[Buffy the eggs layer]

Right,


         well my 6 bronze turkey poults are growing up nicely and are such great guys and girls. They are living in one of my shed and run chicken coops at the moment which has been designed for my hens with nest boxes and lowish perches etc.


   Today however I have assembled a lovely 2nd hand delux dog kennel and run for them which I plan to kit out with a view to hanging on to a few of them and breeding from them next year. Can any of you give me some ideas as to the best way to kit it out for them. Will they use nest boxes? should they be on the ground? How much perch space to allow per bird and how high should the perches be?


The run has a solid roof so they could roost in the run if they prefer this to the kennel end. Its in a very sheltered spot so they would be protected from driving rain and snow.

[Clansman]

Are these a commercial strain of bronze?

If so you may find they'll soon be too heavy to roost and may struggle mating naturally.

They will lay in nestboxes if you make them some at ground level just like a chicken box but turkey sized

[Buffy the eggs layer]

I dont think so, I met their parents and they mated naturally. They weren't the huge breasted topple over type Clansman.




I can do the nest boxes no problems. How high would you put the perches? And would you recommend the ladder type perches that lean against the wall of the coop or just some strong rails about 4ft off the ground.


This is what I made for my large fowl so I think something similar would work for laying. 

[Clansman]

If they're a single brested heritage they'll fly up as high as you let them

I know a few people who keep these and they'll roost up on the rafters of big hay barns or up high trees, they are excellent flyers.

The semi heavy breeds will just about manage up onto a cattle fence to roost so 4 feet max.

Commercials will roost on the floor

Did you post a picture there? - can't load them on my mobile but will get a look at it tomorrow.

 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

I think they are heritage type. I met their parents and they mated naturally. They weren't the huge breasted topple over type Clansman.




yes I put a pic of my large fowl boxes. I think they will prefer to roost in the run. They do now in the chicken coop. 

[Marches Farmer]

AI is used on commercial turkeys - the stag's breast is too broad to permit natural mating.  I breed Narragansetts and we keep them in converted pig pens and a stable in the winter.  I use a branch or paddock half-rail about 4" wide set between two breeze blocks (supported by a wall or braced with more blocks to keep them in place), using the top hole of the breeze block.  We have also used sawbenches and the lower rungs of ladders as supports.  They're quite happy with a roost 45 cm high.  I bed down with shavings and a bit of straw and put a section of sleeper across one corner - they will use this as a nestbox. A pallet leaning against the wall will do as well, although you need to tie it in.  For adult birds we use old saucepans or casseroles for feed - they tend to scoop feed out otherwise.  They need very good ventilation and a supply of grit.  Remember commercials have been bred only for fast meat production and may have poor genetics in other ways, which will be conslidated if you breed related birds.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Not sure why my posts are coming through with tiny text so Im enlarging this one. Apologies if it looks like Im shouting.

They are single breast heritage and currently seem happy perching at around 3 foot high. They have grit and currently feed from a big turkey hopper and one of the chickens water hoppers. They have straw in their run and shavings on paper in the coop. So I could keep things the same when they move to their new premises

The sleeper across the corner is a good idea and we have plenty of them though I was thinking of just laying a couple of old rubber buckets on their sides as nest boxes when the time comes for brooding. Bit of a way to go yet.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Just been back in to edit my previous post and enlarge the text.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Well I made up their new house yesterday and brought in some fixtures from their previous coop and fixed up some perches in the run at different height with cable ties.


I moved them at dust last night but ooh they werent impressed. I transported them three at a time in the pet carrier and the large male poult went quite pink and gobbly.


A dish of meal worms was proffered by way of peace offering but they were about as impressed as a bunch of delayed holiday makers in a que for a free airport meal. They stood in the corner of the run chuntering and waiting to go home.


I had to place them into the coop as they wouldnt be ushered in as they have learnt to do in their previous coop but I got up early this morning and opened their pop hole and they were chattering contentedly.


When I went to check them later they were all in the rafters of the run on a 6ft high 2 x 3 rail   I think they will have to stay in for a few days to get used to their new coop as they certainly are creatures of habit and are bound to return to their previous coop but they are being wormed this week so that will work out nicely.


Now I know what perches they use I can replace them with branches perhaps or make them more permanent at least.


Thanks for the advice guys.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

I have just been reading a poultry article which says that young turkeys should be discouraged from perching as they can damage their breast bone?


It recommends letting them roost on a straw or hay bale. Not sure what I think about that theory but it did make me have second thoughts about my high perch. I think my coop is too small do allow them to fly down and a jump from 5ft would not be good for their legs and feet. So I'm opting for a lower corner one which allows for a more graceful descent.