Turkeys won't go in the chicken house anymore

[PatS]

Quote:
We placed it 42 inches off the ground, so they'd have clearance from the wire roof when they hop on and off. It is about the same height as the porch rail from the landing, but I think the reason the railing is so attractive to them is it is about 7 feet off the ground. They hop onto it from the landing (after climbing the stairs to get to the landing) but have that feeling of altitude!

Let us know how letting them stay out at night works. I know mine would be happier. I just think they'd be owl bait till they get a bit bigger.

 

[jbeal9]

Yes, owls are my concern as well, although I haven't seen or head any around our place, I'm sure if they ever happened along and saw 5 juicy turkeys roosting....

 

[ivan3]

Raccoons and foxes rubbed out those ten, adult, turks of our neighbors. The hens roosted up in a big Osage Orange tree (lots of thorns) and the raccoons spooked them into flying down in the middle of the night and killed them (had to loan them a trap, but they weren't consistent in using it and that was that). Two of their toms (big guys) were killed outright by foxes, we doctored up a third tom that was also attacked, summer before last, he died of his wounds about a year later.

Just depends on your predator load. The Wild Eastern flocks, here, park themselves up in the Oaks and Hickories at at least 40ft off the ground.