-ANSWERED- I dont know whats wrong with my turkey

[jayden_s]

I have a 5 month old turkey hen that has just randomly laid down in front of me and she'll go unresponsive and for about 5-10 minutes she'll just lay down and breathe really heavy and droop her wings and then she'll kind of wake up and start running around again. I thought that maybe it was just she had something stuck in her throat the first time or something but now she's done it twice and im getting worried bc shes so sweet. does anyone know what this might be ?

 

[sourland]

Sounds like she's maturing and ready for romance, and she regards you as her tom - same thing as when a chicken hen squats. She may even start laying.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! She's submitting to you, she thinks you're her boyfriend!

 

[jayden_s]

Sounds like she's maturing and ready for romance, and she regards you as her tom - same thing as when a chicken hen squats. She may even start laying.

thank God shes not sick but also gross !

 

[casportpony]

thank God shes not sick but also gross !

I trip over mine all of the time!

 

[Johanna river farm]

Unrequitted lerv....We have Tullulah - our turkey hen who likes to squat for me. Unfortunately, she seems to hate her TOM. Tullulah is a buff (blonde) about 3 years and Tom is a Slate 1 year plus. Tullulah has laid a clutch of eggs - we let her sit on them for weeks - hoping that maybe she did infact mate with Tom. No such luck. He is so, so "frustrated" struts around her in full display and gobbling - she either ignores him or pecks his head - She is really nasty. They sleep together in the same pen - get locked up every night - and then free range all day. We have had the two of them together for about 6 months. Any clues on what I should do to encourage a mutual romance (between turkeys )

 

[Johanna river farm]

thank God shes not sick but also gross !

Any clues on how or when she might start to like her TOM? Do I need to get another TOM or another female?

 

[R2elk]

Any clues on how or when she might start to like her TOM? Do I need to get another TOM or another female?

She may never accept the tom because of having been imprinted. There was a poster that would imprint his turkeys on purpose. He would then stand by his hens as they assumed the position for him and wait while the tom would breed the hen laying at his feet.

 

[Johanna river farm]

She may never accept the tom because of having been imprinted. There was a poster that would imprint his turkeys on purpose. He would then stand by his hens as they assumed the position for him and wait while the tom would breed the hen laying at his feet.

Thanks. We have tried that but he a bit shy of us and doesn't get as close as needed or she gets up and pecks him on the head. Would getting another male or female help? He is so frustrated.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks. We have tried that but he a bit shy of us and doesn't get as close as needed or she gets up and pecks him on the head. Would getting another male or female help? He is so frustrated.

If you are set on having fertile eggs, get more hens that aren't already imprinted.