The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Daleswoman on October 12, 2015, 06:50:47 pm

Title: Entertaining the turkeys
Post by: Daleswoman on October 12, 2015, 06:50:47 pm

Help from turkey people please!

I've got 3 bronze turkey hens that I'm rearing for Christmas. Up to now they've been free ranging with the hens and ducks, and only shut up in their own shed at night. However I've been advised that I should confine them now otherwise there'll be no meat on them at Christmas.  Their shed has a wire half-door so they get plenty of light and air all day but I am concerned that having been roaming free they will be unhappy being shut up, even though it's a large stable (12' square).

Is it the case that I need to confine them, or will they still gain enough weight if I let them out again?

If I do need to keep them shut in, can you suggest how I might enrich their environment to make life more interesting for them?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Entertaining the turkeys
Post by: devonlady on October 13, 2015, 07:59:27 am

Mine were always free ranged until the night before slaughter and had plenty of meat on them. If you want to keep them confined you might try hanging up cabbages for them to peck at or devising some sort of puzzle feeder to keep them occupied?

Title: Re: Entertaining the turkeys
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on October 13, 2015, 10:25:43 am

My neighbour has 120 on his yard which will continue ranging until their dispatch. So I would definitely keep them ranging but if you have to confine them you can give them a straw base and scatter grain in it, hang up broccoli on a string for them to peck at, tip in leaf litter for them to rummage for bugs in and give them a tray of sand to dust bathe in.

Title: Re: Entertaining the turkeys
Post by: wayfarer on October 13, 2015, 04:12:57 pm

I only ended up with a single turkey last year and he free ranged until the final day and there was lots of really nice meat.

Title: Re: Entertaining the turkeys
Post by: Daleswoman on October 14, 2015, 08:14:22 pm

Thank you for the advice - I would rather keep them free ranging, I've had them confined for 3 days now and they seem unhappy in spite of a big log to play on, a horse ball with some feed in and fresh greens hung up (all ignored).  They don't appear to be eating much except a bit of corn that I scatter for them in the afternoon. The friend who advised keeping them shut in has had a lifetime in farming and is generally very knowledgable, but on this one I think I'll follow my own instincts.  The only problem I can see is how to stop the hens eating their growers pellets, but I could leave the bottom door of their shed closed and open the top, so that they can fly out.