How do you CATCH your heritage turkeys?

[AlbionWood]

I made a turkey-sized chicken catcher hook. Had some 9-gauge wire, that I use for row-cover hoops, and bent that into a hook, drilled a slanting hole in the end of a stick, did some bending and pounding to hold it in place. If you want I can try to take some pics. Used that to hook a foot, then quickly grab the leg and hoist them upside down. It worked well, once I got the hang of it, but the turkeys were a lot more wary of it than I expected. Probably because it was "something new" which for them = DANGER, so next time I'll start taking the hook with me when I feed them for a few days to get them used to it.

The easiest way was waiting until dark, then grabbing the feet while they were on the roost. That only works on pretty tame birds though. And then you're picking and gutting in the dark...

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

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

Somewhat but no way is perfect. Last weekend I was asked "do you get scratched alot by them" I didn't realize until I turned my arm over to show them just how many scars I have on my arms. Most are from Muscovy drakes and peafowl but there are a couple good turkey scars as well.

Steve​

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Somewhat but no way is perfect. Last weekend I was asked "do you get scratched alot by them" I didn't realize until I turned my arm over to show them just how many scars I have on my arms. Most are from Muscovy drakes and peafowl but there are a couple good turkey scars as well.

Steve

Yeah, I've got those scars too! Luckily mine heal over the years, so the most recent ones are the only ones showing

this year, I was doing good on keeping the wings from flapping, but those flailing legs left me a lot of bruises on my upper legs (even through a pair of pants). (I was catching them and handing them over to a friend who held the legs first then, took the bird. Just the method we ended up using.

I don't know if this is true, but I think catching by feet and flipping upside, while getting the bird under control, really stresses them out, and is potentially hurtful to the leg if it gets jerked, especially on a big tom -- so I avoid doing this if at all possible. What do you think?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I just hold them under my arm to move them from place to place. Kinda like you would do a head lock but your arm is over the wings. For a heavy tom you can lock your hands under him.

Steve

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Somewhat but no way is perfect. Last weekend I was asked "do you get scratched alot by them" I didn't realize until I turned my arm over to show them just how many scars I have on my arms. Most are from Muscovy drakes and peafowl but there are a couple good turkey scars as well.

Steve

Yep, those Scovies are pretty darn lethal. And I picked up on of my turkeys one time by his sides using my hands to pin his wings to his body and when I lifted him up he started kicking his leggs and sliced right threw my denim jeans. So you gotta watch for the feet slingin everywhere to cut you and the wings that will hit you and the wings are STRONG. And if you clip their wings you get the worst of both worlds, I had a turkey hen with clipped wings and the tips of with cut wing stubs makes them sharp and rough basicly like claws and she was roosting in the wrong place so I picked her up to move her and she slapped those stubs across my face and I almost cried. So its hard to avoid every time but if you are quick and careful you can.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
So, do you think that flipping them upside down stresses them out more than your 'football under the arm' method?

 

[CDennis]

I catch mine at night, but its more of a battle than an art. The only fact I know is that there is no way to look smart chasing a turkey.

 

[Mrs MIA]

That's funny... I just herded mine into a corner and picked them up.

I didn't realize they were such elusive critters. I caught all 4 of mine with no troubles at all. LOL!

 

[Mahonri]

I don't have turkeys but I have rooster scratches and a little finger that went out of joint because of my big FBCM!

next time. Let my kids do it.

 

[AlbionWood]

Quote:

Too true!