Bourbon Red Turkeys AKA Animal Control (PICS AND STORY INCLUDED)

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Thank you! I say the same thing. They are ruthless!! And they do work as a group. They know when an animal DOES NOT belong in the yard. They know who lives there and who doesn't. I don't know how they can recognize a "new bird" or animal but they can. I don't know how they do it. When one of them makes a distress call, you better believe the rest of them will be running around the corner within 3 seconds flat. I will have to try to video tape them and post it. It is hilarious!!

I wish my turkeys were that assertive about the chipmunks. Yesterday I found my four standing around watching two chipmunks who were seated in the turkey's food dish, stuffing their cheeks with turkey food. Between what the turkeys spill everywhere and what the chipmunks eat, I wonder how much actually goes into the turkeys!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you! I say the same thing. They are ruthless!! And they do work as a group. They know when an animal DOES NOT belong in the yard. They know who lives there and who doesn't. I don't know how they can recognize a "new bird" or animal but they can. I don't know how they do it. When one of them makes a distress call, you better believe the rest of them will be running around the corner within 3 seconds flat. I will have to try to video tape them and post it. It is hilarious!!

I wish my turkeys were that assertive about the chipmunks.  Yesterday I found my four standing around watching two chipmunks who were seated in the turkey's food dish, stuffing their cheeks with turkey food.  Between what the turkeys spill everywhere and what the chipmunks eat, I wonder how much actually goes into the turkeys!

That chipmunk would not have lasted 5 minutes in my yard. I would have had chipmunk stew for dinner.

Too bad you can't borrow mine for a while. They would take care of all of your rodent problems.

 

[Celie]

Thank you.

I'm not a big fan of clipping turkey wings but will clip a chicken's wing. Unless a turkey is a flight risk, i wouldn't clip any wings.


Looks like my turkey's next big problem are crows. They didn't appreciate this crow coming into the yard and figured that they better go over and warn him. I have not seen another crow since that day.

Turkeys will not tolerate crows because crows will break and eat turkey eggs. I had a big fight break out the other day between a turkey tom and a full grown goose. I don't know what the goose could have done to upset the turkey, because my Brown African Geese are soooo easy going and gentle, and the turkeys only fight with each other at mating time, or with a bad rooster when he tries to mate with a turkey hen, but that tom had a beak full of goose neck feathers and it took 4 attempts to free that goose and get the Tom to back off! By the way, gorgeous Bourbon Reds !

I wish my turkeys were that assertive about the chipmunks. Yesterday I found my four standing around watching two chipmunks who were seated in the turkey's food dish, stuffing their cheeks with turkey food. Between what the turkeys spill everywhere and what the chipmunks eat, I wonder how much actually goes into the turkeys!

You might try feeding pellets to your turkeys, if they are spilling a lot of feed, turkeys will peck all pellets off the ground that might spill and eat every one. My dogs run all rodents off the property or eat them. I really feel relieved when they catch a chicken hawk, because they are a terrible predator problem in our area. I put the dead caucus of the hawk on a pole in the pasture, warning others to stay away!

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Just goes to show u never know what's going to happen

 

[crazywiener]

Thought you would like to see that 'Mike' is a boy!! and 'Milly' actually turned out to be a girl!! Picking 2 babies out of a whole bunch & end up wit a boy & girl! They did get dark red..I was beginning to think they were going to be buff colored!! They are so funny, personable & nosy!

 

[crazywiener]

 

[DeannaA]

I know this thread started out with the story, which I loved. But everyone here seems to have turkeys, so I thought it would be a good place to ask a question.

I hatched one Bouron Red yesterday. None of the other eggs hatched. I love this little guy. I didn't want to put him with my chicks, I heard there are diseases that chicks could pass on. So I have kept him with me all day. We are best buds. I have room for one but not more. I have chickens. Will this one turkey be ok with my chickens? Will it matter if it's amale or a female? Is there anything specail I need to do different for a turkey? I am giving him non medicated flock food but he will only eat bread and chicken. I am also adding nutri drench and b vitamins to his water. This guy is smart. I have his vitamin water in a bottle with a dropper. He goes over and pecks on it when he's thristy. He follows me if I leave the room. He pecks my hand when he wants me to pick him up. Please tell me he/she will be great as an only turkey. I have 20 chickens, 2 roosters and 2 guineas. All under 6 months. They accept all new comers.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Go to the Front Porch thread and ask this question, Flocks is very great with turkeys. I do know you don't want him on the ground for a while where chickens have been but Flocks is great ask her on the thread.

 

[Haida]

That's an awesome story! Turkeys are great!

My standard bronzes like to chase those pesky house sparrows out of the barn. Like, they jump up at them (I love watching turkeys and chickens jump straight up... its so funny to me!) and corner them... the bird looks like he's saying "heyyy now, you guys, I'm a bird, too..." and the turkeys look like they're licking their lips! Then I found a dying rat in the barn as well, and my bronze hen poofed up and started flipping out. She was doing circles around the little rat, and every time it moved, she'd poof up more and lower her head (in a threatening way). Then she found his tail interesting to peck at... then I tossed out the rat before she decided to make him lunch! Ew!

We share a property with my mother in law who has this annoying little weenie dog, Ollie. Ollie follows my MIL anywhere and barks AT EVERYTHING. Kind of annoying when I try to keep things calm around the turks and rabbits. We have a small rabbitry in the same barn that my turkeys roost in (its separated by a sturdy wall and has a separate door and all, the turks can't get in there) but you have to walk through the turkey pen to get to the door to the rabbits. The MIL came in there to see the rabbits while I was in there cleaning out turkey waterers, and her little weenie dog followed. Oh my gosh. The bronzies flipped out and ALL ganged up on her. The weenie dog just lowered her head (like, "hey, I don't want any trouble...") and kept following my MIL. Then one of the bronzie boys body checked her and it was all over. The weenie dog took off into the coop, all four bronzies behind her. I was saying, "OLLIE, GET OUT, GO AWAY," and trying to herd her out as well, and my MIL is just casually saying, "Ollie, shoo. Ollie, get out of here." Well, Ollie had had enough of that when they started pecking at her tail. and ran back out!

Now she won't go NEAR the turkey pen!! Bunnies don't like dogs AT ALL, so its good to know that my turkeys will help me keep out the obnoxious neighbors!!

 

[crazywiener]

I have wiener dogs & love them..didn't like your story at all..I don't think you are a very nice person