Heritage Turkey

[turkeyman]

I was wondering which breed of heritage turkey can fly the best?
In my experiance I think they fly the same.

 

[chickenannie]

My guess is the same. bump.

 

[wilds of pa]

the lightest ones will fly much better than the heaver birds.
Our 1 wild eastern can and does fly straight up off the ground into the tree's 20 to 30 ft high with no problems..

Charlie

 

[ivan3]

Our RP hen was a regular buzz bomb/tumbler pigeon of a turkey that would drop from a hickory or dive from the top of the chimney to land right next to us. The Slates and Royal tom were/are mere pedestrians. She would fly into and out of the run at will, the other turks never have.

She never topped ten pounds soaking wet.

We were very consistent about not allowing any of the turks to roost in trees (too many preds) and got them into their shed every evening during their first summer. Now, when we're able to let them free range, they line up and march off to their run about fifteen minutes before the chooks return to theirs. The turks go into their shed on their own and all we have to do is secure the door.

Our neighbors did not train theirs and when I drive by their place at dusk, every high point (sat. dish/roof/deck railing/etc.) on their property appears to be capped by big feathered gargoyles (B.Spanish/Slate/BR/PP).

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
The Midget White hens get the most air in our flocks. They are the lightest so that is a major factor. Once the toms get some weight on them they pretty much stay on the ground.

Steve in NC

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

my royal palms fly across the yard and straight up to the roofs of the coops. I am out there every evening getting them into their barn so they don't roost in trees.

 

[chickenannie]

why not let them roost in trees? They're safe up there.

 

[Omniskies]

Raccoons can climb trees. So can feral cats, bobcats and mountain lions. Opossums can, too, but for some reason I just can't see them as a threat to a large turkey - they probably are.

Turkeys freeze up at night like a chicken and are easy to snatch off of a limb. I wouldn't take the chance - especially during the fall and winter.

 

[chickenannie]

Mine fly to the top of a 40 foot tree and walk out onto a branch... not a place I can imagine any of those predators would go, even for a snack.

 

[turkeyman]

What breed do you have?