Click on image to view larger version.
Figure 21.—End elevation of range shelter for turkeys. This type is built without an alleyway and measures 9 by 20 feet.
With the latter type of house, feeding and watering must be done outside, preferably with a covered feeder, as shown in [figure 15]. A cheaper portable coop, not so high and with framework of lighter material, is shown in [figure 22]. This coop is built on 4- by 10-inch skids and is equipped with raised wire floor and with roosts.
Figure 22.—Portable turkey range houses equipped with wire floors and antiflies. The house on the left is 16 by 20 feet and has a feed storage room at one end.
A permanent house should face south or in a southerly direction so that the front is not exposed to storms. Board sides on the north and west are desirable. Practically open-air conditions, combined with good protection, may be obtained by leaving wire-covered openings about 2 or 21/2 feet wide across the north, west, and east sides at about the level of the roosts. These Openings should be made closable by shiplap doors that may be partly opened in warm weather and closed during cold weather and storms. The south side may be left entirely open except for 1-inch hexagonal mesh of 16- or 18-gage wire and enough boards to give strength to the building and protect the birds from rainstorms.
As mentioned on [page 29], desirable roosts may be made of 2 by 4's with edges beveled and laid flatwise but slightly titled up at about the angle of a quarter-pitch roof in the direction toward which the birds are likely to face. Roosts made of 2 by 4's or other sawed lumber may cause dents in the breastbones if they are laid perfectly flat. Smooth poles 21/2 to 5 inches in diameter also make good roosts. Material less than 21/2 inches wide is not recommended for turkeys half grown or older. Roosts should be placed preferably 20 to 24 inches apart (center to center), about 14 inches from the wall and lengthwise or the building. Those nearest the back wall of the shelter should be the highest, and each of the others should be about 6 inches lower than the one back of it. This arrangement insures an even distribution of the birds on the roosts without crowding. Allow about 1 foot of roost space per bird as they require as much space as this when approaching market age.