A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[OneMountainAcres]

Well so far the routine has been around dark they all (turkeys and chickens) fly up on top of their pen/coop. Everybody falls asleep there until I go out and carry them all to the door and put them inside. I leave door open all day until I start putting them up for night. I've tried to shake their treat container (meal worms) which normally gets them running to me but they won't budge. I don't have a light inside coop but have rope light hung around the outside of the pen. It's been raining today so they stayed in all day. Tomorrow I will see if I can coax them in with treats. If not I have a nice big plastic rake too. And a ladder!!

I would go out with your treat can about a half hour before they typically start heading up to the top of their coop to roost. Maybe then they'll accept the bribe.

 

[memphis]

I was thinking the same thing as Aurora. Birdie Bedtime here is before they start thinking about roosting.

 

[JRNash]

The Turkeys met me at my truck when I got home from work. Normally there are 5 or six fugitive chickens running around. I stopped clipping their wings.I figure its safer for them to be able to fly.The Turkeys are starting to explore the trees,in a few months they will probably start sleeping there instead of the coop

 

[stephcraig78]

So if they don't go for sleeping in the coop and keep going for the trees would two hens be ok sleeping out on their own? We lost the only tom turkey we had when he was younger to a skunk that got inside the coop and he tried to protect the chickens. Since then we finished the coop by putting roof on and making sure nothing could dig under like skunk did. We live in Missouri and we have several predators that lurk at night. Do they need a tom to protect them?

 

[JRNash]

This guy is the undisputed flock protector

 

[duluthralphie]

This guy is the undisputed flock protector

That is one mutant bird! Is it alive or a Zombie? Do the gators run from him?

 

[duluthralphie]

So if they don't go for sleeping in the coop and keep going for the trees would two hens be ok sleeping out on their own? We lost the only tom turkey we had when he was younger to a skunk that got inside the coop and he tried to protect the chickens. Since then we finished the coop by putting roof on and making sure nothing could dig under like skunk did. We live in Missouri and we have several predators that lurk at night. Do they need a tom to protect them?

No matter the species a female needs a male to protect her...

Sleepinh outside for a hen alone or two would be more risky. I notice when mine sleep outside they really push together into a clump. Of course, it is always in a blizzard or 40 below then. The hens will go into the coop, sort of. my Turkeys sleep outside but they sleep in the covered run most the time. In the extreme cold or blizzards some of the smaller hens go inside. The Toms are not overly smart I have decided.


Except they are smart enough to let me know I have not given them their treat around 4-5 pm.......

 

[feistychick]

JR - That rooster looks huge! How big is he?

Stephcraig- I start bedtime about a half hour before it gets dark (just like Aurora and Memphis suggested), so they haven't got it into their little brains to start roosting yet. Now it's just routine for them - they usually are inside a bit before sunset even if I don't get out to put them in on time. I usually go out, count heads and shut the door . Given that you have predators, but I would encourage them to sleep inside or in a run if you can.

 

[JRNash]

The Saipan is well over 12 lbs. He is the nicest rooster Ive had. He makes it hos business to know what is going on in HIS pen. Allways feeds the hens first.

 

[memphis]

JR, nice looking bird. They have a reputation for being very human friendly. If I ever decide to get another rooster I'd love to have some sort of gamefowl. I think they are interesting.

All my turkeys/chickens get locked into coops at night. Just too much of a wimp to let them sleep loose at night. I'm usually out with them an hour or so before birdy bedtime. Its a peaceful time. All the egg laying drama is over for the day.