Help! Turkey hens calling all day long

[LeeM]

Hi Everyone! Just joined and I have a question about our bourbon red turkey hens. We have been raising bbr’s for 4 years now but last year and this year some of our hens make this very noisy call almost all day long starting at 5 am sometimes earlier and we cannot quite figure out why. I have uploaded a video of it and hopefully someone here can help. It is getting to the point where the noise level all day is having us consider not continuing with them Any help to figure this out and help us move forward raising them would really be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Molpet]

Hi Everyone! Just joined and I have a question about our bourbon red turkey hens. We have been raising bbr’s for 4 years now but last year and this year some of our hens make this very noisy call almost all day long starting at 5 am sometimes earlier and we cannot quite figure out why. I have uploaded a video of it and hopefully someone here can help. It is getting to the point where the noise level all day is having us consider not continuing with them Any help to figure this out and help us move forward raising them would really be appreciated. Thanks!

Do you have any Tom's?
Mine do that when they are looking for a perfect place to lay eggs or calling for a tom

 

[LeeM]

Do you have any Tom's?
Mine do that when they are looking for a perfect place to lay eggs or calling for a tom

We do have a tom. His name is Burt. I included his pic because we just love this guy. We also still have one of his sons at the moment and 5 hens. All are Burt’s offspring kept from one year or another.
Do you have any suggestions on how to ‘help’ her figure things so she quiets down in the spring and summer? Our hens previous did not do this to this extent.

 

[Molpet]

We do have a tom. His name is Burt. I included his pic because we just love this guy. View attachment 2181923We also still have one of his sons at the moment and 5 hens. All are Burt’s offspring kept from one year or another.
Do you have any suggestions on how to ‘help’ her figure things so she quiets down in the spring and summer? Our hens previous did not do this to this extent.

Do you take all of the eggs?
If you do they keep looking for a safer spot. Try marking and leaving at least one in the nests.
Some are just a chatty Cathy though.

 

[NatJ]

I don't know turkeys, but can you tell the females apart? Do they all make noise, or just some?

If only some are noisy, then eating those ones might be one option.

Do you take all of the eggs?
If you do they keep looking for a safer spot. Try marking and leaving at least one in the nests.

Or put turkey-sized fake eggs in the nests?

 

[Molpet]

I don't know turkeys, but can you tell the females apart? Do they all make noise, or just some?

If only some are noisy, then eating those ones might be one option.



Or put turkey-sized fake eggs in the nests?

My first hen could tell the difference between a turkey egg, a fake egg and chicken eggs. She would hop the fence looking for that perfect spot until I left a turkey egg.... although last year when her 2nd clutch failed, she took over a chicken nest ready to hatch. She protected those pullets until spring. LOL