Not about chickens. Turkey behavior problem

[Jrg33]

So, my turkey was being mean to my Guinea when we first got him. Plucked one wing almost entirely bare. So we thought he needed a girlfriend. We found someone who had a Jenny around the same age and brought her home. Now he's being mean to her. He bites her on her head and pulls skin. He's bit her on her waddle and snood a few times as well. Its getting aggressive enough that he's starting to draw blood. Now we have him locked an a separate run during day hours and at night he's sleeping in a large dog creat to avoid walking up to a dead turkey. Any advice would be helpful. We just don't know what to do. Should we get rid of him and get a new Tom? If this isn't the place to ask, please direct me to the correct place.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I will flag your post and have it moved to the turkey forum.

Was your turkey raised alone? Turkeys bond with whatever species they are raised with.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I will flag your post and have it moved to the turkey forum.

Was your turkey raised alone? Turkeys bond with whatever species they are raised with.

Sounds like he wants to be the guest of honor for Thanksgiving Dinner.

 

[Jrg33]

He wasn't raised alone. The person we originally got him from had everything from turkeys, ducks, chicken, and a few goats.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He wasn't raised alone. The person we originally got him from had everything from turkeys, ducks, chicken, and a few goats.

Was he raised with other turkeys only? When mixed with other species turkeys don't always know they are turkeys. I personally have had no luck changing a turkey. They get set in their ways. I personally would butcher him and try again. A Tom turkey should not be aggressive, especially to the hens.

 

[Jrg33]

Was he raised with other turkeys only? When mixed with other species turkeys don't always know they are turkeys. I personally have had no luck changing a turkey. They get set in their ways. I personally would butcher him and try again. A Tom turkey should not be aggressive, especially to the hens.

No. He was raised with a mixed flock. Okay. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you. I might just swap him.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

No. He was raised with a mixed flock. Okay. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you. I might just swap him.

The one time I raised poults and chicks the poults grew into toms and killed a young rooster. They went away after that. Since I've kept my turkeys separately from other poultry except for occasionally free ranging. Turkeys can be great birds. Bad ones stay bad in my experiences.

 

[mandelyn]

There are pet Turkeys, respectful Turkeys and dinner Turkeys. Once their focus goes in the wrong direction, it tends to stick that way. We've only had one turn out that way. His son is much better. We have a Charbroil Oil-less fryer and a meat grinder attachment for the Kitchenaid mixer for when Turkeys go bad.