Why is my female turkey aggressive?

[Razz Gavin]

My turkey is approximately 8 months old and is EXTREMELY socialized and loves people. She's always been aggressive towards other animals and scared of other birds but she absolutely loves to cuddle with people.

However, starting around 2 months ago she became aggressive towards my cousin. They've never had problems before and he did nothing to to ask for her anger. She was sitting on the back of my chair with me as she normally does and he came over to say hello to her and she began to turn red, raise her head, and threaten him. Ever since then, she gets mad just from seeing his face and turns into a complete brat and wants to bite everyone. Just recently she began doing the same to my aunt.

She's never been aggressive towards a person besides one incident where I took her to the fair. Me and the her were alone in the cage together then a friend rushed in suddenly to join us. The turkey became aggressive towards her, but in this case it was understandable. My friend was a complete stranger and she intruded into the already cramped space and it makes sense that my bird would've become protective and territorial after being startled this way.

Why is she suddenly turning aggressive towards certain people without even being provoked?

 

[ivan3]

Eight month old Jenny. Has she started to `present' herself to be bred (to you or anyone else?). If you can post up a shot of this `terror' it might be useful. Turkeys, between 6 months to a year of age are rather `growing' rather hormonal. This writer has never seen any aggressive behavior from a human imprinted jenny/hen (other than the expected hissing from their nests) directed at a human. However, If I had a `sulky' turkey jenny/hen she'd remain in the run when anyone else was available for targeting - these guys are just too big to tolerate this sort of behavior. Turkey `adolescence' is rather compressed - once she's over a year old (hen) then this `challenging' will probably fade away (sort of like the jakes intensity of sparring/social order rearranging decreasing into more formal patterns after they hit adulthood).

Is this the only turkey you have? Is it kept with or range with other poultry?

 

[Razz Gavin]

No she's never presented herself for breeding(unless that's what she's really doing when she randomly sits down on the ground and wants her head to be cuddled) and I don't have any pictures of her threatening people and she's currently asleep so I don't want to disturb her. But she raises her head and sticks her beak straight up at them and turns red then makes a sound that I'm not sure how to describe but it's sort of like a 1 second gobble. We have many chickens and 3 peafowl but she's the only turkey we have. She doesn't hang out with any of them and is actually afraid of most of them because they all chase her. The only other bird I've ever seen her have real contact with is a blind rooster because I keep them together at night

 

[ivan3]

Wasn't so much interested in a photo of the turk attacking a human (though I'd be interested in such as I've yet to see one posted), just a shot of the turk standing around - as the description of the behavior leaves me wondering about the sex. The girls do get their dander up (note the fence that keeps little miss tough girl safe from her mama). A year later and mother and daughter are vying for `flock control' (though the hens simply can't maintain the `pose' for any length of time) - a nip to the head of the young one and that was that. Presenting? Good for educational purposes and obviously available (a `lap' turkey just hanging out with humans won't assume the position - note the location of ankles and feet, less likely to be `tipped over' during mating attempts). Hens that have imprinted on humans and present so are easier to breed with a `borrowed' (strange) tom as the hen will present to the human and the tom can do the deed and be caged up and returned to owner forthwith.

 

[callieisspooky]

Ivan, will a jenny who has imprinted on a person breed with a tom who has also imprinted on humans?

Razz, that sounds a bit like tom behavior to me. Maybe she is feeling anxious because she's the lowest in the pecking order. I've noticed my most aggressive birds are the low pecking order sort, though they only show aggression toward new, strange birds (such as crows).

 

[ivan3]

Ivan, will a jenny who has imprinted on a person breed with a tom who has also imprinted on humans? Razz, that sounds a bit like tom behavior to me. Maybe she is feeling anxious because she's the lowest in the pecking order. I've noticed my most aggressive birds are the low pecking order sort, though they only show aggression toward new, strange birds (such as crows).

Yes. Really, the only difference between the sexes in an imprinted turk is that the hens will present to humans during breeding season. The toms are pretty much toms (will mate with anything from nothing but air to an empty boot in lieu of a hen - but they rarely attempt to mate with an occupied boot). Our toms (both human/hen imprinted) will sidle up to eat a grape from the `hand' but prefer to remain aloof & somewhat distant (though they'll follow one around just to see what is going on).

 

[Razz Gavin]

I'm going to have to seriously consider that "she" may actually be male. She's fluffed her feathers up and stomped towards me quite a few times when she was younger and has never truly presented herself for mating. She has a furry head and has no beard or spurs yet, but she's still young so maybe it's just too soon to tell. Her hormones are probably just kicking in so that's why she wants to beat the rest of my family up. I'm probably the only one she doesn't threaten just because I've always been her mother and caretaker.

