wild turkey docile?

[Digidude6]

i was wondering if wild turkey from hatcheries raised like any other turkey can be docile like any other turkey

 

[cassie]

I would imagine so, but I have never tried it. I can tell you this. Years ago wild turkeys in this country were nearly extinct. It was necessary to breed domestic bronze turkeys with the wild ones to produce a viable population of turkeys for restocking. I guess they succeeded because there are wild turkeys all over our property. Anyway, I don't think you would have trouble taming a wild hatchery turkey you raised.

 

[ivan3]

Here, in Missouri, the reintroduction of `Wild' Easterns (just after WW2) was attempted by the same method tried, unsuccessfully, before the war, i.e., buying up domesticated Easterns from breeders and releasing flocks all over the State. None of them made it. Wild flocks from Arkansas were netted and shipped in. This breeding population expanded (best years -so far- were in late `90's - up to over a million).

If you have possession of day old poults, of any variety, and they imprint on you, the location of the food and your property they are domestic turkeys. If they hatch out in the wild and imprint on the hen they are wild.

Thread on Easterns: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/599606/anyone-else-have-raise-eastern-wilds

 

[Digidude6]

thanks

 

[Digidude6]

how about rio grande turkeys can they be docile if they imprint? so with turkeys is it just what looks pretty and then they are all docile?

 

[ivan3]

Rios/Merriam's/Gould's/Osceola\Silvestris\(not to mention Broad Breasted and Heritage Varieties) are, excepting specializations, owing to natural (and `unnatural') selection, pretty much the same `bird' (genetically speaking). `Docility' is, in part, a measure of one's familiarity with the turkey's behavior (visitors might think toms are going to stomping strut them to death, the owner knows better), the temperament of the individual turkey (most are easy going, however a few are not - `Meleagris Gallopavo Sandwichis') and that temperament is colored by hormone levels (to some extent - more so during breeding season).

If any of the above (excepting the ones that need eating) imprint on you and associate you with food/safety (these guys are Very Much creatures of habit); you'll be keeping them in the run when you work in the garden, do minor repairs outside with small handtools, etc. as you will be surrounded by extremely nosy, tool throwing, tomato and berry thieving turks.

 

[Digidude6]

LOL okay thnx

 

[TV]

I have had both Eastern's and Rio's and X's and all can be quite tame. Infact one of my most calm hen's is a Rio x Eastern. I have noticed however that the wild bloods are often more flighty the smaller the pen the are confined to. The more room you give them, the calmer they are. Even some of our local Rio's can become quite at ease around people. We have had hens bring their poults into the yard quite often and can get very close once they know you and realize you mean them no harm

 

[joshm97]

yes they raise wild birds such as Easterns,RioGrande,Merriums and Osolated turks too
very docile