That is a VERY important statement. I"m glad that you brought that up. I ALWAYS let the newbies out on the weekend. I throw them out into the mean, cruel world on Saturday mornings and I monitor them ALL DAY LONG. I make sure that I don't have anywhere to go the entire weekend. I watch how the other animals interact with them - especially the other turkeys. I do this Saturday and Sunday and from 5:30 PM - dark - Monday - Friday when I get off work. I do this for 1 week until I am comfortable that they won't get killed in the yard by the other animals. I bring them back to their brooder to sleep. After a week, they graduate fully to the chicken yard. They then learn where to go to roost. They usually catch on the 1st Day with no problem. After that, I only have to make sure they are roosting where they are supposed to. They begin roosting with the chickens but after a few months, they start roosting on top of the chicken house. They quickly learn that they like to roost high.Mine are out cruising too. I moved them to a barn with openings out the gable ends, and at day break they are on the move. Up to the rafters and out the ends. I meet them at the house.THey have food and water at their barn AND up at the house as they don't go back until we herd or carry all 15 back ( 5 in a tote is 3 trips). My 11 month olds are out in the woods in another direction. THey too come down to the house. Even when the wild turkeys stop in for a visit, mine stay home. THe wild turkeys fly VERY well. Mine are more like a tank trying to lift off.THey can manage about 20 feet of flight, but susally just hop up to fencing to roost and hop down. Much too heavy. ANd mine are heritage birds. Watch and supervise their free ranging until they know where every thing is and are safe. Mine know when the horses are getting grain and race to the stall doors and the feed buckets. THey clean up what the horses spill.
