Merging young turkeys with established breeding trio

[Indigosands]

I could use some advice on how to blend a turkey flock. I cannot free range them unfortunately, in order to easily introduce them. I have a breeding trio that is just under 2 yrs old and three of their offspring, approx 4 1/2mos old that I need to add to the trio's pen. Right now, I have them in the same pen in a temporary enclosure to introduce them through the fencing. I am concerned that my Tom will kill the young turkeys if he can get access to them. He seems protective of them but on the other hand, he could be sizing them up too. They are about half the size of my 2yr hens. The Tom is aggressive to humans and will be gracing my thanksgiving table this Nov. Do turkey Toms respond by protecting the new flock additions as a rooster would or is an attack more likely? I would hate to lose them at this stage. Add them, they'll be fine.... or wait until the Tom is butchered to blend them?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I put mine in a temporary enclosure inside the run, I start at about 4 weeks, they stay in this enclosure until the get big enough not to squeeze through the welded wire. Then one day I let them out, I haven't seen any aggression except for occasional pecks usually from hens, mine run off by themselves, and stay to their own group for a good year, if your Tom is aggressive to poults that would be unusual as most toms seem to want to look out for them.