Calming the Turkeys

[nes]

Our turkey babies are about a month old now (we got them last week) and they are wired-off in a section of the chicken coop. Every time they see me they start running blindly into the wire, and I've already seen one (temporarily) hurt himself banging against it.

Is there anything I can do to calm them down??

I'd be happy to let them out to run around but I'm afraid I'd never get them back in their corner again

 

[LarryPQ]

Nope, turkeys are freaks. I had one poult splat herself on a wall and break off both beaks. (she's better now after a bout with superglue)

Anyway, you could try winning them over with treats, spent time out there just sitting, and talking to them. They are pretty friendly after they decide you are ok.


When all else fails, wait until dark to round them up. It is likely they'll go to bed on their own, but if not they are WAY easier to handle when they get zombified.

 

[chichick]

Mine were like that. I just give them treats every now and then, but I gain there trust by moving real slow around them and pick them up and pet them every time I go out there. My 4 week old poults (I got about a week and a half weeks ago) acted like that, but now there very calm when I grab them. Now my 5-6 week old poults are a different story. I got them last saturday and when I reach in there they would go insane, but they act a lot better now.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

ok laugh if you like, but I found that music helps. CALM music with voices. Turkeys are freaks I agree!

 

[MissTurkey4]

My turkeys stay inside my house for there first 12 weeks due to their poor slow developing immune system. They see me all day. By the time they go outside, they will follow me everywhere. I can collect eggs or poults from the adults with no problem. I do not have the hens raise there poults because I want freindly no fuss turkeys.

 

[nes]

It was getting ridiculous this morning with the turkeys slaming themsleves against the wire, so I finally just opened the pen. Turns out that was all they wanted

. Hopefully that sleepy turkey thing is going to work

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If they had to stay out in the run all night it wouldn't actually be the end of the world, but I'd feel better if we had the fencer up and running (for the electric). It's pretty safe, hopefully.

 

[Alexander]

I have 10 chicks and 2 poults in a brooder.They are 5 weeks old.

I got them when they were 2 weeks old and they were tremendously wild.All of them.After 2 days of just looking at them so they would get used to me I decided to hand feed them.Only 5 chicks came.Now when i give them some grass from outside all 10 chicks come but none of the 2 poults.Wh are they so wild?

 

[TimTurkey]

I spend a lot of time with my turkeys. In fact, I am posting from the coop right now.

When I first introduced my turkeys to their outdoor coop, they were easily spooked by new noises (scrub jays scared the heck out of them.) They are mellower now, but still freak out occasionally, for no apparent reason. A couple of days ago, one turk broke his leg during a berserk session.

 

[Stacykins]

I spent a lot of time from the first week just sitting with the turkeys near the brooder with the door open. The poults were actually bolder than the chicken chicks they were with and would come investigate the strange human first. Now they are 10 weeks old and outside, and they follow me around in their run. One, a spanish black possible hen I call Sierra is attached to me like glue. She sits on my lap while I pet her and makes happy chittering noises before falling asleep. The others like to get petted too, but usually after a few minutes wander off to go do their turkey things while checking in for some neck rubbing every now and then.

 

[nes]

Waiting until they were sleeping totally worked! Thanks guys!

Went in at 8 to shut-up and they were all sleeping in an other corner, so I had the little guy run containment while I scooped up turkeys and put them back in their proper corner. So turkeys got to run around all day, get some fresh air & forage AND we got them back into their proper place to sleep

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