Do Hens Fight Toms?

[Blueluzu]

My two turkeys started fighting today and they acted pretty aggressive. We thought one of my turkeys was a hen, she even acted like a hen for a while and started being aggressive toward our Tom. Can someone help me with this? Here is a picture of the turkey we thought was a hen.



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[oldhenlikesdogs]

Generally hens fight hens, and toms fight toms. I haven't seen a hen and Tom fight. It looks like a hen, but old is it?

 

[R2elk]

My two turkeys started fighting today and they acted pretty aggressive. We thought one of my turkeys was a hen, she even acted like a hen for a while and started being aggressive toward our Tom. Can someone help me with this? Here is a picture of the turkey we thought was a hen.

She is still a hen. Until dominance is clearly established, all turkeys regardless of sex will have pecking order disputes.

The first BBBs that I had went through something similar. From very early on, one particular hen was the dominant turkey in a trio of two hens and one tom. When the tom finally got to the point that he felt he should be dominant, the fight was on. Their fight lasted for 3 days (all day long fights) before he finally beat the dominant hen and took over as master of the flock.

It may take time but your turkeys will work their issues out.

 

[Blueluzu]

Generally hens fight hens, and toms fight toms. I haven't seen a hen and Tom fight. It looks like a hen, but old is it?

About 2 and a half months

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They must be broad breasted? They look,much bigger than mine do.

 

[justin shrew]

as said by R2elk, hens can fight off with toms. it usually happens when the tom is younger than the hen and is trying to take over as a dominant male.

 

[Indyshent]

Sounds about the right age. He'll get bigger and more assertive as they age, and eventually she'll long for his *ahem* company. It takes longer with some birds than others when it comes to pecking order. I've never had two go at it for days straight, but I have seen short spats (few minutes generally) that happened sporadically over days, weeks or months between the same group of birds.

If a tom is already around when girls are growing up (even if he's not much older), I've never seen the girls reject his authority. If the girl is older than he is or if they've grown up together from poults, I've seen dominant hens challenge the boy(s). Female-male dominance battling isn't as long and fierce-- in my experience--as male-male. As soon as she starts getting ready to lay, she'll acquiesce, if not we'll before.