Advice on introducing young Jake to hen

[Mbrollins2201]

Hello All! I'm fairly new to turkeys, but but have they stolen my heart. What a cool animal! I've had 3 Tom's and just got my first hen. The hen is a self blue and the current Tom, we'll actually a Jake, it's a blue slate. I've had them both about a week and they haven't met. The Jake, I was told, is 13 weeks. I don't know. He looks bigger to me. He has a small beard starting and they said he was strutting and starting to gobble. I've not seen or heard that yet. Then hen is 1 1/2, has been breed before and previous owner thinks they will be fine if i go ahead and put them together. My previous Tom's were completely free range and roosted on my porch, hanging out with us at night and watching tv outside with us. They ran with the chickens all day and kept the hawks away. Something got ahold of my last Tom and he didn't make it. So I've got these 2 pinned up. I'm just looking for any and all advice on introducing them, leaving them together, letting them free range (previous owner suggested I trim her flight feathers) I have very mixed feelings on this. Also, I'm guessing 13 weeks is too young to fertilize any of her eggs, so will it be next year before we possible see any chicks? She is laying an egg a day, I'm assuming unfertilized unless she was with a Tom when I got her. (I'll have to ask!). So many questions and I just want to do right by these awesome birds! I hope "Linda Ronstadt and Jackson" will take to each other!

 

[R2elk]

Hello All! I'm fairly new to turkeys, but but have they stolen my heart. What a cool animal! I've had 3 Tom's and just got my first hen. The hen is a self blue and the current Tom, we'll actually a Jake, it's a blue slate. I've had them both about a week and they haven't met. The Jake, I was told, is 13 weeks. I don't know. He looks bigger to me. He has a small beard starting and they said he was strutting and starting to gobble. I've not seen or heard that yet. Then hen is 1 1/2, has been breed before and previous owner thinks they will be fine if i go ahead and put them together. My previous Tom's were completely free range and roosted on my porch, hanging out with us at night and watching tv outside with us. They ran with the chickens all day and kept the hawks away. Something got ahold of my last Tom and he didn't make it. So I've got these 2 pinned up. I'm just looking for any and all advice on introducing them, leaving them together, letting them free range (previous owner suggested I trim her flight feathers) I have very mixed feelings on this. Also, I'm guessing 13 weeks is too young to fertilize any of her eggs, so will it be next year before we possible see any chicks? She is laying an egg a day, I'm assuming unfertilized unless she was with a Tom when I got her. (I'll have to ask!). So many questions and I just want to do right by these awesome birds! I hope "Linda Ronstadt and Jackson" will take to each other!

You're bringing a new bird onto your property. It is always appropriate to quarantine the new bird to make sure you aren't bringing in any diseases or pests.

Once the quarantine period is over, the see but no touch method is appropriate until there is no fighting through the fence. After that time they can be put together.

The quarantine should help acclimate her to knowing this is now her home.