HELP with free-ranging my 8 week old Turkey's.

[Spitzboyz]

Hello BYC!

I am recently a new turkey'er and have a question about free ranging my two 8 week old turkey's. I currently have them with 15 chickens and 5 ducks. My chickens and ducks are slightly older than my turkeys and all of them get along fine.

I am at the point where I want to start free ranging my birds but I am concerned about my turkeys as this is my first time ever with Turkeys. My turkeys are currently the same size as my bantams which are around 12 weeks old. My big concern is that if I decide to free range my turkeys which are no where near their full grown weight and height, will they get lost and be able to find their way back to the coop at night like my chickens and ducks do? I have a lot of confidence in my ducks and chickens finding their back since I've been thru that process a million times! I am afraid of my young turkeys getting lost!!

What are your experiences with young turkeys and is it too soon to be thinking about free ranging them? Should I wait until they are larger?

Thank you for your responses!

The turkeys are itching to go out!

PS - I don't even know if it's in a turkeys nature to come back to the coop at night to roost! Please help!

 

[chicmom]

My turkeys were raised with chicks, and yes, they did come back to the coop with the chickens.

 

[Spitzboyz]

Thanks chicmom! My brother inlaw is so stuck on the idea that they will act like wild turkeys and just wander off once we let them out of the run!