Keeping my turkeys home

[brandywine]

Thanks all. I kept them entirely in for a few days, and let the bourbon reds out today. So far so good. They hung around whining about their buddies being locked up. Then in the very late afternoon I opened the window (their normal access to the stall that serves as a coop) so they would go in at dark, so the Narries got a little bit of time outside.

The only trick is getting some turkeys out and keeping some in. It's not as simple as just opening the window in the morning.

I'll be selling off the extra toms as I can (of course I got twice as many toms as hens) so the coop won't be as crowded and perhaps a smaller gang ("It's not a gang, it's a flock!") will stay home.

 

[poultrypatch]

Brandywine.....almost peed my pampers reading your turkey post !! Too Too funny !! We had raised about 10 BBW 30 years ago and were told to keep them up off the ground to prevent them from catching any sicknesses. So we had them in long wire pens about 2 ft off the ground. Talk about dumb bunnies ! Didn't get attached to them like the chicks we had. Made it ok to eat them. Now have keets and chicks. Come spring will get a few...? 3 turkeys to raise. Good luck
Liz
Rochester, MA

 

[onthespot]

I cut the wings on some of my junk turkeys that I let free range in the yard, and they STILL fly up on top of six foot runs! If I cut any closer they would bleed, and if I cut any more feathers they seem like they would drop like stones. I have yet to find the right middle ground for wing clipping on Midget Whites that are about three months old. Hopefully someone buys them before the neighbor dog gets an early thanksgiving.

 

[the simple life]

Funny! Of course its always funny when it happens to someone else.

I am seriously thinking turkeys this spring but you are stating my biggest fear, them wandering off unless I keeping them penned. I am also afraid I will get attached to them.

 

[brandywine]

Well, it seemed to work the first day, when I put the Bourbon Reds out.

Saturday I let the Narries out. I was teaching a class up the hill at the community center. Ran home several times in the morning/early afternoon, and they were clustered near the barn.

About 4 pm the little #%^$#@'s were up in the village again -- neighbor called and said "there's only five of them this time."

So back to lockup.

 

[Sjisty]

Turkey Lurkey started wandering yesterday, but I reminded him what this week was, and he ran back into the yard and hid. Thank goodness I only have one!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Brandywine - if you can find the ring leader, or gang laeader lol and pen them. Some seem to be more inclined to wander and the others will follow.

Steve in NC

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Are you clipping BOTH wings? You are only supposed to clip ONE side -- that way, they go in a spiral when they try to fly. If you clip both wings, they can still fly.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Well, at least you know who the troublemakers are now -- it's the Narries!! Versus the stay-at-home whiners (the Bourbon Reds).

 

[GBov]

Can you tether a turkey? It might be worth trying with a couple of the wanderers