How High Can a Turkey Jump? Everything You Need to Know

Turkeys are amazing animals, but their incredible jumping abilities can make containing them a real challenge for backyard poultry keepers If you’re considering getting turkeys, or already have some in your flock, it’s crucial to understand just how high these birds can jump That way, you can plan your enclosures and fences accordingly and keep your turkeys safe and secure.

In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about turkey jumping prowess, including:

Typical jump heights for different turkey breeds
Factors that influence how high turkeys can jump
Fence height and containment strategies
What wing clipping means and how it impacts jumping ability
Insights from backyard turkey keepers

Let’s get into it!

How High Can Turkeys Jump?

Turkeys are capable of some impressively high jumps that can clear fences and obstacles meant to contain chickens or other poultry. But jump height varies quite a bit depending on the breed.

Broad Breasted Turkeys

Broad breasted turkeys, the type commonly raised for meat, are heavier birds with less natural agility. They typically can jump 3-4 feet high. While they can still clear shorter fences, their jumping is limited compared to heritage breeds.

Heritage Breed Turkeys

Heritage turkey breeds retain more of their wild instincts and athleticism These traditional turkey varieties are extremely agile jumpers. They can easily clear 5-6 feet, with some athletic individuals jumping 8 feet or higher!

Breeds like Bourbon Reds, Black Spanish, and Wild Turkeys are especially known for their jumping talents. But even heavy heritage breeds like Narragansetts can jump surprisingly high when motivated.

Factors That Influence Jump Height

A few key factors impact how high an individual turkey can jump:

Age: Younger turkeys are more energetic and can jump higher than mature adult birds. Poults and juvenile turkeys often astound keepers with their leaping ability.
Motivation: Turkeys jump highest when motivated, like when trying to escape a threat or reach a desirable roosting spot. A relaxed, unprompted turkey likely won’t jump as high.
Terrain: Turkeys can use terrain like slopes or high perches to build momentum and jump further. A running start also helps them gain height.

Containing Your Turkeys: Fence Height and Other Tips

Now that you know how high turkeys can jump, let’s go over some key containment strategies to keep your birds safe and prevent escapes.

Fence Height

For any type of turkey, your fence should be as high as possible. But here are some minimum recommendations:

Broad breasted turkeys: A 4 foot fence is usually sufficient, especially with clipped wings. But some individuals may be able to clear this.
Heritage breeds: At least 6 feet is a safer minimum, and extra height is better. An 8-10 foot fence is ideal for very athletic birds.

Going Higher

Consider adding 1-2 extra feet if you have:

Particularly athletic jumpers
Predator concerns like coyotes or free roaming dogs
Turkeys who pace the fences looking for a way out

Other Containment Tips

Clipping wings: Clipping flight feathers on one wing can hinder a turkey’s ability to jump and fly over fences. But some birds can still leap quite high even with clipped wings.
Perches: Giving turkeys roosts and platforms inside their run can provide an outlet for their desire to jump up to high spots.
Electric fencing: A poultry net or electric wire at the top of the fence can deter turkeys from perching on the fence. But electric fences must be installed properly.
Netted enclosures: A roofed run completely enclosed with bird netting can contain even the most determined jumpers.

What Does Clipping a Turkey’s Wings Mean?

Wing clipping involves trimming the long primary flight feathers on one wing to prevent a bird from flying over fences. Only the flight feathers are cut – the wing itself is untouched.

When done correctly by experienced hands, clipping does not harm turkeys. The feathers will eventually molt and regrow. Clipping can reduce a turkey’s jumping height and ability to gain lift, but it does not fully prevent determined birds from jumping fences.

It’s important not to cut growing juvenile feathers called blood feathers – this can cause bleeding and trauma to the bird. Only mature feathers should be clipped.

Insights from Backyard Turkey Keepers

Backyard poultry forums like BackYardChickens.com and HomesteadingToday.com offer a wealth of wisdom from experienced turkey keepers on jump heights and containment strategies:

“Even broad breasteds can clear a 4 foot fence. Think of turkeys as feathered kangaroos.”
“A 6 foot fence is my minimum for my Bourbon Reds, and I still have some escape now and then.”
“I put up a 7 foot fence and my Narragansetts haven’t jumped it once. They’re content now.”
“Netted enclosures work beautifully for containing my turkeys, even the most flighty ones.”
“Clipping wings helps but doesn’t completely prevent my Black Spanish from jumping and fluttering over fences.”

These insights from fellow turkey keepers are invaluable when planning your own enclosure!

The Bottom Line

Turkeys are remarkable jumpers, with athletic heritage breeds capable of clearing heights over 6 feet. By understanding their abilities, using sufficiently tall fences, and implementing other containment methods, you can keep your turkeys safely enclosed and prevent frustrating escapes. With proper precautions, these intelligent birds make a wonderful addition to any backyard flock.

how high can a turkey jump

Large Flock of Turkeys Fly Across the Road and Over Traffic | Wild Bird Behavior

FAQ

Can turkeys jump high?

Once grown, they’ll easily fly over a 4-foot fence (or hop onto it and then go over), though clipping their wings might mitigate that.

How high should a fence be for turkeys?

If you want to build a more permanent enclosure, your farm fence should be as high as possible – at least four feet – given that these birds can and will fly Wooden fencing structures are tried and true not only for the livestock’s protection but also to provide more organic and natural farm aethetic.

How high can a turkey fly?

How High Can a Wild Turkey Fly? Wild turkeys fly at low heights which would explain why we don’t see them flying through the air like other birds. Typically, a wild turkey will fly up into a tree about 20 – 30 feet in the air. However, they can go as high as 50 feet.

How to stop turkeys from flying over fence?

The goal of clipping, cutting or trimming a turkey’s wings is to prevent flight. Clipping the turkey’s wings would be better described as clipping the turkey’s flight feathers. The wings themselves are not cut at all, only the long flight feathers on one of the bird’s wings.

How high do wild turkeys fly?

Wild turkeys usually fly low to the ground. Their typical flight takes them high enough to reach branches of trees. They favor picking branches around 6 to 9 meters in height, but they can go as high as 15 meters if needed. These altitudes provide them with a vantage point to spot potential dangers and offer protection from many ground predators.

How high do wild turkeys roost?

Wild turkeys fly at relatively low altitudes, high enough to reach the strongest, primary branches of broad-leaved trees. Some of the highest roosting spots reached by wild turkeys are around 15 m (50 ft) off the ground, but lower spots are also used, at heights of between 6 and 9 m (20-30 ft).

Can turkeys fly high enough to reach tree branches?

Yes, turkeys can fly high enough to reach tree branches. They usually pick branches that are about 6-9 m in height but can go as high as 15 m. Turkeys cannot fly over long distances but they can make flights in short bursts. They usually do this for two reasons: to escape predators and to fly into trees.

How fast can a wild turkey fly?

Once airborne, a wild turkey will quickly reach its intended roosting spot, or land on the ground a safe distance from the threat that spooked it into flight. On land, wild turkeys can cover far more ground, reaching running speeds of around 40 km/h (25 mph).