Post your new 2010 Turkeys

[shelleyd2008]

So at what age do you all let yours free range? Mine are about 10 weeks old I think, and they are still locked up in their little pen. I'm not sure if I'll ever let them roam free, we have a lot of predators (wild and tame

) in the area. But I was just wondering at what age they can safely be allowed to roam.

Also, my dad keeps telling me that you can't let them roam because they'll eat stuff like cockle burrs?? Any truth to that?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I only let mine free range when I am at home. I allowed them to free range at 4 weeks old but I was right there sitting in a chair watching their every move. If I am not home they are locked up. I have NEVER left them unattended. Too many predators in my area. In the past, I have let my turkeys free range unattended when they were bigger and I felt that they would be safe. I don't remember how old they were but I'm sure they were at least close to 1 year or close to that. Things happen so fast I just dont trust those predators that are lurking out there. That's why I never leave my babies unattended. I lock mine up during the day when I"m at work. When I get home at 5:00 PM, I let them free range and they are back in their turkey stalls no later than 9:00 pm. They free range all day long on the weekend when I am home but I keep a watchful eye every 30 minutes. Mine are 8 weeks old and I have not last one yet to any predators when I let them out to free range. But then again, I have my eye on them the entire time.

Do you have a pic of yours so that you can post? How big are they?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I had to wait until we came back from Washington to post this one:

Those are White Midget turkey poults and a bunch of mixed breed chicks that hatched out weekend before last. Not a very good hatch rate as they were mostly a bunch of left over eggs from a hatching egg order that went awry. Only about a 60% hatch, but some of the eggs were over three weeks old.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I only let mine free range when I am at home. I allowed them to free range at 4 weeks old but I was right there sitting in a chair watching their every move. If I am not home they are locked up. I have NEVER left them unattended. Too many predators in my area. In the past, I have let my turkeys free range unattended when they were bigger and I felt that they would be safe. I don't remember how old they were but I'm sure they were at least close to 1 year or close to that. Things happen so fast I just dont trust those predators that are lurking out there. That's why I never leave my babies unattended. I lock mine up during the day when I"m at work. When I get home at 5:00 PM, I let them free range and they are back in their turkey stalls no later than 9:00 pm. They free range all day long on the weekend when I am home but I keep a watchful eye every 30 minutes. Mine are 8 weeks old and I have not last one yet to any predators when I let them out to free range. But then again, I have my eye on them the entire time.

Do you have a pic of yours so that you can post? How big are they?

I'm very bad at taking pics, I think I had it on macro for these

The tom is in all 3 pics, you can see just how much bigger he is than the other 2. They are all the same age. I heard him gobble, or try to anyway, for the first time today

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I only let mine free range when I am at home. I allowed them to free range at 4 weeks old but I was right there sitting in a chair watching their every move. If I am not home they are locked up. I have NEVER left them unattended. Too many predators in my area. In the past, I have let my turkeys free range unattended when they were bigger and I felt that they would be safe. I don't remember how old they were but I'm sure they were at least close to 1 year or close to that. Things happen so fast I just dont trust those predators that are lurking out there. That's why I never leave my babies unattended. I lock mine up during the day when I"m at work. When I get home at 5:00 PM, I let them free range and they are back in their turkey stalls no later than 9:00 pm. They free range all day long on the weekend when I am home but I keep a watchful eye every 30 minutes. Mine are 8 weeks old and I have not last one yet to any predators when I let them out to free range. But then again, I have my eye on them the entire time.

Do you have a pic of yours so that you can post? How big are they?

I'm very bad at taking pics, I think I had it on macro for these

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/shelleyd2008/turkeys/Bambi003-1.jpg
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/shelleyd2008/turkeys/Bambi002.jpg
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/shelleyd2008/turkeys/Bambi001.jpg

The tom is in all 3 pics, you can see just how much bigger he is than the other 2. They are all the same age. I heard him gobble, or try to anyway, for the first time today

They are soooo cute!!! Yea, you should definitely keep an eye on them. Don't let them free range unattended. Make sure that you or someone else is right there watching them. Protect those cutie pies.