Probably silly question but what about wild turkeys?

[VA Lady]

I haven't seen any turkeys come into the yard but I hear them in the woods around the house all the time (usually in the morning). Is there any reason to worry about them around the chickens?

 

[Dogfish]

Probably not. I'd plant some food for them.

 

[VA Lady]

Previously I'd hoped some of the turkeys might start passing through where I could see them - they are such cool birds... Only now it seems like everything that lives in the woods wants to kill the girls and so I'm worried about them all!

 

[patman75]

I had a Turkey hen walk through the yard the other day. My Chicken hens in the tractor were all fired up wondering what is that! The Turkey just walked on by within 30 feet and paid no attention to the chickens. I posted some pictures on it here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=347311

 

[chicmom]

Pat, I looked at the turkey pics, and they were so neat! BTW, nice chicken tractor!

 

[VA Lady]

Those pictures are great! You were really lucky to have one just walk right through like that...

 

[swift4me]

There are many sportsmen who think that wild turkeys will eat VERY young quail, as in many parts of the US, as wild turkey populations climb, (in some places significantly), the quail populations seem to drop.

I've been an avid turkey hunter, call maker and conservationist for twenty plus years, and I know that studies have shown turkeys to be completely random, non-selective feeders. Perhaps if they came across some day old bobwhite chicks, they might pop one into their mouth, but I can't believe they could physically accomplish the act of eating a chick.

My guess, and I've seen it many times, your biggest problem will be the turkeys liking your place and becoming residents, roosting nearby the house and not venturing far away. They are a great gamebird, but having them roost nearby your bedroom window can get old pretty fast, unless you sleep through your roosters.

Pete

 

[patman75]

It was neat to actaully witness it. She was not very flighty, I was able to open the screen door and get closer for some better pictures. She hung around the yard for about 10 minutes before walking into the woods.

 

[PhilErvin]

We have a flock of at least 50 parrots who fly over from time to time. Usually it's only 5 or 6 at a time but my rooster and girls don't seem to be alarmed. They skwak when they fly and make a lot of noise but my girls are never concerned with them. I think they know the difference between predators and friends, I'm the one who is never sure which is which.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

There's one walking through my backyard right now! My dogs are inside and started barking up a storm, so I had to go see what the problem was. A turkey is big enough that they sound the alarm when they see one.

This is the second time this month that I've seen one walking around back there, solo. A few times a year I notice a local flock in the yard. A lot of them will often be high up in the trees, too. I never saw that until I lived here. Other places, I've only seen them on the ground.

There's never been a problem with the chickens. Just my dogs spazzing out.