Pet turkey got mean

[brettzim]

We have a turkey hen we got as a chick to keep our duckling company. She wouldnt leave us alone when she was a little guy. She wanted to be on your lap or would follow us around. Well, now she's big and very unpleasant. She gets riled up when you go in the coop and is starting to attack us. A bit of a bummer because she was such a nice youngster. I remember having a nice adult turkey as a kid and also a real mean one. Any hope for this Turk to have a change of heart? I am doubting it so she will probably be moving onwards and upwards. But I would appreciate anyone's thoughts.

 

[americana-lover]

aww, kinda sad your girl turned against you. Maybe, you could try to bribe her by offering her her fav treats right out of your hands?

 

[brettzim]

Haha, I tried that today and she would get a mouthful of corn in a super angry way and seemed to make sure she always got a finger with each mouthful. I am considering an exorcism...

 

[kuntrygirl]

WOW!! I would love to see that on video. Any chance you can get her some company? She may be lonely.

 

[brettzim]

Well, her and the Peking duck she grew up with a very close. They are always together. I almost got her a Tom turkey but I worry about doubling the anger out in the chicken coop if he ends up being mean as well. Have you had luck with that?

 

[kuntrygirl]

I'm hoping that a tom would calm her down. I'm sure that she and the Peking are close but nothing like seeing another animal that looks like her. She may need the companionship that a duck can't give her. *wink wink* She may need to hear gobble gobble instead of quack quack. I have happy girls because they all have their own boyfriend.

 

[Frosty]

How old is she?

 

[kuntrygirl]

And we are sure it's a SHE and not a HE?

 

[brettzim]

She is definitely a she, almost ready to lay eggs. I think she is about 8 months.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I will cut a hen some slack if it is nesting season and the aggression is centered around her nest. In fact, I prefer a bird who will defend her nest, to a reasonable degree.

Making cuddle pets out of poultry often backfires as it confuses the bird's identity and they will start to try to treat humans as if they are other birds. That never works well. Perhaps your turkey could be trained to have some boundaries and to learn that her place in the pecking order of the flock is at the very bottom. By encouraging her to sit on you, you have taught her that she is socially superior to you and now she wants you to mind her a little better than you have in the past.