I gotta side with Elk. The Tom's on my college campus learned that people equal food and were not afraid of people. The hens were a bit more wary, as always, but if I didn't know the damage the beaks, wings and feet could do to a person, I probably could have pounced on many during my school days
People that are knowingly breaking the law don't post about it on public forums.
A skilled hunter with a tom decoy attached to his head. It is impressive because he is doing something that the average person can't do.
Yes, wild turkeys will kick and slap, and they will fight like he** to get away. OP said they picked up the turkey and put it in a dog carrier. They never posted again so maybe there are some missing details??
So will untamed domestic turkeys.
I know that from personal experience!! That is why I don't think this turkey was wild, or even an untamed domestic turkey. Maybe an escaped pet? or a wild turkey mortally wounded and too messed up to move.
wild turkeys do carry bird diseases. You will want to isolate her from the rest of your flock for 2 months [1 month at the very least] but within everyone's view (because they desperately need social contact with other turkeys). From what I have been reading the standard bronze turkey came here from England and it is a mix of wild and domestic turkey breeds. And all this time I thought turkeys were originally from the USA (they really are from the Americas just certain breeds were brought back). I would think since wild flocks do accept domestic birds that vice versa holds true it will work. I always beef up sick birds with vitamin water, probiotics, and a high protein feed. I also de-worm them if they are at least strong enough to handle it. I know we poultry owners aren't given much for options when it comes to deworming our birds, but I started deworming my chickens with horse wormer. Chickens and ducks get the size of a June pea. One large marker on the horse wormer syringe is enough for a 100 pound animal. So if you have a 60 pound dawg about 2-3 little markers or half a big marker is enough. I just dibbie it up how their approximate weight goes. Everyone gets wormed around fall moulting and again in the spring at least 2 weeks before I start collecting egg babies to incubate and hatch. Nothing like cracking open a fresh egg and finding a wriggly parasite inside. They get them from eating earthworms, slugs, snails, and the like. And yes we wear heavy duty face masks, coveralls, head scarfs and heavy gloves and muck out their homes, whenever they are wormed. We usually follow up a first worming with a second 10 days later. I just know wild turkeys don't get the nice benefits of probiotics in their feeds and vitamins. The cold weather limits what's available for feed, many starve out. I bet after one month you'd see a really healthy girl. We see miraculous recoveries all the time. Lots of attention and good care. Since you already took her in I think you have a bit of a healer already in you, it's just your nature. Our last emaciated war orphan we took in was a rooster who was starving out in the winter free ranging. He was cold and weak and looked like trying to find enough to stay alive was really getting tough. It took a full month and a half of rehab. He didn't mind being in a cage. He was so weak he couldn't even stand. He just sat on the cage floor infront of the food and water and consumed constantly in between naps. After 3 weeks of gluttony he was strong enough to be wormed. He joined our gals later on and has fathered hundreds and hundreds of baby chicks. He's even a great grandpa. The sale of most of his babies has paid for everyone's feed bill, including some of ours. His sons have proven to be some of the most gorgeous healthy roosters I have ever seen of his breed. I have no trouble selling them. I think you're going to do really well with your turkeys, wild and domestic.
BTW always use gentle movements and soft speaking when dealing with your wild girl, even if hissing. They respond to aggression with more aggression. All domestic livestock has started out as wild animals at some point in history. If you gather her eggs and hatch them out yourself and handle the babies alot, they will almost all be tame. I call my turkey babies by answering their whistles from hatching. Since I can't imitate their adult calls when one is in trouble and needs guidance home I whistle the baby call. They always respond. Zero pets have returned to their homes alive who have taken off into the woods behind our mini farm. My young hen took off when there was a predator skulking about. It was already dark. I was sure she was a gonner but at first light I started whistling. I could just barely start to hear her way off over the ridge of the mountain after about an hour of calls, but the other turkeys started to join in with me. She came home alive. Minus a few feathers but alive and physically sound. She came and snuggled on my lap. Who needs a lap dawg if you have a sweet turkey??? Bond with them young and unless they are actively breeding they won't forget you. They love the underside of their head/neck area rubbed... but never the back.
What is this? Perhaps a great way to get your head shot off?
Since it is illegal to capture and keep a wild turkey you are giving bad advice. The proper advice is to not do it in the first place.
