Turkeys tormenting hens

[ziggywiggy]

I had to build seperate coops for my turkeys and chickens. They are fine when they free range together but, the turkeys bully my hens if they are penned together and since my hens pay the feed bill, that is an unexceptable situation.
I know other people that keep theirs together but, I don't.

 

[OmaBird]

I have never had any problems keeping them together. I am reading this and I can't figure out what might be wrong. At one time I had 5,000 chickens free ranging with my turkeys. Not once where any hurt from a turkey. Right now I have bantams, chickens, geese, ducks and bantam ducks all together with the turkeys. They nest together too. One big happy family.

 

[PatS]

Oma, all I can say is, count your blessings!

 

[kuntrygirl]

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I have One Big Family but I don't have the Happy.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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Ditto

 

[PatS]

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My hen who lays every day without fail is molting as well, and she's the main target. The other hen injured her leg and is limping, she, too, is a target. SO I think you may be on to something. My molter is acting extremely submissive, and I was wondering if the molt had anything to do with it.

 

[txcarl1258]

5,000 chickens! OMG

 

[Pampered Hen]

Pats - the annual molt seems to have a pretty big impact on birds. I'm sure hormone levels shift during that time and so does the comfort level of the bird in molt. I think birds have keen senses and pick up on subtile changes of their flock mates. It wouldn't surprise me if a molting hen woud appear odd enough for a young and curious turkey to cause it going after her. In addition, I have a feeling my two turkeys just discovered that they are much bigger and stronger than the chickens and they are testing their way up in the pecking order.