question: letting my turkeys roam free ????????

[mettymet]

howdy ,,

i have 4 turkeys that are in a pen ,,,i was wondering if i could let them out during the day ,,.,would they leave ??? are they easy to round up to put them back ??? etc ...??? any help would be great ...

 

[feedman77]

Several things to consider.
How old are they?
How long have they been in the pen they are in?

I love to let mine free range. But I have them all penned now as hens are still laying. I tried to let a few have outside nests. Lets just say yotes ate good and I learned.

As far as letting yhem out I would probably start out letting the roam in the evening about an hour before dark. Shouldnt stray to far from where they normally roost.
If you have a treat that they like use it to get them back in the pen. If you don't have issues there extend the time for an hour or two after a few days.

For the most part when ranging my birds are pretty much homebodies. Unless hens are laying.

I live in the river bottom surrounded by crops the closest timber is a half mile away so they don't have a lot to distract them to wander to far.

 

[feedman77]

If that's is your tom he is a good looking bird.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I let mine out for short jaunts during the day, they want back in their pen quicker now that they are older, and turkeys are easy to herd with one or two sticks, extend your arms and walk slowly, funny thing is without a stick mine won't move, pick up a stick and away they go, funny turkeys

 

[mettymet]

well thank you guys very much for the advice ,,,its a big help !!!!!!

 

[mamalaoshi]

I tried letting mine out but they kept going to the neighbors' yard even though we have 3 1/2 acres. We ended up fencing a large area for them with 7 ft wire fencing, which the girls easily fly over, though they are usually waiting outside the gate to come back in. I have no idea why they can fly out but they can't fly back in.

 

[Free Feather]

They will come back, just know that they will definitely roam during the day. Bad if you have close neighbors who value their garden.