more the
chicken poo.

The first 4 to 5 weeks is critical for a turkey pullet. The again at around 10 to 11 weeks seems
to be another toubleing time for them.

Turkeys eat there own poo. They can get nutrition from it along with some vitmians and minerals
and it also helps there imune system if it's adult turkey poo.




By biggest fear with our turkeys is our Red Bourbons and Blue Slate like to fly up to my shoulder and perch when they were small.
I dreading the day when they grown up. I can just imagine having a 20 to 30 pound bird try that and getting face planted in a
nice pile of turkey poo.

 

[pdpatch]

Opps missed something:

Temps are already in the 90's every day.

We have a large fan on a pedisteal that blow air above where the turkeys are. It's aimed about 2 foot above there heads. We start doing this when it get about 83 to 85 degrees in the indoor pens. When it gets close to 90 degrees in the pen are we set a ice cream bucket of ice in front of the fan., and change it every couple of ours while it's above 90.

Once they are outside, make sure there is plenty of shade and there outside are needs to have air movement for hot days and plenty of clean water.


At about 80 to 85 degrees they will start to pant, this is normal.

 

[sandspoultry]

We raise Bourbon Red, White Holland, Midget White, Royal Palm and Beltsville White and after next week Standard Bronze.

They are alot of fun, very curious and can be very people friendly the more you work with them.

We have 6 foot fences around our turkey areas which the hens can get over easy but the toms are to big. Ours have enough room that they stay in the area, if not a wing feather clip will keep them on the ground until they forget they can get over the fence.

Most of ours prefer to roost outside in all seasons. very few will go into the houses except to lay eggs. We cut down a small pine tree about 6 to 8 inches around and made a roost about 4 feet off the ground which they seem to like alot.

For the Beltsvilles we built a range roost, it's 12 feet square, flat slopping roof, for the roost part we used 2x6 with the boards on edge and spaced about 2 feet apart about 3 feet off the ground. On the back where the roof slopes to the lowest point we built 5 nest boxes. So far it has worked very well, We have big hanging feeder under the middle of the roost where it can't get wet. That cuts down on the feed waste alot!

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
This sounds exactly like what Alex is building! The roof is 14' high and slopes to 12' at the back. The pen is something like 20'x60', or maybe a bit longer. We had kind of planned to leave the shelter as open as possible, since winters here are so mild and summers so harsh--maybe with side panels that could be put up in colder weather, and taken down in summer? We'll probably also put up a fan or two in the shelter.

I thought of one other question. We'll be getting a mess of day-old chicks next week, when the turkeys are around 3 weeks old. Will having them all in the same room be a problem? They'll be in separate brooders, about 10 feet apart.

 

[ninjapoodles]

pdpatch, Thanks so much for that great list! It answers a LOT of the questions we've been asking. I'm especially glad to hear that wing-clipping can work. Our turkey enclosure will have a top on it, but I'd like to let them range during the day.