Did not have to teach my turkeys to free range

[Mo_fawaazzz]

I have information from a friends experience on the leaving to hatch eggs part.
Her hen leaves in random times in any of the seasons (it doesn’t get cold here) except summer. She flies over the road and makes a nest somewhere in the bushes over there, she then comes back with 10-20 babies in a month. So she leaves, but she comes back. And my own turkeys often fly into trees and onto high places, but they always come down.

Thats good news. I live in a sparse forested area, do you think my turkeys will get lost if they wander too far?

 

[Pearlescent]

Thats good news. I live in a sparse forested area, do you think my turkeys will get lost if they wander too far?

Depends on how old they are, adults probably won’t get lost, as long as they are happy with the coop/roost you have provided they should come back. Adult turkeys can safely sleep outside if they find a good spot, but it can still be risky. One of the turkeys I raised got eaten by a great horned owl (not at my place, at her new owner’s) cause she was only 2 months old and didn’t like the roost and slept in a tree. Adult turkeys are too big to be ideal owl prey, but coyotes and bobcats, lynxes, wolves, dogs, cats etc. could try to kill one, and likely succeed. So even if they did get lost and it got dark, chances are they’d sleep in a tree and come back in the morning. This depends on their flying capabilities, which are better as babies usually. But heritage turkeys are usually decent flyers. So I wouldn’t worry to much, last time one of my turkeys went missing she was actually just sitting in the corner of my yard, I thought she’d got into the neighbors yard, but nope. She just was too lazy to go back to her coop. Mine put themselves back in now, because they have a sufficient perch. If a Turkey isn’t there at dark, get a flashlight and look in the nearby trees and bushes, if it’s not there, it is probably going to show up tomorrow. But I’d still recommend searching for it, in case it did get lost or eaten.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

coyotes and bobcats, lynxes, wolves, dogs, cats etc. could try to kill one, and likely succeed.

They'll definitely succeed. Lost my whole flock to a bobcat in a week, and lost a hen to a coyote prior

 

[Mo_fawaazzz]

They'll definitely succeed. Lost my whole flock to a bobcat in a week, and lost a hen to a coyote prior

coyotes are natural turkey killers. Good thing that the only turkey preds I have here are red foxes and GH owls.

 

[skeeeter]

You could try feeding in the morning, taking it up after lunch then setting it back out in the evening. Call them every time you set out food or water.. they will learn your voice and start to come when called. If you time the evening feed and have it near where you want them to roost, it is easy to get them in... without "chasing & catching" them.... they HATE that, anyway.

 

[R2elk]

You could try feeding in the morning, taking it up after lunch then setting it back out in the evening. Call them every time you set out food or water.. they will learn your voice and start to come when called. If you time the evening feed and have it near where you want them to roost, it is easy to get them in... without "chasing & catching" them.... they HATE that, anyway.

Don't chase turkeys. Teach them to be herded. They learn to be herded easily.