How do you CATCH your heritage turkeys?

[Dogfish]

I would use a salmon net.

 

[u8sushi]

My heritage turkeys come when you call them. And once on the roost its almost impossible to get them to move. I guess I am just lucky. They free range all day and fly up to a ridge beam across the chicken yard. At times they free range a lilttle too far so I just gobble them home. We hand feed them treats like chopped apples and other fruits so they think they are part of the family. I was hard to take three of them to the butcher today. At least we did not name them.

 

[Frosty]

When I had them free range (before the fox family moved in), I had an area in a building where I fed them every day. I actually started so they would remember that this is home. Every afternoon they followed me in for feed, then a week or so before 'the day' I would close them in. One year I had a Palm cross set on eggs and hatch them. She was soon joined by a wild hen with poults and darned if the wild turkeys didn't start following me in at feeding time! They didn't let me get as close as mine did when I put out the feed, just stood back a little until I was done and out of the way. If I wanted, I could have locked them up and caught them too. I bet THAT would have been a fight!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We use a landing net for Muscovies, young roo's and peafowl - I'm not as fast as I used to be. lol

For the turkeys we try to herd them into a corner and grab them from there.

Steve

 

[chickenannie]

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Oh dear! what did you do with the rest?

 

[chickenannie]

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Thanks for the suggestions, and stories, everyone.

Steve,
What is a landing net? Same as a fishing net? Don't they see the net coming?

My turkeys are used to be around me since I feed them every day, but that doesn't mean they let me reach down into their personal space and pick them up!! oh no, that's a whole nother story! I had thought about herding them into a small building the day before, but figured since they'd never been in a building that they would freak out and fly to the farthest reaches of the farm, and then I have them all over the place.

mahonri, Very funny pic. I love that!

Still open to suggestions, if anyone has more...

 

[Frosty]

If wild turkeys will follow me into the barn... Take the feed out and see if they will follow you in. I fed mine to keep them coming home, and did the feeding in the barn to keep the feed dry. Then when I needed to catch them, just closed the doors after feeding. One winter I did start placing feed in a small building and left the door open for some wild turkeys. My goal was to try to catch one in particular, I called her Peggy. She had a foot missing, so the one side was basically a peg leg. I never saw the turkeys go in after the feed, but - and this part is unbelievable - on Christmas day I went to check and apparently Peggy had gone in for the feed and went out the wrong door. She went out the side door that led to the covered pen. The rest of the flock was nowhere in sight, just her. I closed the front door and had her. She never did really tame down, though she ate just fine.

 

[MovieFanz]

I have more of a problem getting the turkeys to stay away. I can't even work in the yard without them being right in my face and crawl in your lap. I would never have a problem catching them. I do reach down and grab them at the base of there wings then I grab there feet and hang them upside down.

Take away their food. They will all come running.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

What is a landing net? Same as a fishing net?

It's same as a fishing net just bigger, also called a boat net around here. It's 2 or 3 feet in diameter with a 3 foot handle. More used for offshore fishing

Steve​

 

[chickenannie]

Thanks for all the suggestions... it sounds like a net is the way to go. Unless, after this week, I decide not to raise more turkeys (which is how I'm feeling at the moment!). But by Spring, I may change my mind.

One more question -- with the net, do you avoid getting bruised or scratched?