Poult Drags Other by Face?

[PolarBerry]

So I have 6 turkey poults, 3 weeks this Wednesday, and lately one of them will go up to others and grab them by the beak. If they fight back he (I'm assuming) drags them around by the beak with them screaming until they give in and sit there panting/fall asleep.

Is this normal? He's not drawing blood and the ones not getting whooped on just go about their normal business. I figure it's a pecking order type thing but the grabbing them with his whole mouth over their beak or grabbing their tongue seems a bit harsh. I'm concerned about either a broken neck or accidental suffocation.

I have a few sticks in there for perching and pecking at, we've given some crickets for enrichment/chasing, and they are on a 28% protein food. House is 85 degrees (hooray bad insulation in the living room) so I turned off the heat lamps.

I'll soon be doubling their brooder space, so maybe feeling crowded is the cause?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That is normal fighting behavior, but that much at that age isn't normal. They are probably ready for a bigger area or a trip outside during the day if it's warm enough.

 

[PolarBerry]

I put in some extra perches and it seemed to have helped for now. They just knock each other off and go to a different stick.

I'll work on expanding their brooder.

I did notice the main aggressor will hold the loser down by the neck and climb onto their back... I assume similar to mating but 3 weeks seems way too young!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I haven't seen mating behaviors in poults at that age yet, but I have seen it in chicks. The few poults that were more bold like that ended up as aggressive adults and went in the oven. It is definitely unusual. What breed or color are these? I have found bronze based breeds to be more aggressive than other varieties.

 

[PolarBerry]

They are bourbon red turkey. One is always the instigator so his name may be "Stew" if he doesn't cut it out.