Male turkeys brutally fighting

[Jamorem]

Hey there everybody. So in July I hatched 2 royal palm turkeys and they have lived together with 4 chickens since then happily without any fighting or aggression. As of Saturday they decided out of nowhere that they wanted each other dead, and have been fighting since then even after being separated for several nights they just pick up right where they left off. Is it possible that they ever get along again of no. It was nasty fighting drawing blood and neck pecking and smacking. I am going to give one to someone I know with no turkeys just chickens since I’ve never had them being aggressive to the chickens what are the chances that he will do this with there chickens or is it not probable. Any help is appreciated thanks.

 

[Kung_pao]

They will kill chickens also. They’ll try to mate and flatten them. Keep an eye on them.

 

[Jamorem]

They will kill chickens also. They’ll try to mate and flatten them. Keep an eye on them.

Alright thanks. Do you think it will be a problem with new chickens?

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I had to room my aggressive tom because he was actually attacking one of my turkey hens. He was as sweet as a button and then all of a sudden (I guess as he reached full maturity and full hormones) he became a not-so-nice dude. He's living a happy bachelor life now on a friend's farm and seems happier. I think he felt like he had to be a tough guy around my turkey hens. He even started going after me and my kids. I was so sad because I thought we'd have him forever, but it wasn't in the cards. Love my turkey hens though.

 

[Kung_pao]

Alright thanks. Do you think it will be a problem with new chickens?

You never know, some do and some don’t.

 

[Jamorem]

I had to room my aggressive tom because he was actually attacking one of my turkey hens. He was as sweet as a button and then all of a sudden (I guess as he reached full maturity and full hormones) he became a not-so-nice dude. He's living a happy bachelor life now on a friend's farm and seems happier. I think he felt like he had to be a tough guy around my turkey hens. He even started going after me and my kids. I was so sad because I thought we'd have him forever, but it wasn't in the cards. Love my turkey hens though.

Yeah it sucks, they were fine but they definitely feel spring in the air. One question, when you say bachelor life is he completely alone or with chickens?

 

[R2elk]

Hey there everybody. So in July I hatched 2 royal palm turkeys and they have lived together with 4 chickens since then happily without any fighting or aggression. As of Saturday they decided out of nowhere that they wanted each other dead, and have been fighting since then even after being separated for several nights they just pick up right where they left off. Is it possible that they ever get along again of no. It was nasty fighting drawing blood and neck pecking and smacking. I am going to give one to someone I know with no turkeys just chickens since I’ve never had them being aggressive to the chickens what are the chances that he will do this with there chickens or is it not probable. Any help is appreciated thanks.

It's breeding season. You have two equal toms. It is going to take time for them to settle their differences. The more you interfere, the longer it will take them.

It is a really bad idea to brood turkeys with chickens. The imprinting causes the turkeys to lose the ability to understand that the chickens are not turkeys.

You need to separate those toms from the chickens. The next thing that is going to happen is those toms are going to start killing the chickens by trying to breed them.

Do not rehome those toms to someone who only has chickens.

 

[R2elk]

Alright thanks. Do you think it will be a problem with new chickens?

Definitely

 

[R2elk]

I had to room my aggressive tom because he was actually attacking one of my turkey hens. He was as sweet as a button and then all of a sudden (I guess as he reached full maturity and full hormones) he became a not-so-nice dude. He's living a happy bachelor life now on a friend's farm and seems happier. I think he felt like he had to be a tough guy around my turkey hens. He even started going after me and my kids. I was so sad because I thought we'd have him forever, but it wasn't in the cards. Love my turkey hens though.

Sounds like you human imprinted him. That is normal behavior for a human imprinted tom.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

Yeah it sucks, they were fine but they definitely feel spring in the air. One question, when you say bachelor life is he completely alone or with chickens?

He's with chickens and so far so good according to my friend. He never went after any of my chickens here, but they didn't co-habitat. They did free-range together though. I found him to just be particularly protective of the turkey hens. That being said, he also attacked one until she almost didn't make it. I did nurse her back to health, but that was the last straw for me. I love my hens too much and now everyone seems so much happier, including the tom.