My two toms are attacking my Alpine goat....suggestions?

[farmtotable]

I've raised turkeys for a few years now, and this has never happened before. We have a small herd of goats in our pasture, and two Heritage Bronze turkeys that live with them. They were raised with the goats from chicks. The turkeys are about 8 months old now. Suddenly they are attacking my alpine goat. Like non stop. Full on, jump in the air, try to get her with their talons attacking. And she isn't a small goat. They don't go after the other goats (mostly pygmy/miniature), the alpaca, or the sheep. They leave the chickens alone too. It's just the alpine. I've separated them for now, but I will have to either completely reconfigure my pasture area or eat the turkeys if this doesn't stop. I really don't want to eat them, they are like pets to me. They've never shown any type of aggression before at all, towards anyone or anything. I searched through the turkey posts but couldn't find anything about them attacking goats and nothing else....

 

[TheBirdMan5]

If you really like them and don't want to eat them try to seclude them to a different part of your pasture maybe just put up a little chain link or some 2x3s or 2x4s with chicken wire with a little house inside if you don't want to put a roof just clip their wing feathers the job would be relatively cheap and take you a day or so. Jay in MA

 

[farmtotable]

Thanks for the advice! The reason I don't want to seclude them or reconfigure the pasture is they love the other goats, and sleep with them at night. It's actually really cute. This aggression is totally new, no idea what started it or caused it.....

 

[TheBirdMan5]

yeah that stinks when you have one thing out of order and it messes up the whole system sadly but truly it happens a lot. Jay in MA

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

How important is the male Alpine goat to you if you don't want to seperate or get rid of the turkeys. Because that sounds like the only option you have left.

 

[kuntrygirl]

From what I'm reading, it sounds like you have 2 toms because you mentioned talons. If that is the case and if it were me, I would get them 2 girlfriends to keep them occupied.

Sounds like they are taking their frustrations out on the goat. Breeding season is here but no one to breed with. They're upset.

 

[ivan3]

farmtotable wrote: ...The turkeys are about 8 months old now...

Sounds like they are `hormonal' jakes. Fall is Spring in reverse, at higher latitudes (some of the same sparring/mating behavior seen in Spring - but not as intense). Pen the jakes up for a week. Sometimes these guys attack their own reflections (cars/sliding glass doors, etc), sometimes they focus on a single individual (not species specific - goat? owner? doesn't matter). Breaking their `concentration', by separation, might do the job. If separated they might get back to focusing on each other and the sparring will take place where it should - between the jakes.

Good luck!

 

[farmtotable]

First I wanted to thank everyone for their advice, I love this forum for all the support! I've separated the two jakes from the goats, and they haven't started fighting with each other or any of our other critters. Out of respect for their need to mate, I'm bringing in two girlfriends tomorrow. Hopefully once the hens get here, they can all go live happily back in the pasture!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Awwwww, how sweet to have 2 girlfriends coming to see their new beaus. I am sooooo excited. I know that they will enjoy and appreciate you getting them girlfriends. I hope that everything works out.

If you can, please take pics of all of them and post. We would love to see them.

Good luck!