Wild turkey hens seduced our tom-

[Bert2368]

A flock of 5 wild turkey hens started coming out of the woods every morning and evening, walking around our small flock of bourbon reds in their pen and apparently lusting after young Tom, our only male.

We free range the turkeys when we are around to watch them, and the wild turkeys decided they were part of the flock too, the turkey treats we leave out might have had somethi g to do with this. Where else are they going to find a pile of freeze dried meal worms during April in Minnesota...

So, nature took its course. There are probably going to be some odd looking wild turkeys around here next year! Hybrid vigor, or contamination of the wild turkey gene pool? You decide.

 

[memphis]

Oh My!

 

[R2elk]

View attachment 1380179 A flock of 5 wild turkey hens started coming out of the woods every morning and evening, walking around our small flock of bourbon reds in their pen and apparently lusting after young Tom, our only male.

We free range the turkeys when we are around to watch them, and the wild turkeys decided they were part of the flock too, the turkey treats we leave out might have had something to do with this. Where else are they going to find a pile of freeze dried meal worms during April in Minnesota...

So, nature took its course. There are probably going to be some odd looking wild turkeys around here next year! Hybrid vigor, or contamination of the wild turkey gene pool? You decide.View attachment 1380175

It happens all the time. The Wild turkeys (bronze) crossing with your Bourbon Red will make Red Bronze poults.

I know people who thought it was neat to have the wild turkeys around so they left treats for them. Eventually they wished they had never encouraged the wild turkeys. The novelty can wear off.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Wild women like gingers. Apparently. LOL

 

[lilmillefleur]

 

[Ducksandchickens]

That’s cool! If you see any strange hybrid then definetly post a picture!

 

[debid]

This happened around here at some point because years ago, a wild bronze hen was walking around with a mix of bronze and white/black patterned offspring (Royal Palm sired?) I'mguessing the trait was weeded out of the gene pool, though, as I haven't seen any in ages.

 

[R2elk]

Today's visitor

 

[Bert2368]

A week past, late Janary 2021, I was driving out to the store and noticed a small flock of turkeys quite near the road about a mile North of where our old Red Bourbon tom got his freak on with the several wild turkey hens.

Two of the seven turkeys looked somewhat stockier/shorter and most definitely REDDER than the other (normal grey/brown/bronze) wild turkeys... They didn't have the prominent white markings on wings and tails our now deceased Red Bourbon turkeys had, but I'm thinking a DNA test would have confirmed paternity.

Nice to see something survived our stupid neighbor's stock killing dogs.

 

[R2elk]

A week past, late Janary 2021, I was driving out to the store and noticed a small flock of turkeys quite near the road about a mile North of where our old Red Bourbon tom got his freak on with the several wild turkey hens.

Two of the seven turkeys looked somewhat stockier/shorter and most definitely REDDER than the other (normal grey/brown/bronze) wild turkeys... They didn't have the prominent white markings on wings and tails our now deceased Red Bourbon turkeys had, but I'm thinking a DNA test would have confirmed paternity.

Nice to see something survived our stupid neighbor's stock killing dogs.

If a Bourbon Red was crossed with wild turkeys (Bronze), the offspring would be Red Bronze which is probably what you were seeing..