Has anyone successfully tamed a mean tom?

[SarahGfa]

I borrowed "Illumination in the Flatwoods" by Joe Hutto. He incubated a batch of wild turkey eggs and raised the poults. There is a movie based on the book, called "My Life as a Turkey."

In the book, all the turkeys eventually leave and rejoin the wild turkeys, but one jake called "Turkey Boy" comes back. When "Turkey Boy" is almost 2 years old, he suddenly attacks Joe and won't stop. Joe tried pushing him away and hitting him with a tree branch, but "Turkey Boy" keeps attacking. Joe tries to lie down and surrender, and the turkey tries to peck him to death while lying face down on the ground. This goes on for weeks, and Joe is scared to leave the house.

Then Joe gets Depo-Provera for the turkey. It's a hormone injection that reduces aggression. The turkey got sick with blackhead around the same time, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it. After recovering from blackhead, the turkey is tame and friendly again, and stays that way until the end of the year. "Turkey Boy" leaves to join the wild turkeys before the start of next breeding season, and never comes back.

 

[My2butterflies]

I borrowed "Illumination in the Flatwoods" by Joe Hutto. He incubated a batch of wild turkey eggs and raised the poults. There is a movie based on the book, called "My Life as a Turkey."

In the book, all the turkeys eventually leave and rejoin the wild turkeys, but one jake called "Turkey Boy" comes back. When "Turkey Boy" is almost 2 years old, he suddenly attacks Joe and won't stop. Joe tried pushing him away and hitting him with a tree branch, but "Turkey Boy" keeps attacking. Joe tries to lie down and surrender, and the turkey tries to peck him to death while lying face down on the ground. This goes on for weeks, and Joe is scared to leave the house.

Then Joe gets Depo-Provera for the turkey. It's a hormone injection that reduces aggression. The turkey got sick with blackhead around the same time, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it. After recovering from blackhead, the turkey is tame and friendly again, and stays that way until the end of the year. "Turkey Boy" leaves to join the wild turkeys before the start of next breeding season, and never comes back.

Oh, boy.
Are wild turkeys just more prone to being aggressive? My sister lives in the cities and they have wild turkeys in the neighborhoods. They will keep people from getting to their cars and chase them around.
Since imprinting wouldn’t be the cause, maybe some other reason?

 

[SarahGfa]

Oh, boy.
Are wild turkeys just more prone to being aggressive? My sister lives in the cities and they have wild turkeys in the neighborhoods. They will keep people from getting to their cars and chase them around.
Since imprinting wouldn’t be the cause, maybe some other reason?

I read more about Depo Provera. It is actually drug that stops the body from producing hormones. It can be used as birth control for women, and it is sometimes given to violent sex offenders to stop their behavior.\

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3800592

This is a research study that measured testosterone levels in eastern Wild Turkeys raised in captivity and caught in the wild. "wild" Wild Turkeys have higher testosterone levels than the ones in captivity, even though they are the same breed. Maybe it is diet? Or maybe they become that way because they have to constantly fight to stay alive.

There are lots of funny videos of wild turkeys chasing people.

 

[SarahGfa]

Here is another research study. A zoo used Deslorelin implants to reduce testosterone and make their male turkeys less aggressive.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/24625428

 

[MaryTheChickenLover]

I had an aggressive rooster a while ago. He would chase me and try to bite and cut me. Whenever he would try to hurt me I would kick him and chase him. It only took two times of me doing that to show him that I was in charge and was not going to put up with his behavior. Now he doesn't even try to hurt me. It might be different with turkeys, but I'd think it's got to be somewhat similar. Poor thing, he is only attacking you because he thinks you are going to take away the rest of his family. Hope this helps!

 

[SarahGfa]

I just wanted to post an update. It is now May and the turkey is back to being a sweetheart who follows us around the yard. His aggression pretty much exactly matched the testosterone chart I posted.