Perch & Nesting Infrastructure

Heavy-Duty Perches: The Bed for Giants

A mature Tom can weigh as much as a small goat. A flimsy chicken perch will snap under its weight.

Material: Use thick timber (2×2 inches or 3×3 inches) or strong bamboo. Avoid metal pipes, as they are too slippery and get too cold at night.
Height: Keep perches low – about 1.5 to 2 feet (45-60cm) off the ground. If they are too high, the heavy birds will hurt their legs when they jump down in the morning.
Spacing: Allow at least 15 inches (40cm) of perch length per bird. If the perches are too close together, the birds will fight for the top spot.

Nesting Boxes: The Maternity Ward

If you are keeping hens for eggs, you need a dedicated space. A stressed hen will “hold” her eggs or lay them in a corner where they get covered in poop.

The Dimensions: A turkey nesting box needs to be much larger than a chicken’s. Aim for 1.5ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft (45cm cubes).
Privacy: Turkeys like dark, quiet corners for laying. Place the boxes in the darkest part of the house, away from the loud feeders.
Bedding: Use a thick layer of clean wood shavings or dry grass in the box to prevent the heavy hen from cracking the egg when she steps into the nest.
Ratio: Provide 1 nesting box for every 4 to 5 hens.

The Roosting Advantage

Why bother with perches?

Cleaner Birds: Most of the poop happens at night. If the birds are on a perch, the poop falls to the floor, keeping their feathers and breasts clean.
Air Flow: When a bird sits on a perch, air can circulate under its belly, preventing the skin infections that happen when they sit on wet litter for 10 hours.
Stress Reduction: Being up makes a turkey feel safe. A safe bird grows faster.

Local Example: Fatuma’s Recycled Perches in Garissa

Fatuma lived in an area where timber was expensive. She used the thick branches of the Prosopis (Mathenge) tree, which is a hard, invasive weed in her region. She stripped the bark to prevent mites from hiding in the wood and mounted the branches on old tires filled with stones to keep them stable. Her turkeys loved the natural feel of the branches, and she didn’t spend a single shilling on construction.

Important Things to Keep in Mind

Stability is Safety: If a perch wiggles, a turkey won’t use it. They are heavy and have a poor sense of balance on unstable surfaces.
Egg Collection: Collect eggs at least twice a day (10 AM and 4 PM). This prevents “broodiness” (where the hen stops laying and tries to hatch the eggs) and reduces egg breakage.
Mite Control: Once a month, spray your perches with a safe insecticide. Mites love to hide in the cracks of wooden perches and suck the blood of your birds at night, making them weak and anemic.