Help for a lonely turkey

[LucyGoosey1]

Hello,

We have a female turkey that is housed in a separate coop because she was becoming aggressive with our ducks, goose, and chickens. We were going to house her with a chicken she was raised with, an Ameraucana , but our hen was unfortunately killed by the other chicken the night before her separate coop was ready!

Now our turkey is alone and doesn't seem to like it much, but I don't want to put one of the other birds with them because she might hurt them. We plan to get 1 or 2 more Ameraucanas and get rid of the murderous brown chicken. If we house one of the new Ameraucanas with the turkey, is she likely to get along - could she tell that, in fact, the new bird isn't her old friend she was raised with?

Or do you have any other suggestions as to what we can do for her so she's less lonely? Getting another turkey isn't an option because of space limitations.

Thank you.

 

[mdeford09]

Aww, poor little lady!

Honestly, it is going to be a tough call on what is right here.



I have raised hundreds of turkeys and I am currently sitting with a Total of 15. Turkeys are quite intelligent and EXTREMELY social. They even mourn the loss of family/flock members.

Ontop of that, raising Turkeys along side chickens is risky business. I don't even know how many chickens I have due to having so many and I try to keep them separated at all times and illnesses still get spread between birds. Blackhead, fowl pox, etc. It isn't impossible to allow them to coexist but, it is risky and takes extra care and knowledge.

My honest recommendations are these. Either A, get a second turkey. B, donate your pretty lady to a good home.... If you live close to DFW in Texas I will gladly donate you a beautiful heritage Red Bronze Tom or take your hen off of your hands. All of my birds are pets and are treated as so. So, I know how hard it is to see them suffer and to let them go. In fact, I just this morning had to put down 2 of my young turkeys due to cancer and it has been rough day. (there is a post on here about it, actually)