Are turkeys trainable?

[emptynesterMom]

I free range my 16 week old turkeys and for the most part they hang around the edge of the woods and in the field. Yesterday they decided to take their afternoon siesta on my car. Yikes! I chased them off with a broom and they didn't return. My question is are they smart enough to learn to stay off the vehicles or should I just but a car cover?

 

[chicmom]

I have turkeys, and I think you're just going to have to shoo them off and see if they learn, by repeating that.

My turkeys are just so neat. I bought them as poults on May 20, and I've just recently found out they're both toms. They sort of remind me of a chicken, only much bigger and slower. I've got a Royal Palm and a Blue Slate

How do you like yours?

Here are mine--I've got two pics of them at different ages, standing on an old chair they seem to like:

Take care,

Sharon

 

[racuda]

Wow, you even got the same two chickens in the shot!

 

[Frosty]

See if you can find something they would like to roost on more than the car. I never had them on my vehicle, they prefer the rails on the corral fence.

 

[emptynesterMom]

Thanks Sharon and Frosty,

Usually they roost in a huge spruce tree beside the house or on sawhorses that DH set up for them. They do seem to be attracted to anything shiny. I wonder if they saw their reflection in the windshield. This afternoon no problem they haven't shown any interest. A few years ago a huge wild tom would stop cars (I live on a dirt road) and strut up to his reflection in the chrome bumper to challenge it. Lol, only in the country.

Sharon I tried to upload pic of my birds but I guess I don't have enough posts yet. I have 4 MW and 6 BR which I bought intending to send them to freezer camp but they are sooo friendly. I think 6 of them are toms so I know I can't keep them all. I keep telling myself don't name them. That works with meat chickens but this is a lot harder because of their great personality. I keep hoping some of the toms get mean but so far they are all sweeties - they don't want to be touched but they follow me like dogs and line up for treats.

Thanks,
Cheryl

 

[syble]

must be nice, mine are always wanting to go on my truck given half the chance, and they have a million things to check on, they're just nosey

 

[Parrotchick]

Mine not only want to get on the truck but expect to do the navigating as well.

Usually after relocating them a few times they get the hint that it's off limits, then promptly find a new place they shouldn't be.

 

[emptynesterMom]

Parrotchick,

I love the pics

 

[drdoolittle]

I don't know about training them to stay off vehicles, but my neighbor had some and swore that his white one learned to "sit" on command. I think maybe it just always sat down when approached by humans.

 

[syble]

my white ones evil, she leads them into all the trouble. relocating them has not worked for me, blasting them with the hose has not worked for me either, so now they are only out closely supervised, and my truck is away from the barn if they're out

one day a run will be theirs!