Aggressive tom

[Jamesthesilkie]

My tom is about 7 months old, and he keeps chasing and flying up at my mom. It just started about 2 weeks ago. I am at a loss of what to do. Any tips on correcting this behavior? He needs more hens but I just bought 1 and will look for another 2 adults. Adult hens are hard to find here for under $60

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

This doesn't seem like he wants to mate her, right? He rushes her and flies at her face. There's two more of us living here, both males, and we have no issues. I'm wondering if it's because she's always been scared of the male turkeys so she kinda fast walks away from him whenever he's near?

 

[Huntmaster]

I would say he has imprinted on humans, he doesn't really know the difference from human or turkeys and is taking his rank in pecking order. He must respect you and other male as higher on pecking order and keeping your mom under him in pecking order.

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

I would say he has imprinted on humans, he doesn't really know the difference from human or turkeys and is taking his rank in pecking order. He must respect you and other male as higher on pecking order and keeping your mom under him in pecking order.

Yes I regret doing this. I handle each poult for an hour until they are about 6 weeks old. This is the second tom I've kept that has turned out aggressive. I always give him hugs so he must know what's up with me, lol. Should I tell my mom to hug him? I don't want to get rid of him so I'm going to try everything. He's locked up in the run right now.

 

[Huntmaster]

I would think he is always going to try to keep her submissive to him. And he may even start getting aggressive towards you and all humans they are always looking for ways to move up in pecking order. Hate to say it but that is what happens to some turkeys once they have imprinted on humans or anything else.

 

[Huntmaster]

Getting him more hens may help, As long as he doesn't feel humans are a threat to taking over his hens.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

If it was me he would have been in the cook pot 2 weeks ago.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

I go out of my way to NOT imprint on my turkeys. None of them have ever been aggressive.

 

[Huntmaster]

Best not to handle young poults, need to let them be turkeys and you human. Can start to handle them when they are older when they know the difference. Most will respond much better like that and usually will not have problems with them being aggressive.

 

[Molpet]

I had some I got at 8 weeks old that had imprinted already that got agressive. If they ate anything but high protein feed they would attack me. So when the mulberry got ripe, they attack , when grass seed got ripe they attack. I got sick of it and they tasted great