Rehoming adult turkeys - issues to consider?

[exop]

I have a pack of Narragansett turkeys hatched and raised by 2 mother Narragansetts last year. They have grown up free range in my yard; my house is out in the country with no near neighbors, surrounded by overgrown pasture and woods. They stick close to home (they basically stay in my yard); have shown no aggression towards people or the dog, pretty much ignore cats, seem to get along well with each other apart from very occasional neck wrestling and gibbering matches between the young toms. Interact fairly cooperatively with chickens. Nice birds, essentially raised as pets (although none of them enjoy being picked up and hugged, many will put up with it without a real struggle).

I planned to put a few ads in Craigslist and in the local papers for "breeding pairs" of Narragansett turkeys. But I've not done this before and wonder what I should advise people who recieve turkeys. What measures have you found to be necessary when getting a tame turkey used to a new home? For these guys, the area around my house is their whole world. Have you seen problems with turkeys adjusting to new places and trying to run away? Any mood changes or personality changes in relocated turkeys?

Finally, is it reprehensible to advertise "breeding pairs" when the birds are fairly closely related - half siblings or thereabouts - or is it nothing to worry about?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[carmelchickie]

I plan on selling some of my bourbon reds around September so im curious how this turns out for you. I wouldn't sell as breeding pairs personally just because I feel they're too closely related but like I said thats my personal opinion. But I know there is just about always someone looking for a tom or hen so you might even make out better selling them that way good luck let me know how it goes!

 

[carmelchickie]

I plan on selling some of my bourbon reds around September so im curious how this turns out for you. I wouldn't sell as breeding pairs personally just because I feel they're too closely related but like I said thats my personal opinion. But I know there is just about always someone looking for a tom or hen so you might even make out better selling them that way good luck let me know how it goes!

 

[emptynesterMom]

Hello,
I'm not a turkey expert by any means, but this is how I introduced adult birds into my flock. Last spring I rescued a pair of 2-3yr old bourbon reds. I quarantined them for a month from my original flock while addressing their health issues. Next, I had them in a run next to my other birds where they could see each other and I had to put up plywood to keep the toms from fighting through the fence and problem solved. (The run was wide enough that they could see each other from a distance but not close enough to fight.) When the rescues were healthy enough, I placed the two groups together in the evening to roost and turned them out to free range in the morning. They did have to settle the pecking order, and the toms had quite a few tussles, but no serious injury. They all are in one flock now with only the usual squabbles. I did have to move slowly to integrate because the birds I rescued were very underweight and weak due to being caged all their lives, but I think some of the things that worked for me could work for healthy birds too. Hope this is helpful.

 

[exop]

I had planned on suggesting they be fenced in for a few weeks, until they are used to the area, to the new food and the new people... does this sound about right? How long, how high a fence, and how large an area (for two turkeys which are already acquainted) ...

Also, any considerations if the new owner wants them to go under shelter at night? Most of these birds sleep on a fence or in a tree, and have shown no interest in more comfortable lodgings (except in rainstorms, when they invade the porch).

 

[carmelchickie]

About five years ago my grandfather bought a tom and two hens which we kept in a pen about 8 feet by 15 ft with 6 ft high fencing. The back portion we built a little shed like building with a roost and straw floor for nesting. We also had a roost outside which they prefered as the weather was good. We kept them penned for about two weeks until they were used to us and then we allowed them to free range during the day....we never had any problems with them doing it this way. I'm not sure if you potential buyer would need such a large pen but I always prefer to give them as much room as I can especially if they're used to free ranging all the time...i hope this helps....also if your turkeys are good flyers they might need chicken wire on the top of the pen as well

 

[exop]

Thanks, carmelchickie... that's very helpful. The girls are better fliers than the boys, but they've never gone over any fences higher than 4 ft. They have gotten into trees, but they don't seem enthusiastic about tackling fences... at least, not without mashing them down first.