Aggressive Turkey Babies? Whats up with this?

[chickenzoo]

It seems like they are showing off.

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

Oh I hope so! No one has ever mistreated them, or yelled or kicked at them, I wouldnt allow that for a moment!

I am just learning to talk turkey, and I guess I just need some more input and guidance!

Thanks!
A~

 

[toredano]

I think they are just showing off how purty they are to people.
Its like the dude in the gym,prancing in front of the mirror.. flexing and making sure everyone is watching him.

Maybe its because no one tells them how nice they look when they strut and they are craving attention? You simply must go out everyday and tell them how beautyful they are.Stroke their egos..

As dumb as they are .. they make me laugh every day.

And my cats learned thaht the RP hen has beak that can hurt. It only takes once for the cat to get the business end of a turkeys beak to learn to leave them alone.

 

[Peeper7]

I just LOVE my turkeys!.. but they do scare the heck out of some people. They (along with the geese) ...(and the chickens) rush everone who comes around, and the toms display. The only pecking they have ever done is at my rings or spots on my clothes.

They follow me and anyone else around. They are very curious and just so funny.

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

Ok, well maybe I am just mis reading them! as I said, I am just learning to talk turkey!!

Thanks everyone, I will be patient and see if they are just being showoffs!!

A~

 

[chickenannie]

I think they are looking for action... mine always puffed up when people came around, and if we stood outside talking for a while, he'd start sidling over, closer and closer and closer (now I realize he was "testing") and one day he literally humped my friend's shoe!!! Well that was absolutely unacceptable, not to mention embarrassing to everyone...

Well, I came on here - BYC - and people told me to make sure tom knew who the alpha was. The slowly sashaying up to people was saying tom thought HE was alpha. So I had to "think like a turkey" and making sure he knew I was alsph (in charge) at all times. All that meant was that EVERY SINGLE TIME I saw him, I would take a "menacing" step in his direction like I'm bigger than you are. Or I would shoo him away, and the best, was, I would pick him up, walk a few steps and set him down. That told him, I was in control. I never did anything mean to him -- just showed him I could get in his space, but he couldn't get in mine. After 2 weeks, he was still friendly but he got the hint, and never sashayed more than 5-6 feet up to people. If I even gave him the eye, he would back away.

As cute as I *had* thought it was that he came up real close to me, I realized it wasn't good for his health or manners to do that so much. So he still followed me around, but he always kept more distance, like 10 feet or so away.

So.... you have to think like a turkey. But don't be mean to them by yelling or hitting or anything or they will get defensive. Firmness and consistency. Also, I don't know how you would do this with 3 turkeys -- I had only one.

 

[Poupoulles]

I carry around a spare thin fiberglass fence post, like a long staff. I use it to "herd" my turkeys. When we are standing around sometimes some of them come close in a way I dont approve of, sort of sidling up and eyeballing. I nudge them with the stick and make them stay a certain distance away. When they are friendly, its OBVIOUS. they make friendly noises and when the toms strut they just parade back and forth. When they are friendly they can come up and untie my shoelaces all they want.

That being said. I am a stickler for well behaved animals. (and kids!) I cant stand people who let their dogs jump all over visitors, or generally let their animals do whatever. Some people have genuine fears of certain animals based on childhood experiences. It is my responsibility as an animal owner to make sure that people feel confident and safe around my critters. (I have a huge Rottweiler that I could take into a daycare and not even think about it.)

If you have customers come to your place, and they are not expecting turkeys (we see them always as the little silly things they were, but to other people those birds are BIG- no one thinks about birds that can reach your waist!)
So i would try being part of the greeting committee and gently shooing away the birds each time. Eventually even turkeys will get it. A long thin pole creates a distance and you can nudge them (NOT hit them of course) to say, hey, knock it off! It usually diffuses the situation. Even a turkey trying to steal someone's shiny buttons, or peck at a ring in a friendly way is NOT ok if the person is not expecting it. SAying "oh they're just friendly" wont make aphobic person feel any better, silly as it may seem to us. Besides I have had people tell me they thought horrible things about dogs, chickens, turkeys whatever, until they met ours. A good example can create a convert!