Turkeys and Electric Netting

[R2elk]

It may prove difficult because the rascals will probably be adorable.

They are professionals at tugging on heart strings.

Does looking in the windows at them count as imprinting?

That should be fine.

 

[R2elk]

I had ganders that were human imprinted, it wasn’t earth shatteringly difficult to figure out how to operate around them. They would benefit from occasional reminders that I was the bigger “bird” lol

Turkeys are not like geese. When they get their mind set on something, they are relentless until they accomplish it.

As far as reminding them who is boss, it doesn't last very long while they plan a new style of attack when deciding to move up in the pecking order. When frontal assault fails, they will change their tactics to sneak attacks from behind.

Be very careful when kneeling on the ground near your human imprinted turkeys.

Adult turkeys are not difficult to tame wihtout being human imprinted as poults. It is much better than them thinking you are a turkey.

 

[Berd Man]

You’re definitely right about them being relentless. These turkeys will take the shock from the fence to grab a grasshopper on the other side and barely flinch or make a sound.

These maybe too imprinted to keep long term, if so I’ll have to start over next spring… which would be a bummer. The upside is the freezer will have some goodies

 

[Chicken Heel]

They are professionals at tugging on heart strings.

That should be fine.

Good on the windows... I have four on the brooder coop.

 

[R2elk]

These maybe too imprinted to keep long term, if so I’ll have to start over next spring… which would be a bummer. The upside is the freezer will have some goodies

It's the toms that can be dangerous. You might be able to tolerate the hens.

 

[Chicken Heel]

Haha not sure if that counts as imprinting. What points did you order? How exciting!

I will continue to share this experience as long as it’s useful for someone else. I know very little of the art of keeping turkeys, but so far I love it. I’d be pretty excited about poults again if I had my same experience this time with them. I’ve got future hopes of Blue Narragansett’s from Porters we will see how we do giving these a go first.

There’s some different thoughts on imprinting. Some say it’s a definite NO NO to spend alot of time with poults as it makes them more liable to try and mate or battle humans in adulthood.

Other people have told me to specifically spend time with them so that they are more likely to stay around and not stray far from home. We even incubated the hatching eggs in the living room so they would get used to the sounds of our family haha.

I do not know where I fall on that sprectrum yet as I’m still new to turkeys. But I had to move them manually rotating the brooder and electric net to new pasture. And for the first 5 weeks I went out every night and gathered them to take into the barn.

As a result, mine will not run when I approach their pasture. Some will come up and sit on my foot or follow me through the garden. Sometimes when I am pulling weeds one ends up jumping on my back but I make them hop off. Perhaps my head will be the victim of turkey assault in the future, we will see… chickens sometimes fly up on me when I feed them but they’re like 3 lbs. I do understand why many people would not want the same from a turkey.

I had ganders that were human imprinted, it wasn’t earth shatteringly difficult to figure out how to operate around them. They would benefit from occasional reminders that I was the bigger “bird” lol

I ordered the Breeders Choice from Porter's so I think it will be interesting to see what the breeds are in my shipment. These will be my first turkeys as well so that is why I appreciate the insights of folks like R2elk who are Subject Matter Experts. If you do eventually end up getting some poults from Porter's, the owner Kevin, is great to work with.

 

[Berd Man]

It's the toms that can be dangerous. You might be able to tolerate the hens.

Okay, then all is not lost yet! Thank you, I will be very cautious with these males

I ordered the Breeders Choice from Porter's so I think it will be interesting to see what the breeds are in my shipment. These will be my first turkeys as well so that is why I appreciate the insights of folks like R2elk who are Subject Matter Experts. If you do eventually end up getting some poults from Porter's, the owner Kevin, is great to work with.

I agree with you, these forums and the folks that are really good on them is a great asset to have around!

I bet you’ll get some really neat stuff in there! I hope you post your poults when they arrive! I had considered ordering the maximum allowed blue Narragansett’s and then filling the minimum with breeders choice. Before I spent the coin and had the whole project flop I asked a neighbor friend and they happened to have a great year with turkey eggs and blessed me with this group.

 

[R2elk]

I think it will be interesting to see what the breeds are in my shipment.

All of the poults will be the breed Turkey. It's the varieties that will be unknown.

 

[Chicken Heel]

All of the poults will be the breed Turkey. It's the varieties that will be unknown.

Right, I have seen you post this statement before in other threads... learning as I go. Thanks.

By the way, as these poults are making the trek from Michigan to Southern Virginia, what do you recommend upon their arrival? I was thinking about something like TSC Wellness Brew added to their water for a couple of days along with brown sugar. I have Kalmbach 28% Turkey Starter as their feed. With chicks, I have generally used regular water with no additives with success but I know poults can be more fragile.

 

[skeeeter]

Hi, just a thought on imprinted fowl. It seems that only the males become intolerably imprinted on humans, bottlefed livestock is the same. You could just plan on eating all the males then when one/some of your hens are broody next year, order same breed and keep some of the broody raised males from that. I am going to try that with geese. We had a terrible experience with an imprinted gander: didn't want to bond, didn't want to breed, attacked geese, goslings, men, women, children, dogs and chickens. etc etc. Gigantic headache. We've also been around imprinted rams and billygoats.. they are just as obnoxious.