Who lets their turkeys free range??

[ozark hen]

Here are my bourbon reds at five weeks old. It was their first day outside. I keep them in a large brooder cage inside the coop where the flock can see and hear them. When can I turn them loose from the coop into the run? I want them to be able to free range like the rest of the flock but want to keep them in the run until they are much larger. I know they can fly but assume they will want to stay close to the coop and stay inside the run for awhile?? Thanks ahead of time.

I have decided to leave them inside for another few weeks but really would like to hear from those who allow their turkeys to free range as to when you allowed them to do so?

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

If you have a covered run attached to the coop you can turn thnem loose any time during the day and gather them up and put them backin their house for the night.

We al;ways wait till they are about 8-10 weeks before we let them go out on their own, but in a covered run you can let them do their thing as long as it is warm and not all wet as they can still get chilled at this age.

 

[lilchick]

Last summer I had 4 turkey poults that I was very fond of. I kept them in a cage in basement at night. I had a 6 ft. by 8 ft. dog kennel that I set up under a shade tree. I put a net over it for protection. each a.m. I would carry them out and put in their pen for the day. They had food and water and a dog carrier to get in if it rained. They are now fully grown and roosting in the barn with the chickens and guineas.
I would be afraid at their young age the chickens would pick on them. Maybe wait and introduce them when they are older... good luck

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
thank you, I plan to keep them in now until they are 8-10 wks old or older. I agree, I don't want the chickens picking on them. I see they are just now starting to change from that pretty beige color to some red in their feathers now. They are just so tall that I hate to have them cooped up in the brooder. I need some more poultry netting for one dog kennel we have, I can put them in the kennel in a few weeks. Nothing can dig under the kennels due to fencing under the perimeters.

 

[MissPrissy]

I keep mine in 10 - 12 weeks. If has been rainy and the ground is waterlogged they never touch dirt until 10 weeks. Turkey poults seem to look for ways to die every day. They are fragile birds in many ways and need close attention when there is no turkey hen to tend them. They tend to pick up disease quicker than chicks. Before letting them out to free range make sure they know where their permanent home is. They can fly and the hens will practice their skills readily. As the toms age they get too heavy to fly. My toms have not been able to fly for nearly 8 months. My hens can and do readily fly to the top of the barn and trees.

 

[ozark hen]

Thank you Miss Prissy! I had them outside in the small pen for one warm day but it was such a hassle getting them out of the pen to return to the brooder

I decided to wait till they are older. I will have to send you a pick of the last Red Project hatchling...she is a strange color but I love it. she was the only one to hatch and is now almost nine weeks old. I have her in with the younger chicks and turkeys. She was the only one to hatch so she was so lonely. When I got the turkeys I put her straight in with them. She has lots more black on her than Nutmeg does.

 

[MissPrissy]

Let's see her! I hatched some pretty birds from that pen.

 

[ozark hen]

I will go out and bring her in for a photo shoot

 

[ozark hen]

Miss Prissy, you will find photos of her here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2222712#p2222712

 

[dixiedoodle09]

We have 2 turkeys that are about 12 weeks, and they have been free range with our chickens for about 2 weeks. They stay close to the coop..... and go in at night with the chickens. They are such neat birds. They follow us around like the dogs!!!!