Wild Turkey Hen Adopted Us

A couple weeks ago when I went out to feed my large flock of chickens and the four Bourbon Red turkey poults I have I was surprised to see a wild turkey in my yard, now mind you here in Oregon turkeys are not native but were introduced back in the 70's and I have only seen them in my area twice in the last 13 years, anyways she let me get pretty close to her while I was feeding the flock and seemed to be pretty hungry, the flock of chickens didn't give her a second glance, it was like she had always been there.. I noticed her foot is pretty damaged, she can walk without hardly a limp but from what I can see at some time she may have gotten her foot caught in wire or fencing or something, its pretty mangled. That night we captured her to get a closer look and its an old injury. I contacted fish and wildlife about laws regarding these animals and was told as long as we didn't cage her and she has the choice to stay or go we can keep her, we of course cannot use her as a food source even during turkey season but that wasn't our plan anyways. She hopped the fence once and left through our front gate and we thought ok, we gave her what she needed and she is off to find her flock but were surprised when about 20 min later she came right back , walked all the way to the back of the property and re-entered the chicken area, she hasn't left again... Yesterday when I went out to feed and water the flock for the evening I found a gift, she laid an egg near the old shed we have set up as a secondary feed and watering station.. We walked the property but found no other eggs so I know this is her first (for us) .. We brought it in and opened it up and its fertile, we know Turkeys can stay fertile for up to a month so at best I figure we have maybe a week or alittle more before she isn't fertile anymore.

To incubate future eggs or not?? I have four bourbon red poults but don't know the sex of them yet, is it legal to breed domestic turkeys with (semi) wild turkeys? ( that is if I am able to incubate her eggs successfully) Has anyone gotten cross bred turkeys?

How fun! Do you have any photos of her? Sorry, can't help you with the cross-breeding question; would be neat if you incubated her eggs and they hatched, though. ( :

PioneerPrincess said:

How fun! Do you have any photos of her? Sorry, can't help you with the cross-breeding question; would be neat if you incubated her eggs and they hatched, though. ( :

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AmericanMom said:

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The injured foot is the one closest to the camera... Poor thing, she does ok but that had to have hurt!!!

I would recommend calling your local wildlife organization again and ask if you are allowed to collect or incubate the eggs if you are looking to do that. After you get those answers, look into other posts on here with people mixing their domesticated turkeys with wild turkeys. I have been told that wild turkeys will turn on you during mating season and can injure you pretty badly. However, I have been told that the wild mixes are very flighty and kind of unpredictable.

I spoke to Fish and Wildlife today and although as long as she is not caged she as I stated earlier can stay. I then asked about her laying eggs and incubating them, that was a question the lady I spoke to was unaware of so she took my number and got in touch with the guy who could answer that question.. She called me back and said that No, I may not incubate eggs, that would be considered trapping and capturing the animal (?) ok, so no incubation, I then asked her because I am raising Bourbon reds that will start laying/mating next spring, I asked about the legalities of my tom mating her (if she decides to stay) and me then incubating those eggs...She said that was enough of a grey area that I should just force the hen off the property and not allow her to come back.. I explained that the hen has a lame foot and although she can run, she cannot run very fast ( I can catch her) and that I am sure that's why she is here, there are dogs all over the place out here but not on our property and that would they come and get her and possibly treat her. She said no, that to just make her leave and let whatever happens happens..

I say let her stay with you , as you are not confining her, she can come and go as she pleases, her instinct tells her to stay as she has that injury. Do not chase her off she has found her place. Since she is still technically "wild" whatever she does mating with or not is not your doing.

seramamma said:

I say let her stay with you , as you are not confining her, she can come and go as she pleases, her instinct tells her to stay as she has that injury. Do not chase her off she has found her place. Since she is still technically "wild" whatever she does mating with or not is not your doing.

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No but the lady could not give me assurance that if my tom were to mate with her the resulting poults may or may not be in violation of whatever law they want it to be. we are hunters and avid outdoors people, I wont do anything to jeopardized that nor will I raise anything that may come back later and be a "fine" .. No thanks, I tried but this lone Turkey hen is not worth the risk involved in keeping her... Were I NOT raising Turkeys it wouldn't be a big deal.

Kind of dumb that although my Tom can mate her and she can raise the poults where she chooses I would not be allowed to clip their wings and call them mine.. Kind of pointless to spend that much money on feed and such and not be able to harvest or sell what I have spent so much on..

Mind you, were not just going to run her off the property, were going for a drive tonight, I have been making some calls and we know where their are wild Turkey flocks within a 5 mile ratios of our place...We will release her close to where they are.

AmericanMom said:

Mind you, were not just going to run her off the property, were going for a drive tonight, I have been making some calls and we know where their are wild Turkey flocks within a 5 mile ratios of our place...We will release her close to where they are.

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Hopefully they take her in then. She most likely will be ran off out of the herd or severely bullied. I would just discourage her from staying on your farm.