turkeys verses dog??

[ScoobyRoo]

This year we decided to expand our feathered farm. We bought some BR, Standard BB and hatched out 10 black Spanish. Prior to all this I did as much research as possible but I forgot one thing. Our dog.

Since it is no use building a coop 'just for turkeys' because they would rather be out roosting in the trees, can they hold their own if faced with a semi-predator dog?
My medium size mix will give chase to our birds if not watching her closely. When she did catch one (chicken got out somehow) she plays with it but doesn't eat it. Anyway, I like having my dog out especially at night to keep the predators away. But I wonder if the turkeys come off the roost early in the morning if she will mess with them or will they be aggresive enough to fend for themselves?? Anybody experience this situation before. advice?

 

[enola]

You describe your dog as a semi-predator ?

I think you will be asking for problems since the turkeys will come out of the trees at first daylight. And don't forget night time predators like owls and raccoons.

Your turkeys will not necessarily be safe just because they are up in trees.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I say semi because IMO (all) dogs have predatory instincts. She does fine with the chickens when we are out with them. When she was accidently let out without supervision all she did was chase them around trying to play catch. She does not growl or get vicious. We can call her off if caught going after them. This has happened twice in the last year. The first time she cought a roo- had it in her mouth prancing around with it. Called her off, she dropped the roo and it ran off. The roo did not have any broken skin. Second time we were gone- came home to a dead chicken (didn't get penned up or it flew out) but it was intact. My dog didn't eat it. Looks as if she wanted to play and then oops, it wouldn't wake up. That is why I say semi.

 

[walkswithdog]

No they won't be safe. My 20 lb varmint dog near killed one of my turkeys. Yes, they WILL go into their coop/pen at night if it's sufficiently tall and sufficiently OPEN. Mine is 10 foot at the full height, and the roost is at my shoulder level. I should have built both taller to suit some of them but they DO go in.

Mine is two sided with a third side tarped off in winter and open once it gets hot. I also blocked some of the south face with heavy clear plastic over winter. They like a LOT of light. More a roofed pen than a coop.

Turkeys are no match for even a small dog.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I've been trying to get hubby to let me portion off a bit of our pole barn for the turkeys. It seems like I really need to bug him about letting me have a corner. He wanted the turkeys too.

Right now the older ones are about 8 wks old and they are going into a rabbit hutch but it wont be long before they out grow the door. I noticed that they try to roost with the adult chickens but they kick them out. I have an open run that I can probably put some roosts in.
Oh brother!!