▁the ▁film , ▁originally ▁titled ▁Tur keys , ▁began ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁physical ▁production ▁began ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁John ▁K ric fal us i ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁early ▁development , ▁and ▁posted ▁the ▁concepts ▁he ▁created ▁for ▁the ▁film ▁on ▁his ▁blog . ▁Re el ▁F X ▁and ▁Gran at ▁Entertainment ▁launched ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Bed rock ▁Studios ▁( l ater ▁renamed ▁to ▁Re el ▁F X ▁An imation ▁Studios ) ▁to ▁produce ▁sub -$ 3 5 ▁million ▁family - orient ed ▁projects . ▁Ash ▁Bran non ▁was ▁then ▁set ▁to ▁direct ▁the ▁film , ▁but ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁Rel ativity ▁Media ▁would ▁co - fin ance , ▁co - produ ce , ▁and ▁dist ribute ▁the ▁film , ▁Jimmy ▁Hay ward ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁direct ing ▁position . ▁Origin ally ▁scheduled ▁for ▁November ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁moved ▁up ▁by ▁a ▁year ▁to ▁November ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁vac ant ▁slot ▁left ▁after ▁the ▁delay ▁of ▁Dream Work s ▁An imation ' s ▁Mr . ▁Pe ab ody ▁& ▁Sh erman . ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁ret itled ▁to ▁Free ▁Bird s . ▁ ▁Release ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁response ▁Free ▁Bird s ▁was ▁crit ically ▁p anned . ▁The ▁review ▁aggreg ator ▁website ▁Rotten ▁Tomatoes