What fencing for pasture raised turkeys?

[Deep Roots]

We are fencing in several acres for mixed use pasture. Our turkeys need lots of room but I've no clue what fencing would be best. We were going to do whatever the goats need when they are in those pastures, but I thought I would ask if there was anything specific. Currently our turkeys just fly over the fence and do their own thing, but we only have a few right now. We just hatched 6 clutches so we will have a slew of turkeys to put out in a month or so. Ideas?
Tks in advance.

 

[CindyinSD]

You already know you need tall fences if you want to keep turkeys in. I don't think sheep & goat comes that tall, but if it does I think it might be awfully dear. Turkeys need a fence they cannot (or think they cannot) perch on. Floppy is best and from my experience, taller than mine. I got the six ft welded wire. Don't do that. Get woven if you're keeping goats. My turkeys broke the welds, sitting on it; think what your goats would do.

Not all turkeys will, but all healthy turkeys can fly over a six ft fence. Whether they choose to is another matter. At any rate, pick a height. I'm pretty sure they can do more than that. You have to compromise between your desire to cantain the birds and your willingness to spend the money/do the work. You'd probably be fine with six.

My mistake was that I tarped the run fence over winter to keep wind and drifts down. They saw the tarp as a solid edge and proceded to roost right on the wire, preferring that to sleeping in their shed. As long as you don't do that, you should be fine. Put a gate in, though, because the occasional one likely will fly out.

Don't run the posts all the way to the top. Leave the last couple of feet unsupported. From what I've read, keeping the fence a bit floppy helps keep goats enclosed as well.

 

[Deep Roots]

We thought about 7.5' deer fence with the tops tilted in and then run 3 strands of high tensile 12.5g hot wire for the goats. Anyone think this wouldn't work? I just hate to spend a pile of money on goat fencing that is useless for the turkeys.

 

[Molpet]

We thought about 7.5' deer fence with the tops tilted in and then run 3 strands of high tensile 12.5g hot wire for the goats. Anyone think this wouldn't work? I just hate to spend a pile of money on goat fencing that is useless for the turkeys.

Mine rarely fly over 4 ' e net. They do hop up on top rail, shed, coop and especially trees... flying down and out... Sometimes someone trying to get away from a bully will go over 6 ft field fence. Hens looking for a perfect nest are found out once in a while

 

[R2elk]

We thought about 7.5' deer fence with the tops tilted in and then run 3 strands of high tensile 12.5g hot wire for the goats. Anyone think this wouldn't work? I just hate to spend a pile of money on goat fencing that is useless for the turkeys.

The most important part of the fence is to not have anything that the turkeys will view as a perch. Anything that looks like a perch will be used as a perch. Any turkey that is perched on a fence will at least 90% of the time get down on the wrong side of the fence and immediately forget how it got there and start pacing back and forth along the fence wanting back in.

 

[CindyinSD]

The most important part of the fence is to not have anything that the turkeys will view as a perch. Anything that looks like a perch will be used as a perch. Any turkey that is perched on a fence will at least 90% of the time get down on the wrong side of the fence and immediately forget how it got there and start pacing back and forth along the fence wanting back in.

This is very true.