IMO, Mean Turken Rooster Boys

[BeakSanctuary]

Hi, New here, as you can tell. Started out this year with a barnyard combination from MacMurray Hatchery, which provided me with 10 turken you-guessed-it brown egg layers in March, three geese, three ducks, two turkeys of which two turkens are definitely boys. I call them the Rooster Boys and maybe they're "normal", or maybe they're just extra nasty to the other birds. Would like to know if this is the kind of thing roosters just do. They don't care much for their own NN pullets, though one has a gash on her neck and I can only guess she got some attention, but they run around virtually raping all the other geese, ducks, whatever they can get their hands on. They can take anything down.

Do all rooster bite necks - that must hurt? Do they chase the heck out of flocks of geese, ducks, or turkeys just out for all stroll? All the birds, I'm guessing, are getting fed up with being chased and tackled - sometimes, they work as a team cornering other birds.

I've noticed posts the suggest that this cross-breed interaction could be the consequence of such a thing as a barnyard combination growing up together - boys might not realize they're chasing the wrong species?

They're buff turkens with beautiful red combs and wattles - kind of picture-perfect only they're losing favor in my eyes and I might have to find them another home. Any opinions on whether this is just the way it is for everyone?

 

[nnbreeder]

Usually the NNs are not agressive tword anything but NNs but when you have several cockerels of any breed they form up like a little gang of thugs to see who they can terrorize. Yes when they mate the rooster will hold on to the hen's neck until finished. I would pen all but one of the roosters and see if that helps the situation.

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Thanks, nnbreeder. I'd say you're on the money calling them a gang of thugs, alright. I'll give that a try. So far, they've been respectful of me but not so much on one occassion lately towards my little Pom dog.

These guys are both the friends and the enemies of their favorite/main group, which consists of the non-chickens of the barnyard combination they came with, plus 11 other geese. They all free-range and run together in the field and then the wind changes and /trying to fly with the others and then on a whimsey nn boys start chasing someone mercilessly. Some of the birds balk at going into their home for the night now if they see the nn boys on the doorstep. I know or seem to notice that people mention keeping the rooster/cockerels outside at night.

On the other subject, I think those NN pullets/hens have a pretty difficult time having nothing but skin on their necks, then, except for the lucky ones with enough of a muffler. I like the girls best - have about six buff and two black (my favorites).

I'm still so new at this, but it truly fascinates me and I spend much of the evening after work until dark just hanging out near the coop until time to shut them in. Thanks for the answer!

 

[nnbreeder]

Actually you will find that they tolerate cold very well and mine won't start panting till it gets up over 100 degrees in the summer. Usually the roosters when full grown are just as sweet as can be and tolerate being handled very well as do the hens.

 

[debilorrah]

My Turken acts like a teenaged boy. She is so ornery!!! Funny to watch and faster than the rest too.

And our roo bites the hens necks when they are mating....

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Yes, indeed! They add lots of character and a special comical attitude to what would otherwise be a normal scene. Quite a funny carriage with the long red neck and kind of 2-dimensional torso-look from the side, like, not trying to mock them too much, but a cartoon character.

Would you say the boys could really become more tranquil as time goes on? Sounds like they could become more nice/friendly later - for now, they don't pay me much attention and I'm leery of them, as well. They have a short attention span (or do I?)

I'm thinking I need some betadyne solution to put on the one NN girl's neck if that would do. It looks inflamed and like a purply bump where the skin was broken. I'm sure the bite on the neck alone, even short of infection, can be fatal sometimes considering what a gash it was. Have either of you had to treat the neck gashes? (I'm guessing this sounds bad to other folks and not much of an endearing word on the NN boys.)