Are all toms jerks?

[Lotsapaints]

I vote to get rid of him either for eats or whatever and find another mine are very nice. I'm done I hope catching my Bourbons as I've had to catch those big ole guys everytime they get out they are not as friendly as my Midgets those are very docile but none of my Toms have acted aggressive and if they did well I guess I'd be having turkey mine are still young though under a year. My Midgets very carefully take my bread from my fingers and take turns with the hens the Bourbons just want me to throw it to them they eat and go and of all my turkeys those have been handled the most because I hatched them...but never acted mean

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

My 2 Eastern wild toms were very tame & loved attention.
My 3 Blue Slate toms were meaner than a striped spider.
My 2 Royal Palm toms are skiddish, but show no agression.
I don't know if breed has anything to do with it, but in my case, it seems possible.
Oh yeah, 1 Burbon Red cross was ok, but didn't want you within a couple of feet from him.

 

[ivan3]

Simply too big to tolerate that sort of behavior, cook him. Our three never do anything other than press against our legs when they know we've got a bag of grapes. Feed `em their grapes and off they go. Plenty of potentially good toms out there to raise.

 

[JCoogle]

I have a Bourbon Red tom and the only time he even runs at me is when I am carring feed. Any other time he will just follow you around. It is funny because when you stop he walks up and looks at your feet. I have no idea why.

 

[RAREROO]

My Bourbon Red Toms are really nice. My oldest one I raised from a poult but never put any real effort into taming him, but he will let you pet him most of the time. The other I one I bought as an adult he is comfortable around me but doesnt want to be touched but neither have show any aggression towards humans.

So invite your tom to be a guest for your Christmas dinner and get another tom that isnt mean.

 

[Dogfish]

I've only had two toms, both very nice, and not the least bit aggressive

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

The one that we had that was agressive went from being ok to agressive almost overnight. My wife and I were out in the pen and our daughter came in, it was breeding season and the tom was strutting. He went over to her just strutting but she kicked at him and that was it, the fight was on. He jumped back and then went after her, she turned and ran. I think if you ever let them get the "one up" on you or show fear that's it.

Steve

 

[ShadyHoller]

Our bourbon reds are softies with us: spend all their time begging. Our problem is just that they are real jerks to each other. We solved that problem last week. The two who were constantly tearing into each other got invited to Thanksgiving dinner. One roast, the other smoked. And now, down at the barn, we have a much more peaceful flock of turkeys.

 

[chickenannie]

I've had Bourbon Reds for a few years and have had the most mild-mannered toms. All very gentle. The only one I had trouble with ever was one that didn't like the neighbor. his aggression was focused just on this one neighbor, and he was completely gentle with every other person. Well guess what? that neighbor had kicked at, yelled at, and shook a broom at my tom from the moment he met him (he comes over twice a day here to care for his boarded animals). Well, that tom would be gentle all day, but as soon as the neighbor showed up he would go after the neighbor. My opinion is that although there are personality differences between toms, most mean and aggressive toms are reacting to something. So if anyone ever pokes sticks at your toms, or kicks at him or threatens him or even just taunts him... he is defending himself. Once mean, they stay mean, and I agree with the others about meanies going to the dinner table. So just make sure you or the others around are not giving the tom a reason to be aggressive. In my case, I just ignore my toms (I never feed him treats either, like I do the hens), and that works well.

 

[CDennis]

I have one Tom, he is a slate that is more aggressive than I would like, he will charge you when you are out feeding and has tried to fly at me a few times. I have tried to break him of it but no luck, now he is a turkey on a timeline because after breeding season next year he will be at freezer camp. He would have gone sooner but I lost my hens last summer and missed out on breeding to him, now the clock is ticking. If I had kids he would already be gone.