How do you keep your turkeys home?

[ixnay]

I live in Maine, and we have lots of wild turkeys (who appear, sometimes, to be saying to my flock, "Come camp out with us!!") Also, we have lots of field and woods.

My Bourbon Reds free-range, within an electric poultry fence. EXCEPT - they readily fly over the fence. I have one year-old hen, a year-old tom, and two remaining youngsters from this year.

If I let the hen out of the "turkey hut," then everyone wanders off into the nearby fields and woods. And cross the road.

If I keep the hen in the hut, she seems less than happy, but the rest of the flock stay in the general vicinity, even if they escape the electric fence.

Is my only solution to fence my entire yard (maybe an acre) with something tall enough that the birds won't fly over? I'm really tired of feeding the local wildlife.

Nan

 

[Lagerdogger]

Quote:
Probably. Clipping wings won't stop the turkeys from jumping over a 3 foot poultry fence. I have a six foot fenced range that usually keeps most of the birds inside. I don't like to clip wings, so they can still fly out, but most don't want to. The ones tht get out usually go right back in with me. I have a second fenced area that only has 5 foot fences, and I clip the wings of the few birds that live in there.

 

[ColbyNTX]

About the only way to keep them home is a fence with a top. I think you would have to cut their wings off to keep them in a 3' fence!

 

[rfwombat]

6 foot fence and clip one wing. Also make sure there are no structures, tools, wheelbarrows, etc. near the fence because they will use that to hop over the fence. Just buy one roll of fencing per month and fence your property in stages if you can't do the whole thing at once. If you have any trees lining your property, limb them up and use them as fence posts. Turkeys are escape artists so tall fences are the only thing you can do.

 

[ixnay]

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like I have some work to do. Meantime, I'll keep the hen cooped up or under supervision.

 

[crj]

I would keep food that is easy for them to get to all the time. Mine stay in the yard and I have wood surounding me. I also toss fruit to them and other stuff that they like. They have access to bird food 24/7. I guess they like it here because they don't wander off. I have a trio of bronze turkeys. The hens are 1 1/2 and the tom is 3 yrs old. I've had them all close to a year now.

 

[joedie]

I have a breeding pair of BRs. They haven't left the barnyard in the year that I've had them. I got them when they were two yrs old. They hang around with the chickens. There are 48 inch woven wire fences all around from the adjoining pastures but they never even try to jump atop the fences much less go over them. They do fly up to their roosts at night though. Maybe mine are just strange, I don't know.

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
Actually, my experience has been that when they have plenty of space they are less likely to go over fences.

 

[LadyTurkey]

My bronze boys have never tried to fly away, they havent even attempted to fly really lol, we just have there inclosed area fenced off with chicken wire

Mine dont seem to have an interest to leave home they love the food and cuddles to much

heheh

 

[aguilera]

i almost lost my turkey the other day.