About two years ago I bought my first two turkey hens that were hand raised. One white meat breed (I forget what its called) and another broad breasted bronze "hen" both massive hens. Huge bodies and thick legs and swollen feet, very slow movers.
When I brought both home I was convinced the bronze was actually a male. At the time she was a year old, had a tiny 1 inch beard, would GOBBLE, CHUFF, and DRUM! I even put them in with a blue slate male and she would fight him like they were fighting to the death, I let them go for quite a while hoping they would just figure it out on their own, but it got to the point they would have killed each other if I let them go any longer. I tried to introduce her to different males one at a time for a few weeks, hoping she was just picky. But it was the same with every one. At that point I was sure the sellers sold me the wrong bird, a Tom and not a hen. All this time she was perfectly fine with being friends with the white hen, who would just sit and enjoy the show during her buddys fights.
I was getting eggs, so I assumed they were from my white hen. But unfortunately, I had some kind of animal break in a killed my sweet white turkey. But after the white hen died...I WAS STILL GETTING EGGS! And to make it better, a few weeks after that my bronze decided to go broody. So I had a gobbling, drumming, fighting, bearded, Tom/Hen that also laid unfertile eggs and went broody but didnt want a boyfriend at all hahaha.
Two years later and now she is just a pet. I have given up on trying to get her to sit on eggs of any kind, her big fat feet always crush them the first day she tries. I thought about just giving her some golf balls to sit on, then trading them out for some chicks, but she would most likely squish those too sadly so I have never tried.
To keep her company I have had her in with my male and female duck pair. They were happy for almost a year, then duck started laying eggs and for some reason turkey and my boy duck has started fighting. But yet again she isnt worried about the girl duck, just likes to fight every boy she sees.
So now she is in a pen by herself all alone. I feel bad for her but she hates everyone I put in with her. I even stuck a few goats in there with her during the hurricane, I was sure my big boer buck wouldn't let her boss him around, but she bit the bottom of his ear off, the poor baby. So yet again she is by herself.
Her new thing these past few months has been puffing up, trying to chase me around, and fight me. So I have to watch my back every time I go in to feed her, she is a slow runner so its like watching a wild animal attack you in slow motion but more scary than you would imagine lol.
I just dont know what to do with her anymore. I feel bad keeping her locked up alone, cant hatch babies off her (was my main goal at first) because she doesnt like to be around boys.
And I dont want to pawn her off to someone thats going to have trouble with her or eat her.
Her beard is now around 5-6 inches long. She hasnt drummed or gobbled in over a year, guessing its because she is the only turkey around. But sassy as ever and very vocal, when she is mad she will pace and make a whistle howl noise lol. Still puffs up if you talk to her. I have to say, over the years I have had some weird "farm stories" but this is probably one of my funniest experiences looking back, so I thought I would share hahaha. Have yall ever experienced a hen this dominant? I havent been around many turkeys other than these few, so I am clueless if this is normal.
When I brought both home I was convinced the bronze was actually a male. At the time she was a year old, had a tiny 1 inch beard, would GOBBLE, CHUFF, and DRUM! I even put them in with a blue slate male and she would fight him like they were fighting to the death, I let them go for quite a while hoping they would just figure it out on their own, but it got to the point they would have killed each other if I let them go any longer. I tried to introduce her to different males one at a time for a few weeks, hoping she was just picky. But it was the same with every one. At that point I was sure the sellers sold me the wrong bird, a Tom and not a hen. All this time she was perfectly fine with being friends with the white hen, who would just sit and enjoy the show during her buddys fights.
I was getting eggs, so I assumed they were from my white hen. But unfortunately, I had some kind of animal break in a killed my sweet white turkey. But after the white hen died...I WAS STILL GETTING EGGS! And to make it better, a few weeks after that my bronze decided to go broody. So I had a gobbling, drumming, fighting, bearded, Tom/Hen that also laid unfertile eggs and went broody but didnt want a boyfriend at all hahaha.
Two years later and now she is just a pet. I have given up on trying to get her to sit on eggs of any kind, her big fat feet always crush them the first day she tries. I thought about just giving her some golf balls to sit on, then trading them out for some chicks, but she would most likely squish those too sadly so I have never tried.
To keep her company I have had her in with my male and female duck pair. They were happy for almost a year, then duck started laying eggs and for some reason turkey and my boy duck has started fighting. But yet again she isnt worried about the girl duck, just likes to fight every boy she sees.
So now she is in a pen by herself all alone. I feel bad for her but she hates everyone I put in with her. I even stuck a few goats in there with her during the hurricane, I was sure my big boer buck wouldn't let her boss him around, but she bit the bottom of his ear off, the poor baby. So yet again she is by herself.
Her new thing these past few months has been puffing up, trying to chase me around, and fight me. So I have to watch my back every time I go in to feed her, she is a slow runner so its like watching a wild animal attack you in slow motion but more scary than you would imagine lol.
I just dont know what to do with her anymore. I feel bad keeping her locked up alone, cant hatch babies off her (was my main goal at first) because she doesnt like to be around boys.
And I dont want to pawn her off to someone thats going to have trouble with her or eat her. Her beard is now around 5-6 inches long. She hasnt drummed or gobbled in over a year, guessing its because she is the only turkey around. But sassy as ever and very vocal, when she is mad she will pace and make a whistle howl noise lol. Still puffs up if you talk to her. I have to say, over the years I have had some weird "farm stories" but this is probably one of my funniest experiences looking back, so I thought I would share hahaha. Have yall ever experienced a hen this dominant? I havent been around many turkeys other than these few, so I am clueless if this is normal.
I love it hahaha. 
