Grey Slate Tom Turkey Antics

[RennaeHanson]

I have a Grey Slate Tom Turkey that is turning 1 year next month and lately his behaviors have changed a bit lately and I wanted input from you guys on why this is happening and what to expect. Up to now Tom has been friendly with myself and with visitors however the other day one of my egg customers brought her two little daughters over to meet the chickens and Tom the turkey. Mom and the little girls went into the coop - I stayed outside the coop for the first time and maybe this is why he acted this way? Anyway, they went inside and within a few minutes Tom went after one of the little girls, Mom was right there so she stopped him and I immediately went in and moved him away from the girls and he has not acted that way since but this concerns me. He has also been chasing my Amber link rooster around the pen - not aggressively (yet) but I am concerned this will also get worse. Does anyone have any thoughts on this behavior?

 

[sourland]

Day light period is increasing and so are his Testosterone levels. Do you have turkey hens? If not I'd separate him from your flock as he may try to breed your chicken hens and inadvertently kill them. Do not allow kids near him.

 

[R2elk]

I have a Grey Slate Tom Turkey that is turning 1 year next month and lately his behaviors have changed a bit lately and I wanted input from you guys on why this is happening and what to expect. Up to now Tom has been friendly with myself and with visitors however the other day one of my egg customers brought her two little daughters over to meet the chickens and Tom the turkey. Mom and the little girls went into the coop - I stayed outside the coop for the first time and maybe this is why he acted this way? Anyway, they went inside and within a few minutes Tom went after one of the little girls, Mom was right there so she stopped him and I immediately went in and moved him away from the girls and he has not acted that way since but this concerns me. He has also been chasing my Amber link rooster around the pen - not aggressively (yet) but I am concerned this will also get worse. Does anyone have any thoughts on this behavior?

Your Blue Slate tom is behaving just like a human imprinted tom. As @sourland said, don't trust him around children or any strangers for that matter.

If you don't have turkey hens, your tom is going to try to breed something that he shouldn't and the results will not be good.

 

[RennaeHanson]

Thank you Sourland, I had a turkey hen but she died one day and I haven't found any others to replace her with yet. I will separate him from my chickens immediately. I will not allow children near him again.

 

[RennaeHanson]

Your Blue Slate tom is behaving just like a human imprinted tom. As @sourland said, don't trust him around children or any strangers for that matter.

If you don't have turkey hens, your tom is going to try to breed something that he shouldn't and the results will not be good.

Hmm...human-imprinted, I will have to research that. Thank you for your help.

 

[R2elk]

Hmm...human-imprinted, I will have to research that. Thank you for your help.

Turkey poults imprint very easily. If they are imprinted by a person they lose the ability to understand that there is a difference between turkeys and people.

If they get imprinted by chickens, they lose the ability to understand that there is a difference between chickens and turkeys.