Wild Turkey Questions

[lucie]

Well, Lucie, a wild turkey that wondered up to our door step, is now about 2 1/2 weeks old and getting bigger by the minute! We live in a wooded area and have wild turkey flocks, sometimes up to 60 to 70 birds, come through.

One of my questions is when can you tell if it is male of female? Do both puff themselves up at this young age or is it restricted to the toms?

We did get a baby chicken to keep her company, that is before we realized we had a turkey on our hands and not a chicken. They have bonded quite well. I am praying the parasite issue does not arise for either.

Since we have been caring for her/him we have kept them in a cage in our living room taking them out for progressively longer periods each day. They both seem quite efficient at hunting for their bugs when outside but still eat greedily when brought back in (of course it does appear that this is just what they do...eat greedily).

Does anyone have any idea how I am to go about releasing the turkey back into the wild? It has gotten so attached to us that it hollers everytime we get out of its sight. It does respond to our voice when inside and settles somewhat when she can't see us. Outside, we just can't get away from her without her getting all stressed out. Lucie has taught the chicken to do the same thing now (they have actually learned quite a bit from one another) so they both act up when we are not around. Please tell me if I have ruined them or not?

Lucie can fly, though I do not know whether she knows instinctively that she must roost in trees at night or that that is where she should go for protection. The chicken I know will have to be penned up as it has no recourse of self protection especially with all the wild animals we have around here.

It has been such an amazing adventure with them, but my concern is what the next step is to be. This is our first exposure to either animal.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

*edited title for clarity*

 

[newnanchic]

My biggest concern would be that the turkey will not be afraid of humans and would end up on somones dinner table. Especially since you have it in the house and it is used to hearing your voices. Any chance you could keep it and raise it ?? Or maybe give it to someone else that raises turkeys???

 

[lucie]

We are definitely not opposed to raising and keeping her/him. I just don't know how to go about the whole thing. They obviously can not stay inside especially since Lucie can fly now and I am having to pull her off the kitchen counters and everything else.

 

[gypsy2621]

Please check fish and game laws in your state/ county. In most states it is illegal to pen up wild fowl.
If it is outside and free roaming there wont be an issue but penned up and a game officer sees it you could be in for a hefty fine.
As for releasing it back to the wild , Thats not going to be an option. Its been exposed to humans too long and has been domesticated for now, When it reaches breeding age , it may wander off in search of a mate but chances are it will return to nest or bring back its young (if female)
Males even at an early age in wild turkey will display a red or blue po'd look on its head and chest area.

 

[pdpatch]

You won't be able to releases this Turkey back into the wild. It has you imprinted on it. The only way it would go back is if when it matured one of the wild tom's adding it to his harem. It has also overridden it's natural fear of larger things that can hurt it. It is possible for it to revert if it's get with a flock of wild turkey's. But most likely it won't.