Separate Roosters and Turkeys?

[CPT]

Hello!
I have this one particular turkey hen, she is very sweet. She is the first turkey that we got when we moved on our property. We gradually bought more turkeys to keep her company. We have one Tom left, and one other hen left. They all get along fine with each other. Our one sweet turkey hen has been lately sparring with one of our roosters; she was injured pretty bad, and her waddle was bloody. It's just this one particular rooster. Everyone else gets along with him, just our one hen. We don't want to lose another turkey.....we had to put one of our Toms down last week because the other Tom beat the crap out of him. Looks like we'll have to separate the turkeys from all the roosters/hens now. Has anyone had this problem?

 

[RoosterML]

Sorry I can't help but I will be watching this tread as I am thinking of getting some Turkeys this spring to mix in with the chickens.

 

[R2elk]

Hello!
I have this one particular turkey hen, she is very sweet. She is the first turkey that we got when we moved on our property. We gradually bought more turkeys to keep her company. We have one Tom left, and one other hen left. They all get along fine with each other. Our one sweet turkey hen has been lately sparring with one of our roosters; she was injured pretty bad, and her waddle was bloody. It's just this one particular rooster. Everyone else gets along with him, just our one hen. We don't want to lose another turkey.....we had to put one of our Toms down last week because the other Tom beat the crap out of him. Looks like we'll have to separate the turkeys from all the roosters/hens now. Has anyone had this problem?

It is best to keep turkeys and chickens separate. If you have to keep them together, make sure they have lots of room and plenty of obstacles and hiding places.

A turkey having a bloody wattle is not unusual and is not a serious injury. They recover fine.

It is not uncommon for a turkey hen to develop an issue with a rooster and they can be relentless in their pursuit. It is normally the chicken that is in danger.

If it were my turkey and if I felt the issue was severe enough, I would process the rooster especially since you say it is just the one rooster that she is having an issue with.

 

[R2elk]

Sorry I can't help but I will be watching this tread as I am thinking of getting some Turkeys this spring to mix in with the chickens.

If you have blackhead in your area, adding turkeys to chickens can be a death sentence to the turkeys.

Read the threads in the Turkeys - Sticky Topics Index

Turkeys need a lot more room than chickens need.

 

[RoosterML]

If you have blackhead in your area, adding turkeys to chickens can be a death sentence to the turkeys.

Read the threads in the Turkeys - Sticky Topics Index

Turkeys need a lot more room than chickens need.

Room is not an issue, blackhead on the other have I have no clue. All I know is someone about a mile down the road from me had turkeys last year. That's about all I know, not even sure how to find out if blackhead is around.

 

[R2elk]

Room is not an issue, blackhead on the other have I have no clue. All I know is someone about a mile down the road from me had turkeys last year. That's about all I know, not even sure how to find out if blackhead is around.

You can check with your local agriculture extension agent and/or call local veterinarians. You can also check with your state veterinarian.

 

[RoosterML]

You can check with your local agriculture extension agent and/or call local veterinarians. You can also check with your state veterinarian.

After looking at the CT state vet website and the reportable diseases sheet. It does not list Blackhead or Histomoniasis as a reportable diseases. Good thing I guess

 

[Noellereagan]

I have the opposite problem. My rooster is protecting the shared nest of not one but two turkey hens. When they’re off of it he quite literally protects the eggs from anything or anyone. He even gets cranky with me (vocally) when I move the eggs to clean. I’ve caught him sitting on the eggs when the turkeys were up more than once. The turkeys are not content unless he’s there. They bark for him. Once he perches right above them like in the photo all is well with the world. However, if I turn this rooster out with any other flock of turkeys aside from the three hens and one toms he’s housed with- all hell breaks loose. He would go down fighting but in the end he’d lose. There have been a few occasions him and one hen squabbled a few times but they worked it out without any worse for wear.
I know this wasn’t your question but thought I’d share my experience. I agree.- a bloody wattle happens and it is usually okay.
Mearle the rooster watching over his broody turkey hens...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My turkeys chase and harass my chickens whenever I let them out. I would not want to house them together. I've had turkeys kill a young rooster. They are strong persistent birds.

 

[bubbachicken]

We introduced a tom and two new turkey hens to our flock. We had one rooster, 12 chicken hens and 2 turkey hens. The new Tom got into it with the rooster. The fought for about 3 mins. One of the turkey hens went after the top chicken hen, they fought for about 5mins. It’s all been great sense. They travel around as a flock.