Trying to understand my Turkeys, they won't go into the coop to roost.

[r4eboxer]

Feed them where you want them to go, I moved my range feeder all around my property and now they get the point and will range over the entire yard.

I have done that, I have a poultry pole barn in the pasture. I brooded my poults in my garage and then moved them to the grow out pens that are located around the yard area. Then once I was comfortable with their size I moved the feed to the poultry barn. They did stay over in that area for a short time, but moved back into the pine trees in my back yard and just kept hanging out around the house pooping on EVERYTHING and tearing up all my potted plants. They would go over to the pasture for food but ended up in my yard. They are like dogs and I love them being around just not the poop Ya know? So I purchased a very large net and netted the coop and they do stay put in the run and roost on top of the coop. I just don't want them cooped up when I have all this lovely forage area for them. Seems like such a waste.

 

[r4eboxer]

You have to fence out anything you don't want them into. Adult turkeys will stay nere their food and not fly over fences as much as when they are younger!
I feed mine in the barn and feed them at dark so they are busy eating so you can lock them in for the night!

I hope to fence them in, there is 25 acres of pasture and wooded area for them. I really hope they don't hop the fence. I am a bit confused about the food thing too. They are really good foragers and I want them to forage. I'd like to offer free range Turkeys for table use. (these are my breeders) So if there is all this food in the pasture why oh why do they come into the yard. I must have given them too much attention as poults

. Really funny birds I tell ya, it's time to leave the yard

, yet I don't know how to cut that cord.

 

[pherbe]

This is an old thread but encouraging to know I'm not alone haha! We have a mere 4 turkeys. They have their own "coop" in a chain link dog run with their own food and waterer AND a roost. Yet.. they'd rather hang with the chickens on TOP of the barn. We have an old stone barn that is essentially half a horse barn with open stone stalls. One stall was walled up for chickens many MANY years ago so it's been reclaimed for my 11 chickens. Its big enough for ALL of them but we were trying to NOT have them all in there. We started letting them free range (chickens and turkeys).. and now they've discovered their wings. The last few nights we have essentially chased them(Turkeys) off the barn roof and back to lock them up in their dog run. One is dumb as rocks and canNOT find her way without her boys. I think she's nearsighted or something and can't figure out what chainlink is. So if we don't lock them up.. they follow her out and back to the barn roof. We are trying to decide if we should just let them be or keep locking up. We are actually thinking about closing up another stall with some high roosts and seeing if they'll adopt it as a coop since it's closer to the chickens. Ugh. I love them they are so funny, but they are not quite as dumb/obedient as the chickens. All I have to say is "go to bed!" and the chickens will start piling inside their coop. NOT the turkeys. Oh NO!

 

[turkeylady3]

My 3 turkeys the same have a little coop up off the ground with a roosting bar in it When it's -10 outside they don't go in they stay out in the pen I do have roosting bars for them in the pen

 

[R2elk]

My 3 turkeys the same have a little coop up off the ground with a roosting bar in it When it's -10 outside they don't go in they stay out in the pen I do have roosting bars for them in the pen

During cold weather especially when it is really snowy, my turkeys will spend the day in the coop but when it comes time to roost, they do so outside. Mine roost outside in all types of weather and temperatures. It does get down to -30°F here