Tom Drumming?

[Shay1327]

I am relatively new to turkeys, I have had my 2 hens for over a year and raised BBW last year but this is my first time with a mature tom.

He has been strutting and making a pfft noise followed by a low sound. Is this what I've seen on here as drumming? What does this noise mean?

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

He is trying to impress the ladies+show he is dominant

 

[Shay1327]

He only seems to do that with me lol. His ladies are kinda freaked out by him right now.

Is he trying to show dominance to me?

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Quote:
My gobblers do that every time they strut. My hen was so scared she ran flapping her wings to the other side of the pasture. If he is doing it infront of you and not challenging you he is trying to impress you. haha. Dont be scared if he attacks show your the dominant one. Also, im pretty sure Blue and White heads show they want to breed. Ive heard wearing blue can make them infuriated. Never had it happen though.

 

[Shay1327]

He will try and get me if I let him. He is a new addition to our farm so I'm chalking it up to breeding season, being sexually frustrated (our hens won't let him mate them yet), and trying to find out the pecking order. If this continues past breeding season he just may make it to freezer camp in time for Thanksgiving lol.

He does wear a blue and white head when he is doing this. So next week when I net in the top of the enclosure so the girls are stuck I hope he'll settle down a bit.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Quote:
Mine top guy is very frustrated. He tried to "fertilize" the ground today not once, but twice! Pretty disturbing lol

 

[chseeads]

If you have black turkeys, and you wear black pants, use discretion if you sit down outside.....just sayin'.....you might get a date....LOL

I've got 3 toms. 2 of them strut nearly all the time lately, and the 3rd seldom struts. The 3rd is bottom of the pecking order. Then of the first 2, I have only heard the dominant one drum though.

I can't remember back to the turks I had years ago if only the dominant one was a drummer or not.

I thought what I had noticed lately though was kind of interesting.

And another note on the dominant 2....if the top guy mounts a hen, the second in command will stand by, but doesn't bother him generally, but if the second in command mounts a hen, the top guy will try to kick him off.

 

[Frosty]

I believe that I read somewhere that in the wild flocks, the dominant tom will mount a hen, and the others stand by. But if a strange tom wanders in and tries to challenge, the toms standing by will defend the dominant tom. Just glad people aren't like that!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
That's true, seen it before first hand hunting.
ALSO, YES THE STRUTTING , GOBBLEING, SPITTING AND DRUMMING, is all just part of their spring time thing for impression, dominance and just plain showing off. I have wilds and domestics, all do it near 24 /7 this time of year, even on the roost.

 

[Shay1327]

Thank you for all the responses. He is the only tom I have and he is a big ole standard bronze so I don't have to worry about wearing black pants

Before he was added to our farm I had a hen that was acting dominant (bigger wattle, very loud, chasing my rooster, strutting). I think she is going through an identity crisis right now that she sees what a real man looks like I also think my hens are a little confused because I think they believe they are chickens (or maybe puppies lol). They have been part of the chicken flock since they were old enough to be outside and they follow me and the kids around looking for treats. They truly are big babies. They both started laying eggs finally last week so I'm hoping they will get 'in the mood' so to speak.

Hoping she calms down a bit and lets the big guy at her so he will calm down a bit. He's in an enclosure right now to keep him away from my kids but every once and awhile after roosting he finds his way out (the top of the pen isn't enclosed yet, waiting for my netting to get here) and I have to herd him back into the pen in the mornings before he messes one of us up. Usually I have no problem herding him with an orange throw blanket (gives us space in between and won't hurt him). The problem is if he sees us before we see him he will come at us full speed, even if we are walking the dogs (I swear he has no fear). But alas hormones do that I guess.