Anyone raising chickens/turkeys etc?

[xxclaro]

Ever since we bought this place a couple years ago I've wanted to get a few animals. I've got an old barn still in decent shape,and a pasture of about 4 acres thats fenced with some cross fencing. The barn has 6 stalls inside, with power and water.

I've found a supplier for the black eastern "wild" turkeys, would like to get 10-12 of those. They should be here beginning of May, and would be butchered in the fall. I would also like a few laying hens, maybe 5-6, which I might keep through winter, not sure yet.

On top of that I am thinking of getting a half dozen weaner pigs,which would also be butchered in the fall. The pigs I'm not too worried about, I think once they are a few months old they will be fairly safe where I am. I have about a half acre that is fenced and will add an electric fence to keep them from digging under, and I plan to let them root around in that area.

The fowl I'm a bit concerned about. I'd like to let them out into the rest of the pasture, but don't know if they would be safe from hawks,foxes and coyotes. For the half dozen chickens it wouldn't take a big coop for them to be comfortable, but the turkeys would need some more space. I've thought about building a portable rolling enclosure that I could move with the quad. Either that, or I would have to leave them cooped during the day, let them out when I get home from work and then get them back inside before nightfall. Is anyone doing this type of thing,and if so how do you keep them safe while still allowing them to have some foraging and scratching space?

[amosfella]

Sounds like you need a cow too... There's a great one for sale in the everything else section of the buy and sell...

As for the chickens, you'll probably need a rolling enclosure. They can nicely be in with the pigs, but the pigs won't be able to protect them from the falcons, hawks, barn cats...

In the old days, a common pasture rotation was cattle, then pigs, then chickens/turkeys, and then let that area of pasture regrow. Chickens seem to do best on grass, insects and mice... At least they seem to taste the best that way... Not like the cardboard they try to pass off as chicken these days...

One thing you have to make sure of is that the chicks are kept warm enough till they get feathers.

[buck]

eastern wilds can and will fly out and bugger off in the spring to mate if adults
and the coyotes will enjoy them as the hens tend to sit right on the nest at night
making an easy meal even with view of the yard a good electric fence helps with 3 strands from you're knees down the Ravens will kill chicks quicker then Hawks and owls and steal eggs non stop my easterns had been locked up for a couple yrs big covered pen now they roam free in the sheep yard and return to big horse shelter on the end of the barn every
night to roost still loose some every spring to flying off but they sure taste good they aren't truly wild but sure as heck aren't tame either the chicken free range in a covered yard and only out when I'm around go for it and enjoy the learning process and good eats that come with it

[xxclaro]

Buck, you ever try clipping their wings? We had the eastern wild kind back in Ontario and they could indeed fly pretty good, although they never went too far. Mind you, we didn't have the coyote issue back there either. I'm not sure if my dad ever clipped their wings or not, but I know he did with some of the smaller chickens.

[Smokinyotes]

I don't like eggs from chickens that are on grass. The yokes get really dark and strong tasting.

[xxclaro]

I guess it depends on what your used to, after eating real free range eggs the store bought ones seem very bland and flavourless.

[creeky]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

I don't like eggs from chickens that are on grass. The yokes get really dark and strong tasting.

mmmmmm, saffron colored yolks taste the best