Wild Turkeys and Tame Turkeys?

[laturcotte1]

I am thinking of getting a pair of turkeys, but still have to do a little more research. Like the chickens I will let them free range while supervised. Here goes...we have lots of wild turkeys wandering our property at various times of the year. Will there be a problem with the wild turkeys i.e. my turkeys following them into the woods, fights, mating?

You can laugh if you want, I am, I just can't help but wonder.

I can hear it now "Hey guys don't walk so fast, wait up for us." or worse "No stop, you all can't stay in the coop, she'll notice!.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

The first thing I would do is check with your state fish and game people. Quite a few states have laws about mixing wild and domesticated turkeys.

Steve

 

[laturcotte1]

Massachusetts and I live in Monson where you can raise just about anything. We have 6.5 acres and only fence in what we rescue; right now geese, chickens, goats, horses. The 5 dogs have their own back and front fenced yard. But the rest is open, I just didn't know if they would "mingle".

 

[Maryallison]

Hey there. I am brand new to turkeys...actually just got them 8 hours ago

The woman I bought my pair from told me she kept hers in a barn cause she has wild turkeys. She was worried hers would just leave with the wild flock.... I guess I would worry about that too...

 

[ziggywiggy]

Actually, this is a very good question and Steve is 100% correct. Check with Fish and Game. Domestic turkeys can carry disease that can wipe out wild turkey populations among other issues.
In my opinion, it's not a good idea to let them run together and I'm pretty sure fish and game will tell you the same thing.

 

[ivan3]

We have two pretty well established WE flocks, that make the rounds. Our turks imprinted on us and were penned up for three months (training them to roost in their shed, not in the trees/up on the chimney during thunderstorms, etc.), before being allowed to range with the chooks. The WE hens have flown down out of the trees into the center of our foraging toms (`flirting' - presenting and then running). The toms act like a bomb, not `bombshell' has gone off, flapping up into the air, yelping and then gliding in towards the yard. Our (then) jennies, as the photos below indicate, alerted to the Wild Tom with ground pred warnings, then went back to looking for snakes (favorite snack).

I wouldn't trust ours if we'd brought them on the property as adults. Ours have had five years to hit the rails and light out for the territories, but they haven't. All unauthorized `wandering away' has been due to: strangers on property (must visit), Box Turtles passing through (must examine at length, for quite a distance), hens searching out nesting locations. If you leave one in the run, the one in the yard will usually stay put.

The WE's in the shots are anywhere from 20ft. to a little over 75yds from the turkey run:

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I have wilds and domestics both here, they never leave the yard (when they are out) All are penned except a few extra toms on the wild bird side. We have tons of wild turkeys on our farm, (real wild ones I mean) Ours never even pay them any attention, they'd rather walk around the chicken coops, and turkey pens.

Alos it is very rare that a wild bird ,as cautious and flightl;y as they are, to come in close human contact, they usually will stay way out of range, in most instances. You should be fine, but do check your laws about free ranging them

 

[diannmarshall]

A wild hen turkey just took up residents in my back yard about a week ago. I had never seen a living wild turkey, and couldn't believe it when I did a turkey call she started following me around the yard. Now whenever she hears my voice she comes running from where ever she is. Is this normal behaivor for turkeys, or is this one special. She even comes onto the porch and let me touch her and feed her. Now I have become attached to this bird and would hate to see something happen to her. What must I do?

 

[mexicancowgirl]

I have had Turkeys since last Spring. I know wild turkeys roam the area near our house but our turkeys have never even thought of wandering off with them. We keep the Turkeys, chickens, ducks and goose cooped up together and while the chickens seem to be the ones in charge, they all stick together when wandering around the yard during the day. We also have one turkey who has become extremely tame and will walk right up to you and wants to be pet on the head, back, feet, everywhere. I never knew turkeys would become so tame but this one loves the attention.

 

[Celie]

Are you sure it is a wild turkey an not a stray?