Title: Pet Turkeys
Description: Why are my hens fighting?
Kandyow - September 2, 2010 05:35 PM (GMT)
Help! Im runnung out of space! Why are my 2 hens fighting? I separted them but still they fight and 1 even fights with the tom? Why?
Robyn - September 2, 2010 06:58 PM (GMT)
Like chickens, turkeys will establish dominance. There is a dominant hen. She will make sure the others know it. If they don't give in to her, she will attack them. Sometimes, even if they do, she may still pester them. In the wild, they would just separate. In the confines of a cage, it's much harder. The solutions include a larger cage, separation, or a change in the heirarchy which may occur if animals die or new animals are added to the mix. If it's already crowded though, that's probably not the best solution.
Such fighting may diminish in time but it could also worsen. I have four chickens. One is the mother of all of them, and from time to time, she makes sure that the others know it including the huge rooster, her son who can normally "have his way" with her.
Kandyow - September 3, 2010 04:48 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Robyn @ Sep 2 2010, 02:58 PM) |
Like chickens, turkeys will establish dominance. There is a dominant hen. She will make sure the others know it. If they don't give in to her, she will attack them. Sometimes, even if they do, she may still pester them. In the wild, they would just separate. In the confines of a cage, it's much harder. The solutions include a larger cage, separation, or a change in the heirarchy which may occur if animals die or new animals are added to the mix. If it's already crowded though, that's probably not the best solution.
Such fighting may diminish in time but it could also worsen. I have four chickens. One is the mother of all of them, and from time to time, she makes sure that the others know it including the huge rooster, her son who can normally "have his way" with her. |
I do not have room to keep them apart. So now what?
Robyn - September 3, 2010 05:37 PM (GMT)
When my hen had a baby, I used chicken wire to split the run in to two parts. Can you do something like that? If the fighting is not bad (no blood and everyone can still eat and function), then you can wait and see if things get better.
I'm confused. You said you did separate the hens but they still fight? How big is their cage/run?
Kandyow - September 4, 2010 04:20 PM (GMT)
I have 1 tom & 2 hens in a 15 x 24 the added another 15' run. Thank the lord I did cause by the time I was finished is when the hens started scrappin' with the tom. So I had the 2 hens in one side and tom in the other. But then after a few weeks they started. I now I have each turkey in a space of their own. But when the 2 hens see each other thur the blanket I put up they just stand there all puffed up and squaking all day????
Robyn - September 5, 2010 12:29 AM (GMT)
That seems strange to me that they would threaten each other even when separated. Are you sure they are two hens? Maybe they think they're toms! You'd think they'd get tired of puffing as you say. The runs sound large enough. Now that they are separate, you shouldn't have to worry about physical injury amongst the birds. I really don't know what their problem is though. Are any aggressive with you or just the other birds?
