When you think about getting new chickens, like turkeys, for your homestead, it’s a great way to make your farm more diverse. But before you bring those turkey poults home, you’ll need to have a turkey coop. Turkeys need good places to live to do well. Learning how to build a turkey coop will help you keep the turkeys safe and make sure you don’t lose the time, money, or care you’ve put into them.
I’d been homesteading a few years before I considered adding turkeys to my farm. Being a turkey owner was different from being a chicken owner at first. I quickly learned that turkeys need more care and patience than chickens. I built a turkey coup for my birds. They are happy there and don’t want to go outside.
Hey folks! If you’re looking to raise some turkeys, you’ll need to build them a proper home A good turkey coop will keep your birds safe, comfortable and happy I’ve raised turkeys for years, so I wanna share my simple step-by-step guide on how to build your own awesome turkey coop.
Step 1 – Pick A Good Location
- Find a dry, well-drained spot – turkeys don’t like wet feet!
- Make sure there’s shade available – turkeys need to cool off.
- Close to your house for easy care but not too close to annoy the neighbors.
- Away from winds if possible – turkeys hate drafts.
Step 2 – Size It Right
- Allow 10-15 square feet per bird inside the coop.
- The run should be 2-3 times bigger than the coop.
- Bigger is always better to prevent fights and give them room to roam.
- My coop is 8×8 feet for 10 birds. The run is 16×24 feet.
Step 3 – Built A Sturdy Coop
- Use pressure-treated wood so it lasts.
- I built a simple A-frame style coop with a slanted metal roof.
- You can go fancier with shed or barn style – up to you!
- Use hardware cloth (not chicken wire) to keep out predators. Bury it 6-12 inches underground too.
- Add roosts for them to sleep on. 2×2 inch wooden rods work great.
- Include nest boxes along the sides. One box per 4-5 hens. Mine are 12x12x12 inches.
- Add windows for light and ventilation. I used plexiglass.
- Install a “people door” to easily get in and out. Plus a larger “bird door.”
Step 4 – Deck Out The Run
- Use 1-inch poultry netting, 5-6 feet high, for the run walls. Bury the bottom edge to deter digging predators.
- Cover the run with netting too to keep birds contained and deter hawks.
- Add a lean-to or small shed in the run for extra shade/protection.
- Scatter bales of straw for them to scratch around in.
- Consider an automatic door to let them in/out of the run.
Step 5 – Add The Extras
- Install feeders and waters – I like hanging ones they can’t knock over.
- Get a tub of grit – turkeys need it for digestion.
- Throw in some tree stumps or large rocks for enrichments.
- Consider a heat lamp for cold months if needed.
- Clean it regularly and add new wood shavings often.
Here’s a handy checklist of everything you’ll need
- Wood for framing the coop
- Roofing material (metal, asphalt shingles, etc)
- Hardware cloth or welded wire fencing
- Lumber for roosts and nest boxes
- Feeders and waterers
- Access doors for humans and birds
- Poultry netting for run
- Grit
- Nest box bedding (wood shavings, straw)
- Enrichments (stumps, bales)
- Optional: heater, automatic door opener
Good luck and have fun building. Your turkeys will be thrilled with their new digs!
Will Free Range Turkeys Fly Away?
Domesticated turkeys have weak wings that make it hard for them to get off the ground. Wild turkeys, on the other hand, can fly for short periods of time. We usually see them on the ground looking for food, but at night, they like to sleep in the branches of trees. Many farmers clip the wings of domesticated turkeys as an added precaution to ensure they don’t go astray. Others cover the turkey run with wire to keep them in the coop. A fence at least 4 feet high around the ranging area works for me as an enclosure. It keeps them safe from predators and stops them from flying.
How Much Space Does A Turkey Need In A Turkey Coop?The amount of space that a turkey needs depends on their age. Coming from the brooder, a baby turkey, or poult, will rapidly increase in size.
Use this guideline to determine how much space you need per turkey:
- 0–10 weeks = 2–3 square feet per turkey
- 10–20 weeks = 3–8 square feet per turkey
- 20+ weeks = 8–10 square feet per turkey
Building A Turkey Pen: Turkey Coop and Run Is Ready For Our Growing Rio Grande Turkey Poults
FAQ
What do turkeys need in a coop?
How big of a coop do I need for two turkeys?
What is the best shelter for turkeys?
Why can’t you raise turkeys and chickens together?
How do you Roost a turkey coop?
For that reason, you want to build some elevated roosting spots in your coop — such as shelves attached to the walls — for the turkeys to roost on comfortably. Be sure to build the coops uniformly, or else the turkeys will fight each other for what they perceive as the “best” roosting position.
How to build a turkey coop?
By the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to build a comfortable and safe home for your turkeys. Build a frame for the coop using 2x4s. The frame should be 4 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 6 feet tall. Cover the frame with plywood. The plywood should be 1/2 inch thick. Attach the plywood to the frame using nails or screws.
What should a turkey coop roof be made of?
The roof of the turkey coop is important for protecting the turkeys from the elements. The roof should be made from a sturdy material that is water-resistant. The most common materials used for turkey coop roofs are metal, wood, and PVC. Metal roofs are durable and weather-resistant, but they can be hot in the summer.
Does a turkey coop need a roost?
A turkey coop needs to be designed differently from a chicken coop, especially for the larger, less agile broad-breasted turkeys. Broad-breasted turkeys will need a roost that is low to the ground to prevent injury to their legs or feet when jumping down from the roost.
How do I choose a turkey coop?
When choosing a turkey coop, consider an entryway large enough to accommodate their size. Turkeys can become quite large, so it’s essential that your coop can accommodate their size, especially if your turkeys are not yet fully grown.
What is a turkey coop?
A turkey coop is a structure in which turkeys live. It is identical to a chicken coop but on a slightly larger scale. In their coop, turkeys typically sleep, rest, and lay their eggs. Learn how to raise your own turkeys and have an unlimited supply of eggs and meat.