The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Mrspie on April 15, 2018, 09:25:09 pm

Title: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: Mrspie on April 15, 2018, 09:25:09 pm

Hi everyone,

Quite a strange subject! I started with a trio of bourbon red turkeys a few years ago. Over the years they have bred and I’ve kept the chicks. The strange beginnings started last year. I kept finding flattened chickens.. turned out Tommy the stag was to blame. I separated the chickens and he turnt his anger to the other stags. They would fight to the death!
it all calmed down over the winter, no fighting or unexplained deaths. Until last week.
I found one of my turkey hens dead. Mated to death/ flattened! Today I bought 5 new turkey hens to keep the peace between the 3 stags, within 2hrs I find another turkey hen dead. Flattened!
Is this normal or am I the only one with a turkey stag with a murderous streak!

Title: Re: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: in the hills on April 15, 2018, 09:46:18 pm

I don't know anything about turkeys.


..... But I think it's time for Tommy to go before he does anymore harm!!!!!




We did have a young cockerel that we had to dispatch a few years ago when I watched him flatten a hen and then stand on her plucking her like a bird of prey would do. We'd had a couple of hens injured during the previous two weeks but couldn't work out the cause until I spotted him in action!


Guess that it could happen with turkeys too.

Title: Re: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: doganjo on April 16, 2018, 10:29:04 am

You've given Tommy too much leway - freeze him! Now!  :innocent:

Title: Re: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: harmony on April 16, 2018, 11:19:37 am

Yep, tell him Christmas came early!

Title: Re: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: Clarebelle on April 16, 2018, 02:55:24 pm

I had a cockerel who killed two hens by flattening them while mating. He went in the freezer!  :turkey:

Title: Re: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: Marches Farmer on April 16, 2018, 04:00:17 pm

If the stag is quite old I would suspect something like a brain tumour is causing atypical behaviour. 

Title: Re: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: Fleecewife on April 16, 2018, 07:21:28 pm

There are a lot of you tube clips of turkeys, wild and supposedly tame, attacking people.  They are big birds so I know I wouldn't put up with a vicious one.  :turkey: :turkey: :turkey: :hungry:

Title: Re: Killer Turkeys!
Post by: Marches Farmer on April 17, 2018, 09:02:25 am

We've bred hundreds of Narragansetts, primarily for conservation purposes, and never had an even mildly grumpy one.  The stags always place themselves between strangers and their wives in the breeding season and then display continually, sweeping their primary feathers across the floor as well as booming and gobbling.  I guess if someone was unfamiliar with livestock and didn't read the defensive signs they could push the stag's tolerance level too far.  The Narragansett stags reach 14kg when mature so, no, I wouldn't want one flying at me.