turkey hen killed a roo! (graphic pic)

[NorthTexaschick]

My Penedesenca cockerel had been pestering one of my turkey hens, chasing her around and trying to get her to fight. Well, she finally had enough of it, I guess, and she injured him badly enough to kill him.

This morning the back of his head was somewhat bloodied and his comb was, too. The comb did not appear to be pecked and was not torn but appeared to have all the skin missing! He was feeling poorly enough to let me pick him up and examine him and I could not figure out for the life of me what had happened to him. He had no visible injuries to his body. I had to run an errand and I had planned to coat it with neosporin when I returned, but when I got back it was too late. As I approached him he writhed a bit, squawked and breathed his last breath. I looked him over again but could see no other injuries.

When I told my hubby about it, he responded with something like, "Yeah, I saw her making some funny motion and when I looked, she was standing on top of him. Her funny movement was because she was STANDING ON HIS NECK and couldn't keep her balance." WHAT??? Thanks for helping him/telling me/doing something, anything! I am thinking he must have had internal injuries from her being on top of him but I cannot fathom his comb being skinned without any peck marks. Have any of you seen anything like this?

 

[gamehatcher156]

u need to put away that turkey prontoe reply plz

 

[gmolly]

yes i put my turkey in with my chickens while i cleaned his pen , he grabbed my hen from the back of her head an was shaken her head side to side trying to snap my hens neck , NEVER again well i put my turkey in there again.

 

[NorthTexaschick]

My jake is penned, since he killed a roo. The jennys are going in with him this weekend after we mend the roof so they can't fly out. I read on here all the time about people with turkeys and chickens getting along. Why can't mine, dang it?! They are (or rather had been) free ranged on about 1/2 acre so crowding is not a problem. Oh well, too bad, so sad turkeys, you go in the pen!

 

[CMV]

It's not just turkeys you have to worry about. All the bigger fowl can be pretty dangerous to their smaller coopmates. I used to have 4 geese that nearly killed my ducks and had the chickens running for their lives. I ended up culling all but one of the geese. The remaining goose is usually fine, but when breeding season rolls around I have to keep an eye on her because she has tried to kill some of her ducks. The rest of the year she hovers over them like their mother, but during breeding season it is a different story. I have had that goose inflict more leg injuries than I can count at this point. The other (culled) geese broke one duck's leg badly. Another duck will always carry scars from a goose attack.

So many folks have come here and asked "Do turkeys/geese make good poultry protectors for the flock?" I always say a resounding "NO. Who is going to watch the watchers?"

Sorry for your loss. Good luck with the rest of them.

 

[Kickin' Chickin']

I am sorry to hear about your roo, my turkey would fight with my roo but not to the death.
P.S. Most people that I know are wary of geese. Personally I would rather run up and pinch a rottweilers a** than get out of the car when people have geese for watch dogs,lol.

 

[NorthTexaschick]

Kickin', I'll have to remember that one!

 

[OldGuy43]

For our Australian brethren:

No! In this case "roo" does not refer to a kangaroo. I know that's what they're called down under, but on this site it means rooster. It would be impressive though. A turkey killing a kangaroo.

 

[LadyinRed]

I am sorry to hear about your roo, my turkey would fight with my roo but not to the death.
P.S. Most people that I know are wary of geese. Personally I would rather run up and pinch a rottweilers a** than get out of the car when people have geese for watch dogs,lol.

Lol, Most rotties I know would yelp and run while looking at you like your nuts rather than get angry!

 

[Ema]

I raised turkeys last summer and I learned something from them. They can be very patient...but when they have had enough, that is it!!

My Toms and Hens all got along rather well with my chickens, but the roosters had a serious notion that they were bigger and mightier than them, they often bothered the turkey hens and charged at the Toms. and while I never did see Thom retaliate I see see the hens take care of business.

It was at this time that I quickly became aware my roosters were being pests and needed to be separated from the turkeys. But before I could, patience did run out and the turkey hens killed 3 roosters and injured 2. they never once went after the hens, just the roosters.

so its not whether a turkey can get along with your chickens but whether the roosters are docile enough to leave them be.

I know I won't be raising them together when I get more this spring.

I am sorry for your loss,

Ema