Turkey helpers?

[Quiggy]

Would a turkey chase off a weasle? My chicken got attacked but shes still alive. Like it tried but was cut short, all of my turkeys were out side if the yard when I got home as well.

 

[R2elk]

Would a turkey chase off a weasel? My chicken got attacked but shes still alive. Like it tried but was cut short, all of my turkeys were out side if the yard when I got home as well.

Turkeys are not guardians. In the wrong situation they are capable of doing severe harm to your chickens. They sleep at night just like all the other poultry and can be vulnerable themselves.

 

[Quiggy]

Turkeys are not guardians. In the wrong situation they are capable of doing severe harm to your chickens. They sleep at night just like all the other poultry and can be vulnerable themselves.

I know they can. I'm just asking if they would considering the predator. It was in day time and I know they ward off some predators when it comes to their flock.

 

[R2elk]

I know they can. I'm just asking if they would considering the predator. It was in day time and I know they ward off some predators when it comes to their flock.

In the day time, turkeys could chase off a weasel. They are curious and would probably try to investigate. Being much larger than a weasel, some turkeys might even consider it possible food.

 

[LittleGecko]

I don't know about weasels, but I have three turkeys and they do kill rats. Although I am super careful about not leaving food out and keeping everything very clean, I live near a river in a rural village and do get the odd rat turning up. I used to trap them, but since I have had the turkeys on the two occasions a rat ventured into my garden they were killed by Flossy (white Holland turkey hen). She ate the first one before I could stop her, the second one I just found rat parts being eaten by the chickens (totally gross). Haven't seen one since. These were adult rats not juveniles. But I do lock all my birds in at dusk as they would be vunerable after dark. I am not advocating turkeys as guards and I don't know if all turkeys will kill rodents, I just know that mine do if they see one. Also a weasel is a very aggressive animal and more of an active hunter than a rat (they are more opportunistic). Although a turkey is certainly powerful enough to injure or kill one if they decided to do so, I suspect that a weasel could well do some serious damage to the turkey in the process, perhaps even kill it. There are some good weasel traps that are worth a look. I hope that your poor hen recovers soon.

 

[cmom]

If you have weasels, they can be relentless and will be back for another try. Good luck...