Can a turkey's wings be clipped like a chicken's?

[Amyh]

I am considering buying a few turkeys for the table. I would want to let them free range on my property, which is fenced in with a 4 foot fence. I know they can fly over that easily, but if I cut their feathers, would that help me to contain them? I don't fear predators in my yard during the day.

 

[prairiehen74369]

Quote:
I clip one of mines wings so they can't get any lift when they try to fly.......... as they get older the males will get to heavy to get very high.

 

[wava1vaughn]

Hi from Ga. I keep my Turkeys locked up. They have a covered run so they won't fly away.

It's only 20' now but I'll increase it later.

 

[MissTurkey4]

Are you going to raise Broad Breasted Turkeys or Heritage turkeys? Broad Breasted turkeys are poor flyers compared to Heritage turkeys. With your fencing they would be best. My turkeys are in a 6 foot fenced breeding pen with their wings clipped. A few hens I will find perching on the fence even with a short clip job. The Toms are to big to get off the ground as adults but a young tom will try and sometimes will get on things like the back of my truck. My yard is also fenced by a 6 food chain link fence. They seldom have gone on the other side of that fence. When they have it is because they made there way up on top of my roof and the got caught in the wind when they tried to fly down. If something scares, them they all can get off the ground pretty high and fly a good distance.

Broad breasted turkeys do not make long lived pets like the heritage turkeys do. Many people find their turkeys are so friendly that have a hard time butchering them.

 

[chickenzoo]

How much property do you have? Is your fence wire or board? I have a bunch of turkey and often when I first get them I will clip one wing. Once they know the area I don't have to again, they pretty much stay home if they have things to keep themselves busy and food. Board fence they can see easily and will jump on top, wire fence they have a harder time and often will not jump onto it. It also depends on the temperament of the turkey and if you have wild turkey come through.............. most of my stragglers were ones that jumped up onto the 12 ft barn that was close to the fence, then jumped over..... they never jumped on the 4 ft field fence itself. Keep things they can jump on away from the fence line and it will help.

 

[Amyh]

The fenced in area is 1/2 an acre and the fence is a chain link fence. A lot of the area is woods, so maybe they could launch off of a tree...... huh? I found a source for 8 week old poults and was thinking those birds would be ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I don't really want to keep them in a pen because I'd like them to eat bugs, and grass. I feel like the meat will taste better if I raise them differently than a store bought turkey.

 

[chickenzoo]

be warned..... turkeys can get very friendly.......

Chain link can be perched on, the top rail they can see to land on, but if you extended up a little with some hot wire or hot tape, it might be harder for them to judge to land on...... I know my peafowl don't like to jump up on our wire field fence or the hot wire.