I put my 5 week old turkeys out in their new pen a couple of days ago. One of them mamnged to fly over the 4 to 5 foot gate. Will it come back? I haven't seen any sign of it but I'm hoping it might come back. I know it must have flown over the gate as there is turkey poop on the top of the gate, it must have sat their a while before making a break for it.

I didn't think they could fly that good yet. Hubby will add some wire over the gate and then the whole pen will be enclosed with a roof over it. I also pan to go out there and clip their wings.

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), May 03, 2002

Answers

I don't have an answer but I'm sure glad you posted the question. I've been eager to get mine out of the house when weather permits (snowed this morning) and thought I had the perfect place for them. need to reconsider that now after reading this. hope you find him!

-- B. Lackie - Zone3 (cwrench@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

From my VERY limited experience, it seems as if the little guys (4-5 weeks) can fly pretty well. My guess is that their relatively low weight makes it easier. At 4 weeks, our chickens were definitely flying a bit, so we clipped wings. Since we only clipped one wing, they look like little boomerangs when they fly. {grin}

-- Julie in NC (jwoessner@rtmx.net), May 03, 2002.

It has been our experience that if something didn't get the little turkey, he would be walking the fenceline trying to get back in.

-- Dianne Wood (woodgoat@pacifire.com), May 03, 2002.