turkey and chicken in coop. Turkey pecking chicks head. Help.

[briana1975]

Just put turkeys 7 weeks and chicken 5 weeks together in coop today. 1st day for both. [there is a heat lamp.] All was doing good first couple hours. Now all of a sudden hen turkey is pecking the chicks on the top of the head. What should I do? It is getting late and I am in the coop right now posting this. Wi-fi is wonderful. But I don't want to come out in the morning to find a dead chicken with a hole in the top of it's head.

 

[briana1975]

Ok. I didn't get a reply but I was having visions of chickens with holes in the tops of their heads. So I took the turkey that was pecking and put it back in brooder by it's self. Turkey jail now. She wasn't happy. How many days should I keep her in there? 1 or 2? The other turkey was calling for her. When I went back out to the coop the chicks ran over to him and they all layed down together.

 

[Mahonri]

You did just right.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

At 7 and 5 weeks of age their is a big difference in size I would think. Turkeys are flock birds and the one was being dominate over the chickens. It won't do well by itself. You really have only 2 options really, put them back together and watch it doesn't do any serious damage to the chicks or plan to keep them seperate.

Steve in NC

 

[briana1975]

Thanks for the advice. It was the hen that was pecking. The tom was strutting for the chickens. Most of them are pullets. It seemed like she was jealous. I will put her back out today for awhile so I can watch her. When I went out this morning the tom was cuddled up with 4 chicks. We only has 1 coop and it has power. I guess I could clean out a shed if I have to seperate the turkeys permanentley but that doesn't have power. Hopefully she does better today.

 

[bkvail]

I would think that at 7 weeks, the turkeys would be fine without power? Mine have been out since they were about 5 weeks old w/o heat here in NW WA..........