Having a turkey tom??

22lilchickens

Chirping
5 Years
Oct 3, 2014
166
7
61
Virginia
I have a bourbon red hen because she was the only one that survived out of 4, But we would like to have a tom too. But i'm worried about him becoming aggressive. Is there anything I can do to keep him from becoming aggressive??
 
I have a bourbon red hen because she was the only one that survived out of 4, But we would like to have a tom too. But i'm worried about him becoming aggressive. Is there anything I can do to keep him from becoming aggressive??

My toms are never aggressive to people. The way I accomplish this is to make sure that I do not allow the turkeys to imprint on me. I want them to know that there is a difference between people and turkeys. Unfortunately for a lot of people, doing it my way means never making pets of your turkeys.
 
Perhaps we've been lucky, but we currently have 6 toms and all have been hand-raised with regular human interaction and none have become aggressive. Our females, however not aggressive, are not one bit interested in being petted or held with the exception of one girl we kept inside longer just because she was super cute and friendly.
 
My toms are never aggressive to people. The way I accomplish this is to make sure that I do not allow the turkeys to imprint on me. I want them to know that there is a difference between people and turkeys. Unfortunately for a lot of people, doing it my way means never making pets of your turkeys.

Yep. I don't spend time around them when they're young. Of course I don't let them into my house or care to hand-feed them either.

I've never had a turkey get aggressive. Now I wish I could say the same about this spunky little sebright rooster that bushwhacks me every time I turn around
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Turkeys can be like guard dogs i had a tom 5 years ago and never attacked me but my brother who never went to the barn went to collect chicken eggs one day and came face to face with him, the tom chased him out of the barn lol.
 
I just got a young Tom (approx 20 weeks old) two weeks ago to pair with my two females (will he mate with both??) and he seems friendly enough. I also am not sure how to ensure he remains friendly toward people.
My two hens (approx 30 weeks old) were the only two that survived out of a clutch that was abandoned by their mother. My neighbour passed them to me over the fence at one month old and they lived in our house for months. The eat out of my hands and one loves to be petted. I'm hoping that the Tom follows suit.
Oh, and the hens make more noise than the dogs when strangers come to visit!
 
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You need to show him who is boss, without being mean, and reinforce it. Or you need to dispatch him after gathering some fertile eggs.

At night when he is roosting, wearing heavy protective gear including a hat, safety goggles, long heavy zipped up farm coat, and high cuff gloves, remove him from the roost while wrapping your arm around his wings and body. If he is a heritage breed, it won't be so hard. On light breeds, I will hold them by the shanks and let them hang for up to a minute while talking to them and stroking them. In this position, you are in control. Another option, necessary for broad breasted turkeys to prevent injury, is to set him on the floor at night and press on his shoulders until he sits. Again talk to him and stroke him. It may take several days of handling to get him used to it. He probably won't like it, but properly dressed and held down he can't hurt you with his claws, spurs, or wing primaries. Just watch his beak so that he doesn't get near your face. I can pick up my toms any time, anywhere, with no complaints because I handled them a lot. The one I raised from an egg and the one I bought at 18 weeks behave the same.

In the daytime between "attitude adjustments", feed treats away from the barn, in your territory. When the hens come to you, he will likely follow even though he may not partake. Once he figures out your hens like you better than him, and that you are bigger and stronger than him, and that you are not a threat to him or his harem's safety, he should calm down. If not, you will have to do away with him for your safety.

Good luck!
 
You need to show him who is boss, without being mean, and reinforce it. Or you need to dispatch him after gathering some fertile eggs.

At night when he is roosting, wearing heavy protective gear including a hat, safety goggles, long heavy zipped up farm coat, and high cuff gloves, remove him from the roost while wrapping your arm around his wings and body. If he is a heritage breed, it won't be so hard. On light breeds, I will hold them by the shanks and let them hang for up to a minute while talking to them and stroking them. In this position, you are in control. Another option, necessary for broad breasted turkeys to prevent injury, is to set him on the floor at night and press on his shoulders until he sits. Again talk to him and stroke him. It may take several days of handling to get him used to it. He probably won't like it, but properly dressed and held down he can't hurt you with his claws, spurs, or wing primaries. Just watch his beak so that he doesn't get near your face. I can pick up my toms any time, anywhere, with no complaints because I handled them a lot. The one I raised from an egg and the one I bought at 18 weeks behave the same.

In the daytime between "attitude adjustments", feed treats away from the barn, in your territory. When the hens come to you, he will likely follow even though he may not partake. Once he figures out your hens like you better than him, and that you are bigger and stronger than him, and that you are not a threat to him or his harem's safety, he should calm down. If not, you will have to do away with him for your safety.

Good luck!
Thank you SO much for taking the time! My husband randomly does this to him during the day (just picks him up and handles him) but he's a big guy!
He does follow when the hens (mostly chickens - the hangs with them and one of my turkey hens - the other is busy raising two chicken chicks that she hatched!) when they run to me for treats and he takes treats from me all the time.

It never occurred to me that he thinks he's trying to keep his harem safe, as my girls are spoiled and follow me everywhere

How do I tell if he is being aggressive towards me or if he thinks I'm something to mate with? This all started one day when I was sitting on the porch - he had only ever saw me standing - and he started to come up to me and make a trilling sound and rubbed the back of his head on his neck/back.
Is there some sort of turkey communication manual out there?
Oh, and if this works, how do I keep my kids safe? They are 8 and 9 yrs old and he has chased them both. He got too close for their comfort, they ran and he chased. Now I can't send my kids into the barn to collect eggs etc because I am new all this and not sure what's going on. I put him out of the barn each morning and now he and the chickens stay at the back of the property whereas everyone had free run and were always at my doorstep and greeted me when I got out of the car. I miss that, but not the stepping in chicken/turkey poop at my front door part :)
 
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Pls I need help I have 10 hens and 1 tom they are now 8months old but they haven't start laying and I do feed them with layers mash
 

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