 

[DomoMommy]

My turkey is approximately 8 months old and is EXTREMELY socialized and loves people. She's always been aggressive towards other animals and scared of other birds but she absolutely loves to cuddle with people.

However, starting around 2 months ago she became aggressive towards my cousin. They've never had problems before and he did nothing to to ask for her anger. She was sitting on the back of my chair with me as she normally does and he came over to say hello to her and she began to turn red, raise her head, and threaten him. Ever since then, she gets mad just from seeing his face and turns into a complete brat and wants to bite everyone. Just recently she began doing the same to my aunt.

She's never been aggressive towards a person besides one incident where I took her to the fair. Me and the her were alone in the cage together then a friend rushed in suddenly to join us. The turkey became aggressive towards her, but in this case it was understandable. My friend was a complete stranger and she intruded into the already cramped space and it makes sense that my bird would've become protective and territorial after being startled this way.

Why is she suddenly turning aggressive towards certain people without even being provoked?

I know this is super old but did you ever get an answer? My Turkey doing the same thing.

 

[crb1487]

Eight month old Jenny. Has she started to `present' herself to be bred (to you or anyone else?). If you can post up a shot of this `terror' it might be useful. Turkeys, between 6 months to a year of age are rather `growing' rather hormonal. This writer has never seen any aggressive behavior from a human imprinted jenny/hen (other than the expected hissing from their nests) directed at a human. However, If I had a `sulky' turkey jenny/hen she'd remain in the run when anyone else was available for targeting - these guys are just too big to tolerate this sort of behavior. Turkey `adolescence' is rather compressed - once she's over a year old (hen) then this `challenging' will probably fade away (sort of like the jakes intensity of sparring/social order rearranging decreasing into more formal patterns after they hit adulthood).

Is this the only turkey you have? Is it kept with or range with other poultry? I have to say... I was very surprised to read so many reactions to females acting out like this all over the net. More surprising is NOone believes you can have a female if she acts like this, but females can and do act out Exactly like described here. Previously I raised 2 Whites and 2 blacks that I soon found out were Large Breasted Whites (modified/breed) that were being sold as just "whites" and Blacks by N40. These awesome animals are the result of breeding for fast growing, large turkeys (with no regard for the outcome and the life these modified turkeys will have, often ending up disabled by their own weight. Neither my hens or Tom's became aggressive (but, they seemed to understand they needed me because their health wouldn't allow them a long happy life like they would have if born to Heritage turkeys. Not so much my 8 mo old, hand raised Heritage turkey hen. They grew quite fast "on their own", and I had a hard time when I had to step back as momma and move them into their own home, outside. Within 2 weeks, DoDah (my loving hen) began making this soft trilling noise. She will come right up to me, stare me down and sound off. If I move, she dashes at my legs or feet. If I'm laying down, she goes for my eyes unless she's blocked to have only access to my back side. In which case, she will pull at my hair. Once she's gotten in this mindset, she doesn't give up and Depending on the situation. She either ends in a time out kennel (so I can roam about unattacked), or is held firmly in my arms while I do my best to just talk calmly in attempt to calm her. Usually, the only thing that makes her forget (what ever shes acting out about) is her favorite food treats; crescents, mealy pupae, mung bean sprouts, watermelon or popcorn. All the while, Zippidy (the Tom) prances around, all puffed up, trying to get my attention while he shows off how handsome he looks. (He loves to hear it, over and over) DoDah will however, stay right up next to my window cooing and talking with me through the window all night if I give in. She hates it when I leave. Now, talk about mixed and confusing! But, this little hen who worshiped me not long ago, is turning into her version of a woman and is also wanting to assert her female dominance. Yes, Female Dominance is real In turkeys and if your hen gets hit with the crazy hormone. You have to be firm, calm, patient and understanding if she's to ever get past it all. Quite literally, your raising a turkey teenager. They do grow past it with the right help and direction. Above all... Don't act aggressive towards her (hitting her back or worse) aggression will only fuel aggression. Turkeys have 1 track minds when something gets stuck there, it only leaves with the right distraction. Change her mindset (if only briefly) what works for my DoDah is her goodies. If the Tom is following you more than her, she's likely to start back up fairly soon, but, they do get past it either because they win (dominate) or because, she learns she hates the time outs and her hormones sooner or later fall in back check. DoDah had me feeling really hurt at the onset of all this until she found how to stay close to me through the window at night. Which, during these times, the real DoDah comes back and I realized she still loved and needed me, I just had to re-train her brain while the hormones tried re-training her personality. Like any teenager. Completely worth all the work