Will chickens go off with wild turkeys?

[georgialee]

I just started free ranging my flock about 5 days ago and I have had 2 disappear already. No signs of struggle or predators. My husband was over there this morning while one of them disappeared and he said that there was a large flock of turkeys going through and he thinks our chicken may have gone off with them since she wasn't close to the rest of the flock at the time. Of course it's my dark egg layers ... only have one of them left now

They won't be freeranging any more.

 

[emys]

I guess it's possible...

 

[Lollipop]

I would lean more toward a predator. There are several that can take a hen and leave very little evidence. Doubt seriously if your hens would desert their home, for a flock of turkeys.........Pop

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Hmmm, that's certainly bizarre, but I wouldn't think they'd run off with the turkeys. We have several flocks of wild turkeys that will hang out with my chickens during the day and they've never even given the appearance of following them off.

I'd be looking for a predator or a couple hidden nests.

 

[ChIck3n]

I doubt they would leave their own flock and home to live with wild turkeys, unless they are young and you just put them in a new coop. It may be possible, but I have never heard of it happening. More likely it could be a hawk, as they usually instantly kill the chicken and fly off with it.

 

[georgialee]

I don't know what it could be other than a hawk... but aren't marans a bit big for a hawk to take? These were pretty big chickens. They're inside an electric fence with 4 horses. We have predators around but haven't ever seen any evidence of even racoons inside the fenced area.

 

[Miltonchix]

Fox or coyote. They'll take a bird and leave no trace. And they'll be back for more.

 

[georgialee]

Well, they'll be staying inside their run from now on. They were so happy ranging too.

 

[patman75]

Unless your not feeding them, i cant see why they would leave their good life behind.

I had a turkey hen walk on by and girls got excited and made some noise but the turkey could care less. here is a pic of it

 

[33yardbirds]

We have a flock of wild turkeys who are regular visitors to the back yard. The first time there was alot of clucking from the chickens, now they just ignore them and go about their own business scratching and and looking for bugs. We have no feed accessible to the turks. They have a routien that they follow and also give no more than a passing glance at the chickens.