One Hen

[turkeyboy1]

Tomorrow I am going to pick up a hen from a guy. She has free ranged before around the coop but can easily be coaxed back in before dark, which he did every night. I am simply going to be "free rangeing" her on my small piece of property around my house. Does anyone know if she will fly up to roost at night without her usual coop if she has not been acclimated to that? Thanks!

 

[huffman12]

you dont have a place for her to sleep or anything ?

 

[turkeyboy1]

Yes I have a coop but wil she Roost in trees? Do you have any experience with this type of situation?

 

[R2elk]

Tomorrow I am going to pick up a hen from a guy. She has free ranged before around the coop but can easily be coaxed back in before dark, which he did every night. I am simply going to be "free rangeing" her on my small piece of property around my house. Does anyone know if she will fly up to roost at night without her usual coop if she has not been acclimated to that? Thanks!

Unless you keep her contained (penned) until she becomes acclimated to her new home, don't be surprised if she just leaves especially if where you are getting her is near by.

Turkeys are flock birds and very social. Other than when a hen is sitting on a nest or brooding poults, they don't do well alone.

 

[turkeyboy1]

I understand. I have done a lot of research with wild birds as I work in the biology field. I am also an avid turkey hunter. It just seems the domesticated birds are a little out of my expertise. Thanks for the reply! I will start her in the coop and let her fly up to the roost pole for some time before I te free ranging her.

 

[ivan3]

Tomorrow I am going to pick up a hen from a guy. She has free ranged before around the coop but can easily be coaxed back in before dark, which he did every night. I am simply going to be "free rangeing" her on my small piece of property around my house. Does anyone know if she will fly up to roost at night without her usual coop if she has not been acclimated to that? Thanks!

Read your other Q: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/988012/starting-turkeys

The primary "difference" between a "Wild" & domestic heritage turkey (yes, Easterns can be just as domestic as a Royal) is that a Wild hen hatched and raised poults in the "Wild".

Do you have fencing to keep hen on property? She may, or may not fly into tree/up to roof of house, etc. to roost. Immediate concern is keeping her restricted to your property for at least a month before free ranging without direct supervision (also needs to be well fed, regardless). Without being penned (do you have neighbors/traffic/local dogs/etc.?), chances are she'll go to roaming and you won't see her again. Or, she'll go to "roost" on a neighbor's car/truck and scratch it up and - there comes the neighbor with a bill for a new paint job.

ed: just read your most recent reply (didn't have info. when posting so disregard irrelevant portions of post )

 

[turkeyboy1]

Thanks for the reply! I have taken some of those things into consideration! I'm sure it will be some trial and error!