Do you let your turkeys day-range?

[Wolf-Kim]

I am thinking about letting our three turkeys free range. We have had them for a couple months and they have lived in the same pen the whole time. They got out once while I wasn't here, but DH was able to chase them down and put them back in their pen. That happened about a week ago.

I know chickens will return to roost instinctively on their own. We do not have a perimeter fence and are surrounded by many acres of partially overgrown clear cut forest.

Will the turkeys instinctively return on their own, or will we be out in the woods chasing down our turkeys?

If we will have to be running them down come dark, they can just stay in their pens.

-Kim

 

[Marlinchaser]

I let mine out daily, and they always come back on thier own.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Okay cool. I was scared I would let them out for a good time and never see them again! LOL

-Kim

 

[BeardedChick]

I am letting my ~two month old turkeys free range in my large fenced yard (~1 acre), but I have 5 turkeys and am keeping two penned up when the other 3 are out. The free rangers could easily get out by flying over a 4' fence, but so far are happy in bounds. I would be afraid to let all of mine out at the same time - it would kill me to lose them. I think they'd range a lot further if they were all out & I doubt they'd prefer to come in. Even in the evening, I have to chase mine from the run back into the coop.

That said - they are really fun to free range. When I step out the backdoor, they come galloping to see me. They visit for a while, then gallop/flap crazily off.

You just need more than 3 turkeys! There's your problem.

 

[Break an Egg]

I let my turkey free range in my backyard with my chickens. She is very good at eating all the nasty bugs including stinkbugs.

She also thinks she is a chicken, and hangs out with my ameraucana hens.

 

[goldensunriseranch]

I let mine free range at will and they never leave to go very far and always return. To the contrary they are often right up at the house MORE than I want! The only time I had to pen them was when a neighbor across the street decided to put up a bird feeder, my turkeys thought it was a turkey feeder.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I know what you mean about letting the whole flock out. LOL

Everyday when I go to let the chickens free-range, I pick and choose which ones I could bear not coming home. Because everytime I let some out that I need or like, they don't come back.

I keep my breeding rooster locked up, because he is the only one I have for now. I have a free-range roo that looks after the girls that get let out. The older adult hens get let out, but all the snack-sized little ones stay penned for now.

I would be upset if my next generation went missing, all that hard hatching work earlier this spring gone down the throat of some good for nothing hawk or fox.

-Kim

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
Turkeys are birds too yah know! They have just as much right to a "bird" feeder as any other bird.

LOL

-Kim

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

Mine come back.



Always.

 

[Their Other Mother]

Years ago we had a flock of chickens and 2 turkeys. They were all free range, we didn't even have a coop, they all stayed in the garage at night. Even when they were out in the day that stupid turkey hung around the back door and was always trying to get in the house. Our property was not fenced at all and we lived in an unpopulated desert area. When he was full grown we wished he would get lost... he wasn't the best pet! I think they just know where home is, especially where easy feed and water is located. You shouldn't have trouble since they have been penned up there and "home" has been established. I would be more worried about predators.