My chickens are eating my turkey's feathers!

[BackyardCoop]

Posted under turkey's too but thought maybe it would be better here...

Our RIR chickens have begun to pull off and eat our turkey's feathers.

We planned to butcher turkey but now my mother in law is attached and won't have it, so he's staying unless I can prove to her that he's better off so he's not picked on his whole life...
Every time he struts they pick at the smaller feathers around his butt and eat them!
His wing now sticks out a bit away from his body and I'm worried they may be picking on him at night too.

Ever had this happen? What do I do???

I told her I had no idea and it obviously didn't hurt because he would peck at them if it did but I feel bad.
He has his own 'coop' but doesn't want to be in it and will rub his snood raw looking for a way out to be back with the others. =( I thought maybe they are just starting to realize he's different? I mean turkey's butt is right in their faces. Gah!

 

[OLD ADOBE]

I am having the same issue. My turkeys have holes in their butt area from the chickens picking at them when they are fluffed up. What can I do besides slaughter them. It looks really painful for the turkeys

 

[paloozaparty]

I taped on large bandage to cover the cannibalized area, after spraying with BluKote--which the BluKote REALLY does work on it's own if you can apply it before the pecking gets too severe. However, taping on or applying a bandage works to keep the chickens off the turkey butt. See attached photos of my application and I even taped on leftover surgical masks to make a sling for the gauze/wound cover.

Here's a video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5MPFCYoz6FKqq2yz8