I guess I know what to do, but dang! After we butchered the older toms, the 6-7 month old 2 Bourbon Red & 1 Harvest Gold Toms had to challenge dang near everything on the place for pecking order. I convinced them that my kids were NOT to be challenged (all they did was "stomp" at my son ONCE and I went all Tom on them and solved that) and they have gone back into "they are our flock and we have to protect them" mode. The guineas are the bosses of EVERY bird here, period.
The whole flock of turkeys follow my three year old everywhere, which is part of the problem. The dogs, who they have never tolerated well, seem to have become something to be intimidated and driven away. Of course the dogs want to be with us, especially when the BIGBADMEANTURKEYS are after them
It's gotten to the point where 3 of the 4 dogs will just run away whenever the turkeys get near them. But, one 11 year old dog has decided not to back down or run if they have him cornered. He's now going after them when they corner him and has made himself their prime target. They chase the other dogs, but positively hunt this one out. I don't blame him for defending himself, but I also won't put up with him going after them...as of this morning, he's currently inside with the two 12 year old dogs and my youngest, largest dog is outside on guard alone.
So I now have *3* dogs in the house and the turkeys are the schoolyard bullies. I guess either the turkeys or the dogs are going to have to be penned up. It's going to end up being the turkeys, because dogs being locked up will mean the turkeys get eaten by the coyotes who are bold enough to come in the yard!
Getting rid of the turkeys is a LAST resort. I love these big, silly birds! My poor dogs shouldn't have to live in fear though...I tell them this is Kharmic retribution for killing birds (before they learned better) and terrorizing the barn cats!
The whole flock of turkeys follow my three year old everywhere, which is part of the problem. The dogs, who they have never tolerated well, seem to have become something to be intimidated and driven away. Of course the dogs want to be with us, especially when the BIGBADMEANTURKEYS are after them
It's gotten to the point where 3 of the 4 dogs will just run away whenever the turkeys get near them. But, one 11 year old dog has decided not to back down or run if they have him cornered. He's now going after them when they corner him and has made himself their prime target. They chase the other dogs, but positively hunt this one out. I don't blame him for defending himself, but I also won't put up with him going after them...as of this morning, he's currently inside with the two 12 year old dogs and my youngest, largest dog is outside on guard alone.
So I now have *3* dogs in the house and the turkeys are the schoolyard bullies. I guess either the turkeys or the dogs are going to have to be penned up. It's going to end up being the turkeys, because dogs being locked up will mean the turkeys get eaten by the coyotes who are bold enough to come in the yard!
Getting rid of the turkeys is a LAST resort. I love these big, silly birds! My poor dogs shouldn't have to live in fear though...I tell them this is Kharmic retribution for killing birds (before they learned better) and terrorizing the barn cats!
