Got my tom...don't know if he will last

[cashela]

So I picked up the Narragansett tom today. He is just under a year old, very nice looking bird, missing most of his tail feathers, I guess they had had him in with a pair of Royal Palms and they got after him a lot. He was living with a flock of chickens. Brought him home, and put him in the cage while my BBW hen, rooster and chicken were out free ranging. He sure is a gobbler. Tried to introduce them a few minutes ago. Yeah, I'm not so sure about this. He went right to my hen and they started making all sorts of turkey sounds and I thought ok, lets see if she flops on the ground for him like she does when I go near her. Nope. I had a big ole turkey fight. First they started by grabbing each others heads and she managed to grab him beak and all and had him by the head and wouldn't let him go. I broke it up and then they started jumping at each other, so I broke that up and put him back in the pen.

I was glad that he didn't try to come at me while I was breaking up the fight.

So, are they going to keep on fighting? Cause I have to tell ya, I don't know if I have the heart to watch my beloved BBW brawl. I'm going to seperate them tonight cause I don't want to wake up to a dead turkey. *sigh* It's easier with horses, they beat the crap out of one another and it's done. Turkey fights aren't nice. So I guess we will see, who knows he might end up at one of the chicken swaps and I'll just have to be content with my beloved hen.

 

[poultryfan73]

Well whenever you introduce any kind of new poultry to your flock fighting is always going to happen. What i found best was to add the new member at night then in thee morning they wake up to eachother. They still fight but its not as bad. They will eventually be buddies.

 

[tannersmith2000]

hey there

yeah they fight in order to sustain a pecking order but it usually doesnt last too long. they will become friends and will fight again if seperated even for a day. the wild turkeys keep my bourbon reds in check about every day.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

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[chickenannie]

Honestly, I've never heard of a tom fighting a hen. Usually it's toms fighting toms. She may have perceived him as an invader. Can you keep him in a separate wire pen for a few days within their area, so they can see each other and kindof get used to each other a bit before they are in the same actual space?

If his tail is gone, he could be molting. Or, like you said he could've been bothered by the other turkeys where he lived before.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

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They were making the pecking order. Happened to me when i bought my jenny.

 

[cashela]

Things seem to be a lot better this morning. I seperated them but they were still right next to each other and could see each other through the wire, there was a lot of strange turkey noises going on. This morning I let them all out to free range. The tom is a lot less aggressive, my hen is still puffed up a bit and chasing him around but he is backing off and not fighting with her. He seems to be a little interested in my chicken. LOL. He sure does gobble a lot

 

[megshenhut]

Yeah, and he will keep on gobbling. Forever!