Has anyone successfully tamed a mean tom?

[SarahGfa]

When I get in the pen, I am Brief with him. I noticed he doesn't like me hanging out too long..so I respect his space. I bring him food aand water, tell him good morning, I gently rub his head and kiss his head then walk away.
BUT when I sat down on the ground to be with him, he started walking on my legs, acting more aggressive so I quickly realized That is not a good idea. He is teaching me how to properly care for him as im sure your Tom will teach you.

My Tom would never let me kiss his head... lol... he won't let me come within 6 feet of him. He is good at Social distancing.
UNLESS my back is turned, or if I am not paying attention, then he will sneak up and smack me, then take off.

 

[SarahGfa]

He also does the same thing to my dad that he is doing to you. Does getting water off his tarp make a loud noise? (If you have a tarp over your birds...)

I don't have a tarp. It used to be that he would start acting aggressive when I was catching chickens to process them (sound of chickens sqwaking caused him to get agitated and start fighting). But he has been aggressive ever since then. (only when I am around. He is calm and nice when I am out of sight.)

 

[Aklady318]

My Tom would never let me kiss his head... lol... he won't let me come within 6 feet of him. He is good at Social distancing.
UNLESS my back is turned, or if I am not paying attention, then he will sneak up and smack me, then take off.

Naughty turkey!! Lol
It has been quite a learning curve, having turkeys. I thought..."how much Different from chickens Can they Be"? haha yeah they are Way different. Very unique and gorgeous.
I know they have excellent hearing so I constantly talk to them.
If I'm in the pen and I'm messing with a hen, he will come up and chest bump me and that's my que that it's time to exit the area.
It's a Dance, thats for sure, learning each others behaviors and intentions.
I hope you two find your footing soon ✌

 

[007Sean]

You can never know what's going through a tom's brain!
I had a couple of wild Rio Grade toms. Raised them from 2 or 3 days old. They were tame but I never could turn my back on them, they would sneak up from behind and try to throttle ya.
A loud noise would make them gobble...that was quite funny!

Decided it needed a nap on my lap!

Saw me coming to them and starting to drum and strut...the start of being aggressive towards me.

When they started displaying and drumming at me, doing that 'side step' thing, it would lead to them being aggressive towards me. I just stood my ground and they would lose interest and move on.
I never thought to put them in freezer camp but sometimes wish I had...not fun getting throttled by a 30lb. gobbler.

 

[My2butterflies]

You can never know what's going through a tom's brain!
I had a couple of wild Rio Grade toms. Raised them from 2 or 3 days old. They were tame but I never could turn my back on them, they would sneak up from behind and try to throttle ya.
A loud noise would make them gobble...that was quite funny!
View attachment 2555663
Decided it needed a nap on my lap!

View attachment 2555664
Saw me coming to them and starting to drum and strut...the start of being aggressive towards me.

When they started displaying and drumming at me, doing that 'side step' thing, it would lead to them being aggressive towards me. I just stood my ground and they would lose interest and move on.
I never thought to put them in freezer camp but sometimes wish I had...not fun getting throttled by a 30lb. gobbler.

That picture of you working on the car reminded me of the picture I took last weekend.
Hubby was fixing some wires on the truck when the boys came over to investigate and hang out.

They strut all the time and have recently started drumming towards each other now and then in a kinda dance. The aggression I’ve seen so far is mostly towards our dogs. Specifically my husbands black and white pitbull.

 

[SarahGfa]

You can never know what's going through a tom's brain!
I had a couple of wild Rio Grade toms. Raised them from 2 or 3 days old. They were tame but I never could turn my back on them, they would sneak up from behind and try to throttle ya.
A loud noise would make them gobble...that was quite funny!
View attachment 2555663
Decided it needed a nap on my lap!

That is the cutest thing!

This is my turkey every morning... he runs up to me and says "wanna fight?"

I will give him until the end of breeding season (May or June?) . If he calms down i'll get him some hens and keep him. Otherwise ... i will invite everyone over for turkey dinner.

 

[H-B-O]

Only turkey. He hatched with other poults but he is the only one who survived.

Or get more chicks let him raise them and they can be his "Babys"

 

[H-B-O]

That picture of you working on the car reminded me of the picture I took last weekend.
Hubby was fixing some wires on the truck when the boys came over to investigate and hang out.
View attachment 2555688
They strut all the time and have recently started drumming towards each other now and then in a kinda dance. The aggression I’ve seen so far is mostly towards our dogs. Specifically my husbands black and white pitbull.

I have royal palms too

 

[My2butterflies]

That is the cutest thing!

This is my turkey every morning... he runs up to me and says "wanna fight?"
View attachment 2555918

I will give him until the end of breeding season (May or June?) . If he calms down i'll get him some hens and keep him. Otherwise ... i will invite everyone over for turkey dinner.

Gorgeous boy! I hope he mellows out for you.

I have royal palms too

So pretty! I love royal palms

 

[H-B-O]

Gorgeous boy! I hope he mellows out for you.

So pretty! I love royal palms

Yeah they are my fav breed