Okay, asking for expert help here. (This is my first time raising turkeys.)
I have a mixed flock: 17 chickens (5 of which are roosters unfortunately), 3 Ducks, and one turkey hen. I had 2 hens but one of them died when they were young. Ethel the turkey is about 8 months old, currently broody/laying, and has been with the chicken flock since she was 3 months.
We have an ongoing issue and I want it SOLVED! Note: this didn’t become an issue until Ethel started laying.
Two months ago I had to separate Ethel into her own run because I kept catching her bloodying my rooster’s heads (they are silkie Roos). Today I expanded the flock fence to give them 3x the space. I’ve been thinking space is the issue. There are hide aways available for the chickens. I Let Ethel come out to rejoin everyone and decided to stay around to watch. 30 minutes of happy grazing and socializing, and it’s not Ethel who starts it, but Henry (the most docile of the roosters). He comes at her, flogging and jumping. She verbally warns him and when he persists she fluffs fully up and then decides she’s going to finish it. I decide to wait and watch because everyone says “let them figure out the pecking order.” The other roos at one point decide to join Henry’s violent adventure, which Ethel quickly ends by kicking them around and they scatter, she resumes her focus on Henry who seems intent to not give up. She grabs him multiple times and pins him to the ground. She bloodies his head. I wait a little longer but this little guy won’t give up and Ethel is on the war path. She is laser focused on kicking his butt.
A few rounds of this, he’s bleeding and panting but persisting, she’s in the killer zone, and I decided that was enough. I put my body between them, facing him, and when he realizes I’m serious he runs away. All this time I’ve been blaming her, turns out it’s the boys that start it, she just is massively larger, stronger, and the one capable of finishing it.
I’ve read a lot about this but feel like there are endless conflicting opinions. What do I do? I refuse to leave her forever bound in a small pen because the roosters pick fights with her. Some people say she needs turkey companions to cool her off, is this true? Some people say not to let these species combine, is that true? Do I just cull all these dang roosters (I’m not trying to breed)? I adore Ethel, I’d happily have more turkeys, but is that the solution here?
I have a mixed flock: 17 chickens (5 of which are roosters unfortunately), 3 Ducks, and one turkey hen. I had 2 hens but one of them died when they were young. Ethel the turkey is about 8 months old, currently broody/laying, and has been with the chicken flock since she was 3 months.
We have an ongoing issue and I want it SOLVED! Note: this didn’t become an issue until Ethel started laying.
Two months ago I had to separate Ethel into her own run because I kept catching her bloodying my rooster’s heads (they are silkie Roos). Today I expanded the flock fence to give them 3x the space. I’ve been thinking space is the issue. There are hide aways available for the chickens. I Let Ethel come out to rejoin everyone and decided to stay around to watch. 30 minutes of happy grazing and socializing, and it’s not Ethel who starts it, but Henry (the most docile of the roosters). He comes at her, flogging and jumping. She verbally warns him and when he persists she fluffs fully up and then decides she’s going to finish it. I decide to wait and watch because everyone says “let them figure out the pecking order.” The other roos at one point decide to join Henry’s violent adventure, which Ethel quickly ends by kicking them around and they scatter, she resumes her focus on Henry who seems intent to not give up. She grabs him multiple times and pins him to the ground. She bloodies his head. I wait a little longer but this little guy won’t give up and Ethel is on the war path. She is laser focused on kicking his butt.
A few rounds of this, he’s bleeding and panting but persisting, she’s in the killer zone, and I decided that was enough. I put my body between them, facing him, and when he realizes I’m serious he runs away. All this time I’ve been blaming her, turns out it’s the boys that start it, she just is massively larger, stronger, and the one capable of finishing it.
I’ve read a lot about this but feel like there are endless conflicting opinions. What do I do? I refuse to leave her forever bound in a small pen because the roosters pick fights with her. Some people say she needs turkey companions to cool her off, is this true? Some people say not to let these species combine, is that true? Do I just cull all these dang roosters (I’m not trying to breed)? I adore Ethel, I’d happily have more turkeys, but is that the solution here?
