Turkey Run

[graham]

Hi, I have 12 turkey poults and need to make run to house them.I am completely new to turkey keeping.I only wanted 6 really but every egg in the incy hatched.
what size run will i need,how is it best constructed I keep my geese and ducks in electric poultry netting,I take it turkeys will just fly over this,an I clip the feathers on one wing.
Would I be best to get some of the heras type fencing.
Do I have to separate the stags and at what age.

thanks Graham.

 

[AlexArt]

Well done on hatching all the eggs!! I keep mine out with all my other poultry and yes I clip their wings - despite having 6ft fencing they can fly quite well if left, apart from my BB bronze who although are only 5 weeks old are markedly different I've found than normal bronzes and are about as flight worthy as a brick, so I don't think will be needing their wings clipped!!! :lol: I don't seperate the stags off from the hens, you'd only really need to if you are keeping them for breeding then I'd only have one stag in the pen with the hens as they will fight unless you have a large area and lots of hens, I'd do that end of winter, or even christmas time if you want a nice free range bird!, as long as it's before the breeding season or when they really start to assert themselves, either eat or keep the other stags in their own pen although they will still probably fight.
At the moment I've got 8 14week old birds - 4 boys 4 girls out in the hen pen and apart from the occasional stag dance off they are the same as the chooks really, so I would have thought yours will be fine to go in with your other birds, see what they do with the fencing you've already got as they'll probably stay put - they are pretty stupid birds and when they get bigger the stags certainly get to the point where flying is not an option! I've got ducks and geese too and they are fine all together, as long as you have somewhere for them to go into at night with decent sized perches - they do seem to take up alot of space at night! - they will be fine. Just remember to worm regularly if kept with chickens.

 

[graham]

Hi,Thanks for the reply really interesting to hear what you say about the bronze not being able to fly.I have got bronze turkeys it will be a big help if they can't fly off.I all ready have large pens set up with electric poultry netting for my geese, hopefully they will be able to go straight into one of these.
I have a big old shed they will have plenty of room in there I will set up some perches out of 2" X 2",how much space will I need between the perches.
What do you worm them with,I use flubenvet on the chickens do you use this.

 

[Marigold]

What do you worm them with,I use flubenvet on the chickens do you use this.

The leaflet inside the Flubenvet 1% domestic poultry pack says turkeys need 60 grams (the whole pack) to 30 kg of feed. Or 18 grams to 9 kilos, or 6 to 3 kilos. This is less than chickens get. They get 60 grams to 20 kilos, so important not to overdose your turkeys Graham.

 

[graham]

Hi,Thanks Marigold I will be sure and read the instructions on the back of the tin before mixing with there feed.I don't know how often they will need worming,they will be living in my orchard,there are no chickens there but i do have sheep and geese on this grass.
I can't wait to see them running about out in the field.I am just moving them into an open sided 8' X 4' shed this afternoon from the brooder.


Graham.