Turkey Squatting for me?

[Koko Acres]

It really isn't a good idea to imprint poults. They are experts at tugging on heart strings. Unfortunately they grow up and are big enough to cause serious injury.

I met a man who had scars on both sides of his face. He was down on his hands and knees trying to repair a hole in his fence when his human imprinted tom tried to "breed" his head.

Thank you for sharing. I am going to be on the alert from now on.

 

[R2elk]

Thank you for letting me know. I am definitely going to be more standoffish and aware. The chicken thing is concerning as well because they were raised and are generally housed with my chickens. They are getting their own coop in a couple weeks so hopefully that will be quick enough before any problems start as I haven’t seen any fighting yet. Thank you!

I do not brood poults with chicks. I do not "grow out" poults with chicks. It's the imprinting that causes the problems.

Mine aren't chicken or human imprinted. They understand that people and chickens are not turkeys. Mine have not killed any chickens nor have they tried to breed any chickens.

The hens on occasion have an issue with some roosters but these cases are always started by the rooster. If the turkeys could catch them, I am sure they would kill them but there are plenty of obstacles and hiding places and the roosters are a little bit faster than the turkeys.

 

[MillyMare]

My hen does this all of the time the only difference is I don’t have a tom I used to but I sold him there was nothing wrong with him and he wasn’t aggressive just a lady wanted him so I sold him when I did have him he only tried something once he bowed up to me and kinda came at me so I smacked him several times hard and he never tried anything with me again I think a reason why he backed down so quickly is because they were raised with some very opinionated chickens who would put them in their place. I hate that she does it but it does make it easier to pick her up to put her in the pen so that is kinda a plus a negative is when I trip and almost face plant because she sits right in front of me while I am walking

 

[R2elk]

My hen does this all of the time the only difference is I don’t have a tom I used to but I sold him there was nothing wrong with him and he wasn’t aggressive just a lady wanted him so I sold him when I did have him he only tried something once he bowed up to me and kinda came at me so I smacked him several times hard and he never tried anything with me again I think a reason why he backed down so quickly is because they were raised with some very opinionated chickens who would put them in their place. I hate that she does it but it does make it easier to pick her up to put her in the pen so that is kinda a plus a negative is when I trip and almost face plant because she sits right in front of me while I am walking

Do not hit or kick turkeys. If you need to defend yourself from an aggressive turkey use a broom. Do not swing it at the turkey. Do not hit the turkey with it. Use the sweeping end to push against the turkey and keep it from getting close to you.

It is also a bad idea to brood poults with chicks. The imprinting it causes prevents the turkeys from understanding that there is a difference between them and chickens. This is especially harmful when an adult turkey tom starys killing chickens by trying to breed them.