Neighbors Birds

[Birdnerd04]

Hello Everyone!

Our neighbor raised 4 turkeys this spring. The males are are very friendly and tame. There are 3 males and 1 female. Will the female be injured in the spring by the males?
They are very large, and I'm afraid the might hurt her. She is too skittish to put a saddle on.
Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[R2elk]

Hello Everyone!

Our neighbor raised 4 turkeys this spring. The males are are very friendly and tame. There are 3 males and 1 female. Will the female be injured in the spring by the males?
They are very large, and I'm afraid the might hurt her. She is too skittish to put a saddle on.
Any thoughts? Thanks!

It is never a good idea to keep multiple male turkeys with a single hen. Once breeding season comes the hen is likely to get hurt and possibly killed if all 4 are kept together. If the hen can be caught, it is possible to put a saddle on her. It takes some effort but can be done.

The best solution is for them to get rid of two of the toms before breeding season starts and replace them with more hens. Another solution is for them to pen two of the toms somewhere out of sight of the third tom and the hen or just separate the hen from the toms.

 

[Birdnerd04]

Thank you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sounds like the extra males are due for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner entrees.

 

[aart]

Sounds like the extra males are due for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner entrees.

That was my first thought.
@Birdnerd04 do they intend to keep them all or eat a few?

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Thank you!

Does your neighbor want your advice or, is this...going to be...for lack of a better way of saying it, being a nosy neighbor and make them upset? Don’t want that ?

 

[Birdnerd04]

Does your neighbor want your advice or, is this...going to be...for lack of a better way of saying it, being a nosy neighbor and make them upset? Don’t want that ?

Im not sure. They are of the mindset that turkeys are birds and they can just let them go and they will fend for themselves. The turkeys do not have a coop or pen to stay in and as far as I can tell, sleep on the ground.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Or at that age, likely in a tree.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Im not sure. They are of the mindset that turkeys are birds and they can just let them go and they will fend for themselves. The turkeys do not have a coop or pen to stay in and as far as I can tell, sleep on the ground.

Yikes..then, I might not offer advice, sounds like they..umm, don’t worry too much about them?? Hate to say that..

 

[aart]

Im not sure. They are of the mindset that turkeys are birds and they can just let them go and they will fend for themselves. The turkeys do not have a coop or pen to stay in and as far as I can tell, sleep on the ground.

If you don't have a really good relationship with them, best to mind your own business.