Best way to get turkeys in the coop without a chase at bedtime?

[Noellereagan]

My seven week out poults are stinkers to get inside at night. Outside of that, they love people. But it takes two people to wrangle them in at bedtime. I’ve read how others have the same problem but their comments are buried in other threads. So I decided to start a new thread in hopes someone has a method of “training” the little monsters to go to bed without a two person chase.
Thanks!

 

[Chicken Whisperers]

You could put treats in the doorway at bedtime, and after a while they will just know to come inside

 

[R2elk]

My seven week out poults are stinkers to get inside at night. Outside of that, they love people. But it takes two people to wrangle them in at bedtime. I’ve read how others have the same problem but their comments are buried in other threads. So I decided to start a new thread in hopes someone has a method of “training” the little monsters to go to bed without a two person chase.
Thanks!

I don't use treats but instead use a long stick as a guide. When I started training them, I found that a long stick for each hand was beneficial. I would use the sticks to form a triangle with me at the apex and would keep the poults centered between the two sticks. When training, you have to approach slowly and be ready to cut off any escape routes. I would do this training at different times of the day. The more the exercise is repeated the faster they learn.

Do not wait until nearly dark to "put them to bed".

Once you have adults that are conditioned to a routine, they will do the training for you.

When I had a particularly difficult group, I would set up things such as pallets to help direct them in the right direction.

Good luck.

 

[Noellereagan]

I don't use treats but instead use a long stick as a guide. When I started training them, I found that a long stick for each hand was beneficial. I would use the sticks to form a triangle with me at the apex and would keep the poults centered between the two sticks. When training, you have to approach slowly and be ready to cut off any escape routes. I would do this training at different times of the day. The more the exercise is repeated the faster they learn.

Do not wait until nearly dark to "put them to bed".

Once you have adults that are conditioned to a routine, they will do the training for you.

When I had a particularly difficult group, I would set up things such as pallets to help direct them in the right direction.

Good luck.

Great advice. I’ll try this.

 

[Noellereagan]

You could put treats in the doorway at bedtime, and after a while they will just know to come inside

I tried this and the smart little buggers would hop up into the coop and hop out while I was trying to get the others. They outsmarted me. I shouldn’t confess that.

 

[R2elk]

I tried this and the smart little buggers would hop up into the coop and hop out while I was trying to get the others. They outsmarted me. I shouldn’t confess that.

 

[TurkeyTimes]

It is definitely a conditioned thing. My poults have older birds to follow. You will have to place chase until they learn. Food and treats are always good incentive.

 

[libarena]

I have always struggled with my turkeys but I managed to get them to learn after trying a lot of different things.

My turkeys HATE being chased or “guided” to the coop. They will panic and just run around like chickens with their heads cut off. I gave up on this approach pretty quickly. Other fowl are easier with this method and if you have a mixed bunch, it’s easier.

What worked for me-

I started picking up their food during the day (about lunchtime) and at 6 and always at 6, I would come back, ring a bell and feed them and give treats. I wouldn’t let them out during this training period.

Throughout the day, I would come by and ring the bell and give them a handful of mealworms and then leave. They began to associate me and the bell with treats/food.

Every time there was food around (feed time, treats, etc) I would ring the bell.

After a week of this, I started letting them out.
First day I let them out for thirty minutes before feed time and they came back.
Second day it was an hour and they struggled to come back so the next day I went back to 30 minutes before feed time.
If they came back each day, I would lengthen the time being out by 30 minutes and soon enough I would come to feed and lock up and they would be sitting in the coop waiting for me.

I trained them with muscovy ducks and guinea fowl and this method has worked wonders on all three, the guineas especially. They always run to the coop when they see me coming. It’s a wonderful sight!

 

[Noellereagan]

I have always struggled with my turkeys but I managed to get them to learn after trying a lot of different things.

My turkeys HATE being chased or “guided” to the coop. They will panic and just run around like chickens with their heads cut off. I gave up on this approach pretty quickly. Other fowl are easier with this method and if you have a mixed bunch, it’s easier.

What worked for me-

I started picking up their food during the day (about lunchtime) and at 6 and always at 6, I would come back, ring a bell and feed them and give treats. I wouldn’t let them out during this training period.

Throughout the day, I would come by and ring the bell and give them a handful of mealworms and then leave. They began to associate me and the bell with treats/food.

Every time there was food around (feed time, treats, etc) I would ring the bell.

After a week of this, I started letting them out.
First day I let them out for thirty minutes before feed time and they came back.
Second day it was an hour and they struggled to come back so the next day I went back to 30 minutes before feed time.
If they came back each day, I would lengthen the time being out by 30 minutes and soon enough I would come to feed and lock up and they would be sitting in the coop waiting for me.

I trained them with muscovy ducks and guinea fowl and this method has worked wonders on all three, the guineas especially. They always run to the coop when they see me coming. It’s a wonderful sight!

What. A. GREAT. Idea.

I'm starting today.

 

[libarena]

What. A. GREAT. Idea.

I'm starting today.

Let me know if you have any problems and I’ll try and help out!

How many turkeys do you have?