Newbie needs advice

[MamaBear46]

Ok I was given alot of chicken ranging in age from downy chicks to full grown rooster.....at that time I was also given three turkeys that were babies.....they don't have much for feathers on their backs and from what I can find out they are app 2.5 to 3 months of age. I have had tehm now for about 3 weeks . their names Chef, Baby and Sit....well I feed 2 times a day.....Today when I went to feed evening meal Chef was pretty aggresive.....lots of wing flapping and I got a pretty nasty gash down my leg from his/hers claw.....I don't want to encourage this type of behavior but today has been the first of it. What caused it and how do I discourage it from happening again?

 

[Tommy12241]

Just a dominance thing. I don't think you can do much. But if they are harming one another take the instigator and put him/her in a small separate pen in amongst the main pen. so that way they can acclimate without harming itself or the others.

 

[MamaBear46]

These are my babies.....the feathers have grown in a bit on their backs.....I really don't know much at all about them. Can they be food aggresive? That is when the wing flapping and flying at me happens (it happened again this morning.....how should I react to discourage this?

 

[Scottingitup]

Make yourself as big as possible, hold your arms out. If they still insist on being aggressive grab one and pin it down until it stops struggling. This establishes you as the alpha.
You could also try feeding them either more or more frequently.

 

[frank53061]

I must be one lucky guy with my Turkeys so Far there almost 4 months old and none have shown any aggression to wards me or my Daughter.
I think Scottingitup Has hit it on the head maybe there not getting the right food or enough food and if that doesn't fix it then you are going to have to make your self the undefeated cock of the walk so to speak.
Just this Morning I went to let out the Turkeys and the Chickens from the same coop that we raised together I reached in to get the feeder out of the coop and one of the Pullets reached down and grabbed a beak full of skin on my hand and left a mark now that has never happened before.
I grabbed that Pullet and held it in both hands and gave it a talking to LOL.
For some reason the Chics I raised with the Poults seem to have that tuffer attitude its like that little dog attitude.
I and my Daughter have taught our full grown roosters not to get cocky with us and they dont.

 

[MamaBear46]

well its happened twice now and its been the morning feeding.....I have been yellling at her? and pushing her down (kinda like a would a dog) when she stops I let her up.I am defintly not into this happening every morning my turks are all very sweet tempered after eating and it hasn't (yet nock on wood) at any other time.

 

[Tommy12241]

OHHHH I didnt realize that the bird was attacking you! Yeah do what Scotting it up said. You need to assert your dominance. Dont be afraid. Believe me I had a rooster before that would attack anyone that went outside. I was underneath my truck one day working and he attacked me and made me hit my head on a hot exhaust. Of course I was ENRAGED! I took a 1X4 piece of lumber that happened to be nearby and slammed him. He crouched on the ground stunned and in submission. He NEVER bother me again. What im saying though is assert your dominance. I do not condone hitting your birds Good luck

 

[MamaBear46]

Thank you all very much....btw anybody got any ideas of age or breed of these babies.......breed doesn't really matter to me but i don't know what to expect from these guys or girls.....also I have some wild turkeys that visit in the field adjoining our property....am I in any danger of these guys/girls joining the wild ones?

 

[Oregon Blues]

Is the turkey attacking you, or is it that you are getting scratched as they struggle to reach the food?

My turkeys get plenty excited when the treats come out and there is a lot of jumping and flapping. I'm not getting hit because the food bucket is the target and not me. I'm sure that even if they don't plan to hit you, it would hurt to get hit by one of those big wings.

I suspect that what you need to do is going to depend upon whether the turkeys are actually attacking you as their target, or whether they are getting too worked up about the food bucket.

 

[MamaBear46]

honestly im not sure which of us( me or the food) is the target.....after this turkey eats its just as lovable as the rest......im just worried about the behavoir mainly because i have 2 younger kids that like to feed....right now they arn't allowed to come outside in teh morning because until this stops i don't want them to get scratch.......and its coming with his feet as well as his wings....i have a nice scratch from hip to knee from this fellow.