This will build up to a depth of about 2 ft. in 52 weeks, and normally will weigh about 60 lbs. per sq. Care must be taken to prevent water leakage into the pits, especially if they are on an upper floor. If the flock is to be changed in winter, a separate storage is required. Heavy turkeys may also be reared on range. Heavy turkeys are usually raised for 6 weeks in a brooding pen then moved to a growing pen.
Manure handling for the brooding pen is the same as for a chicken broiler pen.
Brooding pens are cleaned at the end of each flock. Growing pens are cleaned less often and in some cases once per year. Collection, storage distribution and application of turkey manure is similar to that of other floor reared poultry systems. The large, single-storey barns lend themselves to efficient use of equipment for manure removal. Using two tractors with large spreaders, a large loader and three men, it is possible to load and spread the manure from 2500 sq.