Turkey going wild?

[Finnisher]

Hello

Just wondering if this is a concern. I have 16 BB white poults and the land where they will be moved has wild turkeys on it. I will be culling males most likely and only keeping one or two for a.i. and i'm wondering if i let them free range will they run away?

Thanks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It is possible; however, your domesticated turkey doesn't want to work that hard and has lost the survival instincts for the wild. It will likely just become dinner for some predator if it wanders too far. It will know where its grain bowl is.

You'll likely have more trouble with the wild turkeys coming in for any grain you might put out for your domesticated turkeys, but they won't stick around. However, they could lead off some of your turkeys...to an untimely death.

It also means interbreeding of the two different lines...wild and domestic...with great harm to the wild stock as the domestic dumbs them down. (Some states it is illegal to let this happen).

Also, the wild turkeys will bring in diseases to your domestic turkeys.

Personally, I'd make effort to keep the two apart.
LofMc

 

[Finnisher]

I wish i could shoot em but I'm not in the zoning for firearm discharge.

The broad breasted whites toms cannot breed naturally.

Any tips for keeping the wild ones away?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes..you are right...I neglected to think which breed of turkey you are dealing with and gave a more general answer.

Not sure how to keep the wild turkeys away. Many turkey owners use their domesticated toms to keep the wild ones back. Good news is the wild turkeys are that, wild. Generally they hung back towards the woods in the areas I lived.

The best bet is to have a fenced area. It will predator protect and allow your domesticated to range as the BB whites can be a bit, well, uhm, dense? And definitely predator attractions.

The general complaint is that they roam EVERYWHERE you don't want them...the car, the porch, the patio, the neighbors.

They know who provides the feed.

I have some but limited turkey experience. Hopefully someone with lots of experience will chime in.
LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

...also, a dog would definitely keep the wild turkeys away.

I have every confidence you could train the dog to not chase the livestock turkeys (having trained dogs as such), but it might be a challenge to keep your turkeys from chasing the dog. You'd need a larger type.

I have a friend who has a lot of turkeys who range freely on her property (within some fenced boundaries) and she went to LGD to keep the predators away.

LofMc

 

[Mccuefarm]

...also, a dog would definitely keep the wild turkeys away.

I have every confidence you could train the dog to not chase the livestock turkeys (having trained dogs as such), but it might be a challenge to keep your turkeys from chasing the dog. You'd need a larger type.

I have a friend who has a lot of turkeys who range freely on her property (within some fenced boundaries) and she went to LGD to keep the predators away.

LofMc

I have a 100lb mastif and my bbw is always standing up to him
Cracks me up so much