Turkeys flew the coop - Help

[DKForge]

I have two Narragansetts that are about eight months old. I have only had them about six weeks. I have kept them in an enclosed run with a roost and covering to product them from the rain, snow and wind. On occasion I would let them out to free range with the chickens and when the chickens would head in for the night we would "herd" the Turkeys back into their pen. Well yesterday while feeding the Turkeys one flew out and the other followed. We got about 14 inches of snow and they headed into the woods behind the house and I can not get them back in their pen. They have been roosting in the woods and made it through the night fine. I put out food and water and can not tell if they have come for it or not. Do you think they will be okay free ranging or do I need to mount an expedition to get them back in the pen? They seem to like being out of the pen more than in. Where they were before I got them they were free range. I do worry about coyote and fox.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[jandlpoultry]

Hi, are predators bad at your location? If it were me, I would make the expedition, and get them back into the run, but we have lots of night time predators here.My turkeys are free range too, but we always heard them back into the run an hour before dark, before they decide to hit the trees or shed roofs.Did you put the feed in the run?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Mounting an expedition is in order at this time. If I were there, I would rush over to help you. Sounds like you need to suit up and start that expedition. Good Luck finding them. Keep us posted.

 

[DKForge]

Well I opened the chicken door and even though the girls didn't go out in the snow I think their sounds got the turkeys to come back. A couple of hours after I opened the door the turkeys were back in their run all by themselves and I ran out and closed them up.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Keric]

I have some narragansetts also with chickens. The turks sometimes fly over the 5 foot fence. especially if they have a perch to fly up to then fly from the perch to over and out. Most of the time I would have to herd them back in, but a few clever ones would fly back in. It's frustrating. I tried clipping their wings but it made them look awful so i don't anymore. A big run and any perches removed from the perimeter of the fence would help but turkeys are very good flyers and once they have a taste for out they go for it.

 

[frank53061]

My Red Bourbons knock on wood so far are home bodys I have to watch what direction they wander to but after about 4 hours in the Summer free ranging they will stand at the door to the pen milling around wanting back in.
Here during the winter months they seem to want out for half that time and then want back in but it maybe that I only let out 3/4 of them at a time this seems to make them want to stay closer to the Pen for the most part.

 

[Uly235]

When I was raising Turkeys I had trouble getting them to go around a forage, they had a lot or area to do that but they stayed within a very short distance. Be careful leaving food out though, I did that a few times when the turkeys wanted to roost and started attracting racoons.

 

[sourland]

Watch them carefully if you have wild turkeys in the area. They may want to join the wild flock.

 

[Celie]

I free range all of my flocks, but now that winter is here, there is not as much to free range on, so they are relying on more feed. I have an automatic feeder set up in the barn, that can be set to dispense a certain amount of feed at whatever time you set it for. DH bought it at Academy Sporting Goods Store. It was designed as a deer feeder, but works great for poultry. We only put on one section of legs, or I would need a latter to reach it. It opens at the top and holds about 6 sacks of feed at a time. We have it set to feed the birds several times a day and they all know that the last feeding of the day is around dark, so they all start making their way to the barn, just before dark. We go out about dark-thirty and close the barn doors, until 7am, when it is safe for them to go out. All of our flocks(chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys)know the routine. When they see DH or me head to the barn, they run as fast as their legs can carry them, if they are not already put away, so they do not have to spend the night outside. If for any reason, one or two stays outside, they can always perch on a 6 foot perch under the covered patio, but this seldom ever happens. Turkeys are eating machines. If you get them used to an evening meal at a certain time, in a certain place, they make it their business to be there! Now these smart guys have figured out how to trigger the machine to get an extra feeding anytime they want it and are walking around with huge crops!LOL I guess we are going to have to raise it higher so they can't reach the control box or put a lock on it? LOL We have 27 Holland White eating machines ! None of them are going anywhere, except freezer camp, the freeloaders!