Do you put your turkeys back in their coop?

[TMNfarm]

I have 2 bronze turkeys that are about 3 months old. I have a coop for them that I put them in when they were about a month old. It is plenty roomy with large perches for them and an outdoor run. About 2 weeks after I moved them to their coop, I started letting them out for short periods of time, and it has progressed to them being pretty much free-range. I love watching their behaviors, and they are big enough that the dogs don't bother them, although, they do have a tendancy to sit next to the outdoor dog kennel and tease the dogs when they are in there...

I have 2 flocks of chickens; one flock of layers that are allowed to free-range during the day, and one flock of meaty chickens that do not free-range. The chicken coops are located right next to each other, but the turkey's home is on the other side of the barn. The layers put themselves away every night, so by the time I go out to do evening chores, they are all snug in their coop and all I have to do is shut the door. The turkey's don't ever put themselves away and I have to search for them. Most of the time, they are sitting on a wood pile behind the chicken coops or between them, but last night they weren't there. It was dark already and I was worried I wouldn't find them. I finally found them sitting on a box on the other side of the barn. I carry them to their coop every night and lock them in...

My question is, what do others do that have free range turkeys? Do you lock them up every night, or do you allow them to come and go as they please? Would it be a terrible thing if I couldn't find them and had to leave them out overnight??

 

[chickman8]

I have 4 white turkeys and 1 bronze and i let them free range during the day and put them away at night.

 

[Scottingitup]

Start herding them into their coop before dark around the time they are wanting to roost. Do this for a while and they should start returning on their own. If that doesn't work lock them up in it for even longer - perhaps a month.

Mine free range and will generally return to their pen at night - sometimes there is a straggler but not always.

 

[TMNfarm]

I'll try, but they are hard to herd!! That's why I carry them back. I could try to enlist one of my Aussie's, but the turkey's kind of intimidate the dogs... I had the cutest video of one of htem with one of my dogs this morning. The turkey would peck the dog's nose, then the dog would playfully bite at the turkey's head, then the turkey would peck his nose again... But my phone didn't save the video for some reason...

 

[Scottingitup]

Stand up tall hold your arms out and slowly walk them where you want them to go. If that is not enough hang plastic bags off the end of a pole one in each arm. (this just makes the poles more visible)

here is some good shots

http://blog.ivyashe.com/2011/08/turkey-herding/

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Mine come out suppervised for a couple hours every evening, they all put themselves up when it starts getting dark, never had a prob. They just follow the chickens. You could always lure them back before dark with some yummy goodies like apple slices , bugs, etc.

 

[frank53061]

At 8 weeks I let my Bourbon reds out of there brooder slash coop into there pen.
They are free ranged for 4 hours a day and the put back into there pen hours before dark and as soon as it just dark enough for them to roost there mostly in the coop but there are a few Rebels that want to roost on top of there coop but with a long stick there coerced off the coop and tucked into there coop and locked in till the morning.
If I did not do this I would have lost most or all to Coons and Possums.

 

[n8mont4]

I free range my turkeys but I am forced to put them away everynight. They will NOT go in the coop on their own. They just find some tree branches or something.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I make sure mine are in and locked up before it get dark, I'm sure my turkeys would want to roost on the roof of their coop.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Mine are closed in at night. I've got raccoons in the area and I don't want to take the risk of leaving them out.

I can't herd my turkeys, but they will follow me anywhere. I just go out with some lettuce or other treat at night, and they follow me right into their coop to get their treat.

If I held my arms out and tried to herd them, they would run over and be jumping up to try to see what I had in my hands.