How to get a turkey to not run away

[Hrairoo]

I just got a year old turkey hen and 5 three day old chicks that she is parenting. ( I lost one of the chicks in the house though, please don't judge me! Snuck away while I was cleaning their feet off!)
I currently have her and the babies in a large dog carrier outside near the chicken coop, they would be in the coop but it is sooo hot in there. I do not have a fence around my coop, or a chicken run, my birds just free range, and I've had no issue adding new hens as they'd attach themselves to one of my roos in the night + morning.....

How am I gonna get this turkey to stick around? I dont want her to run away!!!!

 

[mustangrooster]

Hi there,

I remember facing the same problem when I got my first ever Cockerel and Pullet.

I was so worried that they would run away and never return (Pftt as if!

) It turns out they dident actually run away! The stayed right at home once they were let out. But how? Easy. I *would* advise to keep your Turkey and its baby's in their pen for another week or so but because they are in a large dog carrier just keep her in their for the reaming part of the day-Once complete open the pen in the morning (Best in the morning because all the Pullets and Cockerels will be out and about) Scatter some food on the floor for Mama and her baby's and let them eat. Chances are she'll stick around because if she is let out in the morning she'll learn that this is Home.(Because of all the chooks)

Best of luck!

 

[Hrairoo]

Hi there,

I remember facing the same problem when I got my first ever Cockerel and Pullet.

I was so worried that they would run away and never return (Pftt as if!

) It turns out they dident actually run away! The stayed right at home once they were let out. But how? Easy. I *would* advise to keep your Turkey and its baby's in their pen for another week or so but because they are in a large dog carrier just keep her in their for the reaming part of the day-Once complete open the pen in the morning (Best in the morning because all the Pullets and Cockerels will be out and about) Scatter some food on the floor for Mama and her baby's and let them eat. Chances are she'll stick around because if she is let out in the morning she'll learn that this is Home.(Because of all the chooks)

Best of luck!

the pen is very small compared to the turkey, and I would really not like her living in there for a whole week. Do you think if I put the carrier in the coop at night, then let her out in the morning in the coop, she'll stick around? with food of course...

 

[mustangrooster]

"I *would* advise to keep your Turkey and its baby's in their pen for another week or so but because they are in a large dog carrier just keep her in their for the reaming part of the day-Once complete open the pen in the morning (Best in the morning because all the Pullets and Cockerels will be out and about) Scatter some food on the floor for Mama and her baby's and let them eat. Chances are she'll stick around because if she is let out in the morning she'll learn that this is Home.(Because of all the chooks)"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yes of course Chances are she will stick around

 

[Hrairoo]

alright. ill give it a very supervised shot in the morning

 

[mustangrooster]

Best of luck

 

[Hrairoo]

Thank you. I let them outside today and made sure to have extra water for them, but they havent been drinking any of it and its so hot out so im a bit worried. .. are turkeys really stupid or maybe just not used to different water set ups?

She and her 5 babies (the missing one started crying in the morning, was bunkered up behind the recycling. ... lol) have been sticking pretty close to the coop, and i have lots of yummies sprinkled (dumped) around for them.

 

[mustangrooster]

Good to hear that they are sticking round. Don't worry The Momma turkey will find the water and drink it. They aren't dumb

But as for the babies..i would recommend dipping their beaks into the water to let them know where it is. (If you can catch them

)

Haha good to hear you have plenty of Yummys for your precious little things.


-Mustang

 

[Hrairoo]

Good to hear that they are sticking round. Don't worry The Momma turkey will find the water and drink it. They aren't dumb

But as for the babies..i would recommend dipping their beaks into the water to let them know where it is. (If you can catch them

)

Haha good to hear you have plenty of Yummys for your precious little things.


-Mustang

she's camped out in the ex brooder behind the coop for the evening.... will wait till dark to move her and her young into the carrier then the coop for the night