A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

Now here comes my stupid question

Do Toms get spurs like roosters do?

Yes toms get spurs but the injuries to the hens are more commonly caused by their sharp toenails. A high percentage of these types of injuries come from one of three ways. The most common reason they occur is because more than one tom is allowed access to the hens at the same time. While the first tom is on the hen's back another tom will rush him and knock him off of the hen. The hen typically gets injured by the tom scratching to retain his place on her back.

The second method is a tom having access to a hen sitting on a nest. The tom will take the hen's laying down as permission to breed and the hen will resist the undesired mating again causing the tom to scratch and claw at her while trying to remain on her back. This usually also ends up with broken eggs.

The last method that cause these injuries is a tom that is more interested in showing off and dominating a hen instead of doing a nice gentle breeding. The hen usually gets frustrated and the scratching and clawing begins.

 

[feedman77]

Just got back from picking up my 4 new bourbon red hens.

2 have beards.
1 only has one eye. So know I have 2 one eyed hens.
1 hen was normal.

 

[Molpet]

Young toms seem to be awkward too.
The first time my bbb was injured was the first time she laid down for the tom... she would lay down for me and not for him... she laid down while I was there and the tom treaded on her for a good 10 min before her feathers started coming out....she started crying and trying to get up.. and he gave up.. she had big gashes so I locked her in w/the cx chickens and got her a saddle... when she healed I let her out in an adjacent run to the toms.. one day a tom was in her side and her saddle was out of place.. why I didn't check her right away I can't say, but she kept picking at the saddle and I checked and she had very deep gashes.. so I figured no more breeding... and she agreed

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Thanks R2 elk
I knew about the toenails and mating injuries but was unsure of the spurs

thank you!!

 

[memphis]

Feedman...do you have a bearded one eye hen?? Why am finding this funny???

 

[feedman77]

Feedman...do you have a bearded one eye hen?? Why am finding this funny???

No one eyed bearded turkey.

 

[memphis]

Dang...I was thinking up cute names for a bearded one eyed hen .

 

[feedman77]

My misfits are
3 bearded hens.
2 hens with spurs. 1 with 2. 1 with 1 spur.
2 one eyed hens.

My 1 legged hen passed last summer.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks R2 elk
I knew about the toenails and mating injuries but was unsure of the spurs

thank you!!

Some people have found it beneficial to trim their tom's toenails so that they aren't razor sharp.

 

[gluglu]

Pebbles will be ok, that`s not a deadly injury, lucky girl. Toms don`t have spurs like roosters(thanks to God).