Turkey thief caught in the act!

[Twinkkitten]

Wednesday night I awoke to the sound of my one year old Turkey Screaming. I moved in here in February and my house came with 3 chickens and one turkey. They had been abandoned for several months and the coop was disgusting and dirty. I cleaned the coop and set up the yard. They have never slept in the coop, plus the coop is not secure, there are several ways out. Since I have a 10 ft fence around the perimeter I have always considered the yard safe. All the birds sleep on top of the coop and only use the coop when it rains or to lay eggs.
I heard her screaming and flapping, I jumped out of bed in a skimpy night set, unlocked my gate and caught a man chasing my bird around. I figured he grabbed her off the chicken coop. He saw me and said he was only trying to take a picture because he never saw one that close up. Turkey was wheezing and hyperventalating, running in circles. As I approached her she sat down and allowed me to pick her up and bring her in.
is it possible to retrain my birdies to sleep in their coop at night?

 

[Blammmo]

If I ever get young birds or new birds that won't go in at dark I usually take a broom and nicely encourage them in myself. You should move slowly so they don't spaz out and get riled up, once they are all in close their pop door and let them out in the morning. Usually after less than a week of this they start going in on their own to roost

 

[Blammmo]

Also creepy that someone was in your yard trying to swipe your bird. I would be making a phone call to my local police department...

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I prefer to steal my turkeys from attractive women in skimpy nightgowns rather them from crusty old farmers with shotguns.
Seriously, you're lucky you weren't raped & murdered. When investigating possible predators ALWAYS be well armed!

 

[enola]

Any body in my chicken coop taking pictures of anything I own will leave in an ambulance! If I don't shoot them my boy fiend will. A 12 guage shot gun will fix a problem my way........

 

[crazyfeathers]

I'd of also ran outside in what ever I had on but I surely would have grabbed a weapon, I keep a baseball bat by the barn door because you just never know. I hope you called the police, did u know the person who was trespassing? It takes all kinds to make the world go round... glad you are safe!

 

[crazyfeathers]

I prefer to steal my turkeys from attractive women in skimpy nightgowns rather them from crusty old farmers with shotguns.
Seriously, you're lucky you weren't raped & murdered. When investigating possible predators ALWAYS be well armed!

pertaining to the first part only......

 

[zazouse]

I prefer to steal my turkeys from attractive women in skimpy nightgowns rather them from crusty old farmers with shotguns.

Seriously, you're lucky you weren't raped & murdered. When investigating possible predators ALWAYS be well armed!

And bring the dog if ya got one, i got a dozen here no one would have a chance.
Do you live in town?

 

[Twinkkitten]

I called the non energency police line. The called back once and I missed the call. Seems inpossible to report. I did file an online complaint. But the man did not trespass, he simply reached over my fence and grabbed her off the coop roof. She loves her roosting spot. I will attempt to secure the coop. It was built as an open coop.

 

[Twinkkitten]

No, he had a big truck with the lights off. I did not look at him.