I thinks you looks at you like competition.
Never let a turkey eat from your hand. Even a poult. Not that that is part of the problem. Turkeys are too strong/big, and eating from your hand can cause an accidental puncture.
I have a jenny that bites me out of curiosity when I am working (saying no is working most of the time). But the tom I can help you with!!
Mimic him. Walk slowly towards him, and flap your arms, hitting your side, and saying, "Pft! Pft!" It worked within a week for my jake! Putting him in the freezer worked too!
What a great story!This is only my first year letting turkey mamas raise their brood. I am raising Midget Broad-Breasted Whites. I have two turkey hens and a tom. The one pictured is "South." The second hen is "North." (In reference to the location of their original nests.) North went broody first and hatched (12) and raised (until they were three weeks old) 6 poults (I learned I have to do a little interfering in making sure those poults know where to find food and water). North found South's nest, kicked South off, and took over that nest, as well as adding a few of her own. North still let the original poults brood under her wings but did nothing to find food for them. South made a new nest. North's second poults started hatching, but she did not raise herself up off the poults and suffocated them
. I took the rest of those turkey eggs and put them under a broody chicken hen. That chicken hen is raising 5 poults. North started mothering her original six poults again until she found South's new nest and promptly kicked South off again
and started incubating those eggs in addition to adding her own. South made herself a new nest outside in the tall grass. This time I put a chicken "condo" over South and her nest so as to be protected from the elements and predators (and North). In the meantime, North's third set of poults started hatching and she ended up with nine more turkey poults. As these poults hatched, I actually took them away so as not to be suffocated until I knew they were eating/drinking, took the rest of the eggs away after approximately a week, and stuck the poults back under her. She has done a great job raising those poults. About three weeks later, South finally got to hatch her eggs. She has been an AWESOME mama.
That was a long answer to your question!! They really are both excellent mamas, North to an extent. Oh, and the tom is an excellent papa! He has taken over the original six, will "throw" June bugs at them to eat, stays with them, breaks up squabbles, and waits until they are all inside before he goes in. Although the poults wanted to snuggle under him at night, that is where he drew the line
. It has really been funny to watch. Papa and poults:
North and her third hatch (nine) after a hawk flew over:
South in the condo with some of the poults peeking out.
I thought I had a picture of the chicken mama with her five poults, but can't find it.
Thank you!
