I am confused as to why this happened?

[Michael Mellen]

I went to my turkey pen today and found feathers everywhere! Nothing got into the pen, but found one of my turkey hens nearly featherless, piled into the corner breathing hard. I might would expect this if it were a tom, but this is a hen. Why would the rest pick on a hen? This confuses me.

I do not think she is going to make it, unfortunately. I hate to lose any of my birds........

 

[Michael Mellen]

I forgot to mention that they are 24 weeks old, 9 toms and 3 hens

 

[My3ChicksMBD]

I'm sorry this happened. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how that happened. Maybe another bird (hawk or something) came down and pecked at it. I'm sorry; just a guess. I'm not sure how it happened.

 

[Michael Mellen]

The pen is secured and I can't see how anything could get in. I probably should put some cameras out there to keep an eye on to see what is going on.

 

[Celie]

That's about 6 months old when toms start battling for pecking order and start maturing sexually. Too many toms in a pen with only 3 hens could lead to too much mating of heavier males on the lighter hens and nowhere for the hens to escape to? I don't know if that is your problem, but 9 toms to 3 hens will be a big problem, sooner or later! Especially if they are penned!

 

[Michael Mellen]

Celie, I do think that is the problem! I went back out to watch them, and they were fighting fiercely with each other. I pulled all the hens out and took them over to my brothers chicken yard. I then pulled out one of the toms that was fighting and threw him out of the pen. They are still picking on each other but not as bad as they were. If they survive until the weekend, it will be butchering time for several of them!

 

[Back2Roots]

REALLY?!?! 9 toms and 3 hens!?!?! IMHO, that is a gang rape. What did you expect?!?! Those poor hens.

 

[Back2Roots]

I apologize for my last post - it was a knee-jerk reaction. I do want to say, though, that your ratio of toms to hens is reversed, at best. A Tom's main drive is to procreate, and if you have 6 of them with only 3 hens, they will inevitably fight for mating rights. It is not their fault that trouble ensued. I strongly encourage you to do some research on what is a good ratio of toms to hens. Thank you.