dominating hen

[chikibabe]

New to turkeys and as curious as the bird itself. Came by a pair of bronze turkeys at the local auction, just sumthing about them, made me stick my hand up. They looked like a perfect young pair. Took them home and for two months not a problem.
Then . . .
As they came to breeding age, not sure excatly how old they are, but the facts were my tom had just started to get his beard and the hen had layed her second egg in consecutive days.
Everything was fine, i did notice my tom was displaying quite frequently to her and decided as they had been with me for two months and were quite settled and happy at their new home, to give them a little more space and freedom, and let them out of their quite large and roomy pen, to freerange outside.
Thats when the trouble started . . .
My tom noticed himself in the reflection of the back glass door to the house. He became quite infactuated with himself. Displaying infront of his reflection.
.he carried this on for some twenty minutes. Looking back i proberly should have chased him away but couldnt help but watch him strut in awe. He carried on till the hen left and went back to the turkey pen to lay another egg, he promptly followed her back to the pen. I locked them away and went to have lunch.
A little while later . . .
My tom and my hen, whom i thought were a great pair and very much in love, were now trying to kill eachother.
Wrestling each other in neck breaking holds as they bit each others snoods and tryed pulling each other to the ground.
I tried to break them up, everytime i did though, the hen would run back and start on the tom again. She was even displaying her tail feathers like a tom. Quite scary to watch, i couldnt beleve my once happy couple, were now fighting like enemies for life.
With no other option but to seperate them i did.
Two days later, they either had to get on or 1 had to go, so i opened the gate. After a quick wrestle, it seemed the hen emerged boss. The tom was shying away from her. The tom was now second at feed time and the hen would dominate him at the foodtray, (they now have a feed tray each)

and im of course tapping away wondering what went on. . .
Is this normal behaviour? Was it because the tom saw his reflection and thinks there is another male on the property? Is the hen sore and tired from laying her 1st egg? Did the hen just put the tom in his place and teach him respect for women? Would i be better to seperate them when its not breeding season? Would adding more hens (im thinking and wanting two more atleast) be a better living arrangement? They havnt had a fight since and the hen definatly rules the turkey house. . . .

 

[Alexander]

Firstly

Now about your problem that's the first time ive heard this.I dont know what to say.At least as long as they are not fighting and noone gets hurt then i suppose its fine.I am quite surprised the hen dominated the tom.

 

[chikibabe]

thankyou Alexander for your welcome and reply. I thought this story may surprise some people as it sure surprised me. I was quick to blame the tom for the arguments and was totally surprised it was the hen that was picking the fight and carrying it on.
I think my hen has given a whole new meaning to 'tom boy' perhaps sumthing to do with her broodyness, but unusual as she displays no interest in her eggs and is definatly not sitting on them.
Im with you tho, as long as they arnt fighting and trying to tear each other apart its ok.
An interesting breeding season ahead it seems, if theres a breeding season for this pair at all.
Il be sure to keep you all updated on the next episode of 'the bold and the beautifull' turkeys and keep you informed of the 'days of our lives' lol.