Introducing a new turkey

[cashela]

So I am getting a tom on Saturday. How do I go about introducing him to my BBW hen and two chickens?

 

[Buffer]

Get her drunk first...

 

[cashela]

lol

 

[Struttn1]

Open the cage door and point him in the direction of the hen. He will be eager to introduce himself.

 

[Struttn1]

Oh by the way, I would keep him penned for a couple of weeks or so. I have turned just purchased birds loose and had to chase them down with the 4 wheeler. Their first instinct is to go back to the flock they have been removed from.

 

[VerlonCox]

Hey...............how about keeping him in a pen away from your current flock for a while to MAKE SURE that he hasn't gotten a disease that will infect your others. I am one of those "organic" guys and I wouldn't let a new tom no where near my hens or other birds until I felt comfortable. I have a HUGE pen (sorta like a dog pen) that I put them in on the far side of the farm. They still talk to each other but they cant get to each other. I know that you are anxious but I think patience is the key with stuff like this. You can run a little DE through him and on him and keep his feed, water and droppings away from the others.

I do like the post about getting her drunk.............

 

[Struttn1]

Good point about quarantining the new bird and yeah the get r drunk was good.

 

[cashela]

Good point. I've quarantined horses before, don't know why I didn't think to do it with a bird.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Their first instinct isnt to get back to their original flock. I didnt even quarantine my hen and she was fine. Just treat her like your other birds.

 

[cashela]

LOL I figure if he is going to take off well then all the power to him.