Need a little advice and direction.

[HennyJenny]

So I have a turkey poult who is about six weeks old. He has been raised with the two chicks he was hatched with. A lttle later - I added two BCMs and they are about three weeks old. This make up what Kramer considers to be his flock. I have three more Bourbon Reds coming next week but it's obviously going to be awhile before they can join his little harem.
My dilema is that Kramer is challenging every single one of the roos that I can't process until next week (I think there are 13 plus of them - I did not do that on purpose) Clearly Kramer came out on the losing end of a battle today. The back of his head is bruised and a little bloody. He seems none the worse for wear though but I would like him to live through the week. I could separate him where he could see the flock but they couldn't get to each other easily but he is going to be miserable without his chickens I think (or is protecting them the source of his trouble? Theoretically, he could get back to the flock if he wanted to so I am wondering if there is any point in separating him at all. I do at some point want the turkeys separate because I think it will be better for everyone for a multitude of reasons. Do we tough it out this week and then wait for the new turkeys to be ready to move in with him and do it all at once or do I do the work to separate him now. I guess there are a couple of issues here but I don't know which way to think about this. Thanks for your help.
Jenny

 

[ziggywiggy]

Yes, separate him. Turkeys will challenge almost anything(dogs, snakes, bigger turkeys). 13 against one is not a fair fight. You obviously have an attraction towards the guy ( since you named him) so make a pet out of him. Why can't you put him with just the chickens he was hatched with? Oh, and by the way, he will try and bully the younger poults you are getting next week for a little while. It's like all poultry-there will always be a pecking order.

 

[Lotsapaints]

When I moved the chickens out of my turkeys I added the younger poults and a few younger chicks because the turkeys missed their old buddies. I have made a bachelor pen for all those mean roos awaiting freezer camp they cause more turmoil if they are close to anything....it's very peaceful and there isn't any bossing around but I do have more poults and the oldest are 8 weeks but I'm waiting for the younger ones to get 8 weeks so they can all go out together I plan on keeping a few chickens with them all the time. I do only have 3 toms with 10 hens and 6 5 week old ones and most of those look like hens too but there was only a little trouble when I put too many chicks in there but it was only for 2 weeks so it was easy to feed them while I was gone the turkeys just pinched the little ones when treats were given out they didn't want to share