A buddy of mine just bought 9 turkeys to raise. He has to keep them in a barn and under heat lamps for 8 weeks. Has anyone out here done this thing before? I have not done this just hunted them. He is going to release them when old enough. He is just trying to get some turkeys on his farm. He asked me to ask you if you had any suggestions on what to do after they are ready to be released. He is going to keep feeding them around the barn. Well I will tell him on any info I recieve here. Thanks for your time
Good luck raising your young birds. I do know that TODAY certain states (Game Commisions) do NOT want this type turkey released to the wild. Due to potential spread of disease which could affect the already established flock. Contact State Game officials in your home state and be on the safe side.
He might as well just build a pen and keep them contained. if he keeps feeding them around his barn they wont leave. I saw this happen with some friends and they couldn't walk out of the house without being attacked by the toms.
Not to hijack or provide unrelated information, but back in the mid 70’s I had a neighbor who had several handsome turkeys. We had just moved in and when I met him he showed them off to me and I was impressed (this was September). Never saw him much except to wave in passing, but right after Halloween he came over early in the morning asking me if I had seen anyone around his place. Seems someone made off with 15 birds over night. These were noisy critters and I ever could figure out how anyone got them out quietly. Neighbor never did raise any more, said it was too much work to supply someone else’s holiday meal.
In Wisconsin a good wild turkey tom will lure domestic hens out of many a barn yards --domestic birds in a wild flock are open season to any coyote hunter.
