Kaye's free range turkey thread

[HeavensHens88]

Hello!
My friend's Eastern Wild tom has proven to be a true nut. (Okay, I do REALIZE that every fowl has a good reason to behave the way it does...) He is eight months old. He resides with two females and a brother in a 10 by 8 coop along with 3 Barred Rock hens and their massive roo. They have a 20 by 15 open outdoor pen with a covered top that the birds are permitted to access daily. They have a constant supply of turkey maintainer pellet and scratch grains; of course, water is ALWAYS available. My friend would really love some input on this traumatizing turkey before he does even more damage to himself or his flockmates.
I wish I could assist my friend more with my own poultry know-how, but my knowledge of turkey behavior is limited.
RELOCATING HIM TO THE POT IS NOT AN OPTION!!!!
*UPDATE* All chickens have been moved to a separate coop to prevent more wounds!
Here is the current list of this tom's charges:

1. He attacks the wall.
Before he is let loose in the pen at 7 AM daily, the tom repeatedly rams the wall with his whole body for no apparent reason. He also will run back inside during the day and launch himself off of the perch into the wall.
2. Charges walls of pens.
After he is let out into the pen and after finishing his daily buffet of grass, he will begin to dive into the poultry fencing. Sometimes this ritual will cease after two or three launches; other times it will go on for a half hour or more.
3. He attacked the rooster.
I do realize that chickens and turkeys should NEVER be housed together under ANY circumstance. They grew up together, though, and so my friend mistakenly thought it would be okay to leave them together for a few more weeks until the chickens' new coop was finished. Unfortunately, MISTAKE. My friend opened the coop yesterday to find a very bloody rooster. His comb had been torn apart in numerous spots and literally the entire comb was bleeding. Mr.Tom's beak was covered in discriminating red evidence.

Luckily, after a treatment of flour and A+D ointment, he recovered. After this episode, the chickens were temporarily relocated to the garage until their coop is completed.
4. He NEVER deflates!

The turkey NEVER stops fanning!!! His owner has never seen him deflated and looking normal!! He fans while he eats, while he perches, and EVEN WHEN HE SLEEPS!!

So, is this turkey retarded and non-redeemable, or can he be reformed?!

Any input is appreciated!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He sounds completely out of his mind. Turkeys are known for being extremely persistent. I assume there's a reason behind his behavior, but what it is?? He could be merely trying to get out. And he might not be getting enough exercise is he's never let out of the pen. Their area is small for a young energetic bird to burn off extra energy. He may just need some good exercise. Mine will occasionally run up and down their roughly 100 foot run when they don't get let out enough.

 

[HeavensHens88]

Once he bears a small attachment to his home, his owner plans to let him loose for brief periods... but, as it is currently, he is guessed to immediately fly off, but who knows? Trial by flying!

The pen is also surrounded by fifty acres of predator-laden woodland, including bears and coyotes...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So he's new to the pen?

 

[HeavensHens88]

Pen was just built a month ago for the young turkeys, but the owner bought them, straight-run *grimace*, from a local breeder and raised them from a day old.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's possible he is still trying to return to wherever he was kept before, or he might be trying to get to the chickens. Turkeys are a bit different than other poultry, and CNN get some goofy ideas. I would assume after a while his behavior will improve. I have had turkeys fence walk so much to get on the other side that they rubbed the snood off. Turkeys are stubborn.

 

[BantamTurkey]

Wow!! Crazy turkey. Has he been in the pen for a month?? That should be long enough to be accustomed to the new environment, but as was mentioned, turkeys are persistent and stubborn. I'm not really sure what your friend needs to do here.
The others are accustomed to the pen?? If so, I say let them out during the day. If the others are truly accustomed to the pen, the crazy jake will more than likely follow the rest when they go to bed. They usually remember where they get their food from. lol. So I doubt he'll go far

 

[BantamTurkey]

Put the turkeys up. I have poachers around that would have no problem killing hens. They started laying and every night something would take the eggs. So, I said I will be the only one getting those eggs. I have two from today. I wonder why my other hen isn't laying yet. I mean, this is earlier than it's supposed to be, but I am just surprised that she is behind the other two....
Both of my Serama hens are broody and my little Roos have no clue what to do with themselves. They just follow me around now. It's pitiful, really. I mean, now they have nothing else to do but either follow me or fight with each other (Lucky and Rice. Dumplin' doesn't fight, he just stays to himself), so I guess I'd rather they follow me than hurt each other....
and my OEGB with a broken neck is doing amazing. She has been dosed and wormed and is back with the other hen and their rooster. I knew she had it in her!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My birds are all hyped up for spring too. My bantam roosters are fighting, my standard breeds roosters are sparing and posturing, and my Tom turkeys were fighting.

My older blue tom lost to the other two older toms, and was constantly being chased by the two young toms so we decided it was best to butcher them out. So I'm back down to 4 toms, and 10 hens.

My turkeys aren't laying yet but it is finally warming up here, and I think we will have an early spring.

Good to hear your chicken is doing better. Those game birds are feisty.

 

[MontainBourbons]

My turkeys will be happy for spring whith my acre of clover and alfalfa. Sadly with living in the mountains that won't be till may . But I do have fodder for them right now, they love it. 23 bourbon red turkeys, soon to be more.