The Turkey Roost
a safe perch for the night.
Well I figure it is time to rebuild the various web pages and update the photos. (Since I have thousands of pictures....)
Turkeys flying from the night roost (from my You Tube Channel)
Turkeys flying from the night roost oak tree (from my You Tube Channel)
The Turkey Roost or a safe place for the night.
When night comes: People have beds in locked rooms, Turkeys have roosts in trees or other elevated structures for safety to wait out the dark hours for the sunrise.
A proud Tom turkey on roost and a Florida sunrise
But a Wise turkey hen, high where a cat or raccoon cannot reach her!
Hazy Florida Sunrise
Most Heritage Turkeys are excellent fliers. Especially the hens.
The males of the heavier breeds (White Holland, Bourbon Red and Spanish/Norfolk Black) loose this ability when they get overweight.
And I have seen one Narragansett/Bourbon Red cross break his hip on landing when flying down from the roost. We nursed him along for three years and he became an excellent uncle to hens with poults.
Dawn fly-down from the roost. Often this is done with a "Fly-Down Cackle"
The good folks who hunt turkeys (and I used to be one of those) use a trick: Scare the flock of turkeys from their night roost before daylight and then use the "Lost turkey call" to re assemble the flock in shotgun range.
Florida Sunrise
This Black Tom can no longer fly into the oak or maple trees.
I constructed a roost for the older & heavier males.
I took the photo when I was working from home during COVID
Before adding the misunderstood turkey to your backyard or small farm it is best to prepare or at the very least be aware of that the turkeys will want a perch.
Turkey hen and rooster sharing a night roost oak branch.
We have chickens and pheasants sharing the prime roosting locations
When there is just enough dawn light to land safely, the sky rains with turkeys leaving their night roost
Spanish Black also known as a Norfolk Black and a Florida Sunrise
Tom turkeys and their never ending quest for flock for status: Taking the argument to the night roost.
Sunrise & taking their battle from roost to Florida sand.
A rooster taking advantage of a roost that gets locked up every night...
Poults if allowed will begin roosting under their mother as early as two weeks. In the wild, the fast in the tree, the better chance the babies and mothers will survive.
Word of advice: Please DO NOT create a perch for the overweight Broad Breasted birds. Or set a 2X4" board a few inches above the ground. But never high enough to for the overweight birds to fall.
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Author Bruce Ryba at Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39B & Artemis 1. "We are going to the Moon!"
Author's discussion (that's me) on You Tube of a book review on Amazon
My Facebook page Pet Turkeys You can always check in and say hello!
For the video versions of information, please check out my YouTube Channel (Turkeys, KSC, Flintknapping, dive stories etc.)
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