Narragansetts

[ConnerClucks]

Hello we just purchased three 14 month old Narragansett turkeys two hens and a tom. They are beautiful healthy birds but are completely wild, I don't think the previous owner handled them at all. Any tips on how to tame them or at least get them comfortable enough with us to get them in and out of their coop. The plan is to free range them but right now I am afraid to let them out as I don't think I could ever get them back. I am afraid to just go in the coop and corner them as it stresses them out a lot and they fly around and run into the walls and or chicken wire.
Any Ideas???

 

[cameronfarm]

I found that by hanging around after feeding and watering them has helped. I also spend time near them in their coop / run. They are not exactly dog like at this point but I can handle them well enough and they never leave their run even though they can. Very easily lol.

 

[chicks and hens2]

Hello we just purchased three 14 month old Narragansett turkeys two hens and a tom. They are beautiful healthy birds but are completely wild, I don't think the previous owner handled them at all. Any tips on how to tame them or at least get them comfortable enough with us to get them in and out of their coop. The plan is to free range them but right now I am afraid to let them out as I don't think I could ever get them back. I am afraid to just go in the coop and corner them as it stresses them out a lot and they fly around and run into the walls and or chicken wire.
Any Ideas???

Our Eastern Wild Turkeys(3 hens 1 Jake) were the same way the first few days we got them. Now that they have settled in we can herd them into their pen just by walking behind them and,waiting to see which way they are going,stopping taking one step slowly at a time to the side of them, not to close though,and letting them walk into their hoop coop on their own. I throw out some squash or grapes or other food treats while they are in their fenced area and each time throw it closer to me so they get used to seeing me in there. They willl walk toward me to get their treats.They don't usually run away or scare very easily any more. We go into the coop when they are in there and just stand there so they know we aren't trying to catch them and they tolerate us. We haven't gotten anywhere near the touching stage yet and we've had them for about 4 weeks, but hoping if they hatch out these eggs the hens are laying that the young will be tame since we plan on handling them often.