Turkey incapacitated and ate my chicken

[chickenbitty]

I'm just throwing this out here to increase the amount of information out there for folks considering keeping turkeys and chickens together.

Last spring (March 2020) we got 6 different chickens, all different breeds and 2 turkeys, one Narraganset and one local mutt. The local turkey got killed by an unknown predator when everyone was around 3 months old so Turkey (his proper name) ended up being a lone tom. We kept Turkey with the chickens with only an occasional issue of him aggressively pecking at their combs--small pieces of their combs would sometimes get ripped off but it always seemed like pretty typical bird behavior and didn't lead to much and they got along otherwise. They were free ranging (on an acre) until about 2 months ago when we started making a movable secondary enclosure attached to their run so they wouldn't roam the neighborhood (as they were want to do). About a week ago, Turkey began singling out our beloved black sex-link, Uma--chasing her and becoming more aggressive, even pulling out the feathers on the back of her head. We started keeping them apart if we weren't able to frequently check on them but last night, after a long day at work when I couldn't check on them as frequently as I normally do (and they were let out to free range considering the weather would keep them close), I went out to put them away and found Turkey intently eating the back of Uma's head. To my horror, Uma's skull was exposed and she was not moving much at all but she was still very much alive. We pulled Turkey away and chopped off Uma's head with an axe to end her torture.
Needless to say, this was very traumatic. I would prefer no one else ever find themselves in such a situation--especially if they are creating emotional bonds with their birds.

If you are considering putting turkeys and chickens together, consider this story and keep an eye out for ANY aggressive behavior. From what I've researched, it seems especially dangerous to have a lone Tom in with your hens, but I've read stories of hen turkeys killing chickens and turkeys in a group killing chickens as well so there doesn't seem to be a fail-safe.

 

[007Sean]

That's precisely the reason I always stress....do not mix different species of gamebirds together, keep them seperated and in their own enclosures.

They should also not be close or mixed with other poultry, for disease reasons alone.
If you don't have space to keep them seperated, then don't consider getting them....some peeps do mix them and report no problems but it really is just a 'ticking time bomb'.

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

That's precisely the reason I always stress....do not mix different species of gamebirds together, keep them seperated and in their own enclosures.

They should also not be close or mixed with other poultry, for disease reasons alone.
If you don't have space to keep them seperated, then don't consider getting them....some peeps do mix them and report no problems but it really is just a 'ticking time bomb'.

i agree, there are certain illnesses that turkeys can get that won't affect the turkey much at all but will kill chickens faster than you can blink, so it's definitely best to steer away from intermingling

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

I'm just throwing this out here to increase the amount of information out there for folks considering keeping turkeys and chickens together.

Last spring (March 2020) we got 6 different chickens, all different breeds and 2 turkeys, one Narraganset and one local mutt. The local turkey got killed by an unknown predator when everyone was around 3 months old so Turkey (his proper name) ended up being a lone tom. We kept Turkey with the chickens with only an occasional issue of him aggressively pecking at their combs--small pieces of their combs would sometimes get ripped off but it always seemed like pretty typical bird behavior and didn't lead to much and they got along otherwise. They were free ranging (on an acre) until about 2 months ago when we started making a movable secondary enclosure attached to their run so they wouldn't roam the neighborhood (as they were want to do). About a week ago, Turkey began singling out our beloved black sex-link, Uma--chasing her and becoming more aggressive, even pulling out the feathers on the back of her head. We started keeping them apart if we weren't able to frequently check on them but last night, after a long day at work when I couldn't check on them as frequently as I normally do (and they were let out to free range considering the weather would keep them close), I went out to put them away and found Turkey intently eating the back of Uma's head. To my horror, Uma's skull was exposed and she was not moving much at all but she was still very much alive. We pulled Turkey away and chopped off Uma's head with an axe to end her torture.
Needless to say, this was very traumatic. I would prefer no one else ever find themselves in such a situation--especially if they are creating emotional bonds with their birds.

If you are considering putting turkeys and chickens together, consider this story and keep an eye out for ANY aggressive behavior. From what I've researched, it seems especially dangerous to have a lone Tom in with your hens, but I've read stories of hen turkeys killing chickens and turkeys in a group killing chickens as well so there doesn't seem to be a fail-safe.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your beloved chicken. Was the turkey hungry? Cannibalism seems like such odd behavior, even for a turkey.
Maybe consider culling him if you are worried about it happening again
hope it works out okay

 

[R2elk]

i agree, there are certain illnesses that turkeys can get that won't affect the turkey much at all but will kill chickens faster than you can blink, so it's definitely best to steer away from intermingling

I believe that you have that backwards. Chickens tolerate and can be carriers of blackhead which can be deadly to turkeys.

 

[007Sean]

I believe that you have that backwards. Chickens tolerate and can be carriers of blackhead which can be deadly to turkeys.

Ditto! Turkeys can have blackhead and transmit it to pheasants, though...but that is rare!
Gamebirds are very susceptible to diseases of chickens, that chickens can tolerate and be carriers of but will kill gamebirds.

 

[R2elk]

Ditto! Turkeys can have blackhead and transmit it to pheasants, though...but that is rare!
Gamebirds are very susceptible to diseases of chickens, that chickens can tolerate and be carriers of but will kill gamebirds.

It would have to be rare since it is rare for a turkey to survive blackhead.

 

[007Sean]

It would have to be rare since it is rare for a turkey to survive blackhead.

Yeah, you said it better than I did...but some peeps run their pheasants with turkeys and chickens and other poultry....not recommended at all.
In that close proximity, they can transmit it to pheasants.

 

[R2elk]

Yeah, you said it better than I did...but some peeps run their pheasants with turkeys and chickens and other poultry....not recommended at all.
In that close proximity, they can transmit it to pheasants.

I believe we both know the same person although she currently doesn't have any chickens or turkeys. She will have them again next year.

 

[007Sean]

I believe we both know the same person although she currently doesn't have any chickens or turkeys. She will have them again next year.

Yep!