Turkey sq feet per bird

[jboakie]

Wondering how many square feet of space is needed per adult turkey inside and out

 

[casportpony]

Wondering how many square feet of space is needed per adult turkey inside and out

@jboakie , welcome to BYC! Maybe @R2elk knows.

 

[jboakie]

Thank you glad to be here

 

[R2elk]

Wondering how many square feet of space is needed per adult turkey inside and out

A search will return a lot of answers saying that adult turkeys require 4 square feet per bird. Since an adult turkey can take up nearly 4 square feet just by the size of its body, I disagree. I believe that a minimum of 10 square feet per adult turkey is more appropriate in each area.

It also depends on what you are going to do with the turkeys. Just growing them out for food has different requirements than does using them as breeding stock. If they are going to be free ranged most of the day they can get by with a smaller run than they need if they are going to be penned up all day.

 

[jboakie]

I will be raising them for eggs to incubate but I am wanting to build a new house and trying to figure out how big I will have to build it my idea was 40 feet long 8 tall 8 wide off 1 side of the 40 feet I'd build outside runs and devide the inside up to match for all my different breeds and don't want to go to small for my turkeys and geese

 

[R2elk]

I will be raising them for eggs to incubate but I am wanting to build a new house and trying to figure out how big I will have to build it my idea was 40 feet long 8 tall 8 wide off 1 side of the 40 feet I'd build outside runs and divide the inside up to match for all my different breeds and don't want to go to small for my turkeys and geese

If you are going to have multiple varieties of turkeys, the dividers between their pens should be made so they cannot see through them. When penned side by side with a wire fence between them, turkey toms will spend almost all of their time pacing the fence and fighting through the fence.

The bigger area you can provide for the turkeys the better they will do. I currently have 2 toms and 6 hens that are separated into 2 groups for breeding season but normally share a 50' x 100' run along with daily free ranging in a 2 acre fenced area after breeding season..

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Excellent advice! Peafowl breeders have the same issues.

 

[casportpony]

Peafowl breeding pen:

Above picture from:
http://www.leggspeafowl.com/bird-pen-photos.html

 

[jboakie]

Absolutely love that pen that is something lIke what im wanting to build

 

[casportpony]

More good pen pictures here:

• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/670065/show-off-your-peas/9800#post_18180562
• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/670065/show-off-your-peas/9790#post_18179242