What do I need for SHELTER?

[Beratzlaff]

New to turkeys and need to know what I need for housing and shelter once they are outside... they will be left to roam my 1/2 acre back yard once they are outside or I have a chain link pen I could put them in! help!

 

[Bush84]

No turkeys yet. Need to convince my wife that she needs them. All that I have read indicates that they aren't fussy. Some seem to have a coop like structure. Some just build a roof or a three sided enclosure. I will be sectioning off a big pole barn.

 

[bbqnmama]

I've been researching the same thing in anticipation of the 18 I have arriving the first week of April.

I have an old shed (~13 x ~15), half of which I am converting to a turkey coop (The other half will be home to some meat chickens).

I've been doing it up nicely for them but have been reading that turkeys generally don't like to be inside, even in the coldest of weather, and will oftentimes roost in the trees instead of inside their shelter.

I'll have a secure run for them to be in, so hoping at a min they'll enjoy hanging in there vs out in the open. We have lots of trees (close to the house) but they are quite tall and I'm not sure they'll be able to fly all the way up. (though I've been told they can fly quite high up)

Either way, these turkeys will have nice digs should they choose to use them.

I see you're from Spokane! I'm originally from Moscow - Man o man do I miss Zips!!!! *drool*

 

[chknoodles]

Most folks will tell you that in order to "house" their turkey, they have to round them up at night and make them go into the shelter (coop). Some have been able to train their turks to go inside on their own...ours didn't, although we can call them back to their run by shaking a plastic container with scratch in it. So, since they like to roost on top of their 3-sided short shed, we covered that end of their run with plastic. At least at night, when they get ON TOP of their shelter, they still have some wind/rain protection from the plastic. This summer, we will be roofing that end of their run and walling up the sides and probably removing their little sheds and replacing with roosts and a little slant pallet for nesting. Will provide shade and some weather protection.

 

[acl68025]

Does clipping wing feathers help discourage them from rousting in trees?

 

[chknoodles]

Clipping wing feathers on one side causes an imbalance when the bird tries to fly so getting height to get into a tree would be harder, but not impossible. Also getting away from predators will be hampered - so you need to weigh the advantages b4 u clip cause they all won't grow back until a molt.