Question~My Pen-Raised Wild Turkey Flew The Coup

[melanie]

I've let my wild turkey and two chicken hens free-range out of their pen the last couple of days. Tonight, 1/2 hour before sunset, my turkey flew up on the fence post. I went inside thinking she would rejoin the hens since she is VERY attached to them. She has a fit if they are out of site. I guess she found a place to roost tonight. There is a grove of trees about 100 yards away that have many leaves and protection. My hens are in their house, and I plan on leaving them in there and see if she comes back in the morning. She did this once before but I could see her in the tree next to her pen. That tree, at this time, doesn't have any leaves or protection so she probably went to the grove. We don't have any neighbors close by so I don't have to worry about anything like that. Do you think she'll come back? She was born in June and really accustomed to her pen. I raised her with chickens because the nest was accidentally destroyed here on the ranch. She thinks she's a chicken and loves them.

 

[melanie]

BTT, I'm really worried about my pet.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Don't worry about her. She will come back. I have 2 wild turkeys as well and they go AWOL ALL THE TIME. They come and go. They free range. They will walk down the street to the neighbors and the neighbors will feed them. They usually come back in the morning right before I go to work or they are waiting for me when I get off from work. They will look at me as if nothing is wrong. The first 3 times they were AWOL, I was scared to death that someone would shoot them or that a predator would get them but after a few times of being M.I.A., I was just fine. The longest that they have been gone is about 30 days. I think there is a female turkey that is down the road as well. My boys are both "courting" her. I know how you feel but try not to worry. She will be back. Remember........she is "WILD". You may still want to look for her though but she will be ok. Keep us posted on her whereabouts.

 

[spook]

She will come back in the morning

especially if you have a treat for her.
I am nervous about my turkeys doing the same thing and I haven't even got them yet! lol.
Sounds like you need to clip her wings and tether her feet together, just kidding, but I have felt this way about my birds. Do you have a net over the top of the pen? It may be needed now that your girl has found a new taste for freedom!
Try some fresh corn, no salt added or frozen. She will bow down to you after tasting a few. Make it a habit at bed time only, that way she may be in the coop for you!
I give my girls a "bed time" snack.
Good luck!!!

 

[melanie]

Great, thank you so much! I've got a can or organic corn, if it's salted I can rinse it. She's not afraid of my dogs so I worry about her getting out, but I read wild turkeys don't have many preditors. She is 8 months old and I've clipped her wings twice but I hate doing it, plus it makes her more afraid of me. Her wings have grown out almost completely. I don't have a net over the pen. I thought about using deer netting for shrubs. Pen is about 30x15".

 

[melanie]

She was back on the other side of the fence this moring. I left the gate open so she could come in the pen. Left the other girls penned in the coup so she could hear but not see them. I went out there to lure her in with corn and she ran back down to the dry creek bottom about 100 yrds. away. She is not very gentle on her own. I can get fairly close to her with the other hens but by no means does she want to follow me. Should I just leave the hens penned? Maybe she will hop the fence or follow in on up and find the opening. What do you think? We have to leave town in about an hour but have a boy who works for us here at the place. So, keep chickens in or let them out? Thanks everybody!

 

[melanie]

Never mind, she's back at the door of the coup waiting for her girls! Thanks

 

[lilchick]

My turkey hen would wander off to lay her eggs.. I had to get pretty clever at watching and following her to find them!
A bronze hen may blend in but I had a royal palm and something ripped her back open the first night...
I looked for her and even went across the road and asked 2 guys who were building fence if they saw her!
Next morning I saw white feathers across my front yard and I was sick.. Then I saw her standing next to pen drooping but still alive. She had gashes to the bone on her back and alot of feathers missing. With her size it had to be a bob cat or coyote....
I kept her in the basement till she healed up..
Now I make sure that I keep an eye on my hens and if they go broody I lock them up and have even given them eggs to sit on. Sorry so rambling but your hen may have wanted to nest.
They do not need to have a tom to lay eggs
She may have found a mate down the road!

good luck.