Do you put your turkeys back in their coop?

[Sally8]

Lol

 

[Sally8]

Be sure to keep us posted with pictures! Just because I said I don't like crosses doesn't mean I don't do them or buy them. Lol Just something inside from the past, trying to change that though.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

When I breed mine I will post on here. I understand sometimes we have to deal with our inner demons. I like to sell to family first, usually just give them chicks, then friends then anybody. If these poults turn out great I will probably post an add

 

[ShoreBird]

I just started raising chickens this past February with 3 straight run Ameraucanas (2 roosters, 1 hen) and 6 red pullets purchased at Tractor Supply. We added to our flock in May with 7 Black Jersey Giants, 7 Barred Plymouth Rocks, and 3 Ameraucana hens that we purchased through our local ag store. About a week later we found that there were 2 tiny adorable Black Spanish Turkeys that had not been picked up at the ag store so we brought them home as well. The turkeys grew up with the second group of chicks, but were kept in separate quarters (but close to the others) because of the differences in their feed. Once all of them were on the same feed they were relocated to the coop that was already occupied by the older chickens. All of them (turkeys and chickens) free range during the day within an 80' x 40' fenced in area to keep them safe from predators and they have free access to the coop. Around 8 p.m. every evening they all put themselves away for the night. Around that time we close the doors to the coop to keep out predators. The 2 turkeys snuggle up on one side of the coop with the chickens they grew up with. The older group clusters together on the other side of the coop. Although the 2 turkeys stick together out in the run (one is male and the other female--fortunately for us), they stick with the flock of chickens and seem to follow their lead if an alarm is sounded by one of the roosters. We turned a cinder block building with a concrete floor that was on our property into a coop so it remains cool on a hot summer day and when the temperatures are in the 90s or above all of the chickens and the turkeys can be found lounging on the cool concrete floor inside the coop.

 

[Sally8]

A final post on this to follow through on what I've read here. Thanks to TMNFarm for asking what I was already wondering. The night before last my husband and I clipped our turkeys 1 wing. It was very sad for me because they had a hard time flying up to their roost but they have stayed in the fence. The question that was asked in the beginning about whether or not to let them roost outside; I've decided that I will always put them in. I don't want to lose them. If I can find them, in they'll go. I'm sure that it is only a matter of time before they will figure out how to compensate with the clipped wing, but for now we are good. Thanks for all the answers.