Turkeys about breeding time

[CrealCritter]

Ineed some advise please.

Currently I have 3 mature turkeys, 2 hens and 1 Tom. The mature Tom will become Thanksgiving dinner. I also have 2 jake's and 2 young hens. The younger ones and mature ones are seperated by a fence. The two mature hens spend a big part of their day walking the fence line and cooing at the young turkeys.

My question... When I butcher my mature Tom should I open up the fence and allow the mature hens in with the 2 younger jakes and 2 younger hens? I already know I'll eventually have to separate the two younger Jake's when the get a older because the will fight constantly. But do you think the mature hens will kill the younger turkeys or should I just leave them separated until late winter/early spring and put one of the younger jakes who will be mature by then in with the mature hens when it's breeding time again?

Turkeys are a rather odd bird... And I'm not experienced with rasing them. Please share your thoughts... Thanks

 

[NH Homesteader]

I would keep them separate until the younger ones are fully grown. I've seen some nasty turkey fights.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I really don't know anything about turkeys - but I don't think I'd take a chance.

 

[Mini Horses]

My experience over past 20 years has been with freezer birds No fighting there.

Let us know. I'd follow NH -- they raised them.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yeah one of my Black Spanish cross hens almost killed a young tom. That was interesting. And I had two hens that DH broke up because they got so violent towards each other.

 

[CrealCritter]

It's actually comical when they fight. Their heads move like mirror images of each other. Tom's will fight to the death if left together with hens during lay. They will draw blood from your hands / arms if you try and break them up. So it's just best to keep them separated when they start to mature.

My two mature hens got in a fight one time and I had to grab both of them at the same time by their tail feathers and pull them apart in order to get them to stop. Then I said who's the big turkey now ladies? My wife thought that was very funny. :lol

 

[NH Homesteader]

A lot of turkey breeders keep their hens in one pen and toms in another most of the time. That's how they live in the wild. I guess they sort it out.

 

[CrealCritter]

Little turkeys, two in the back are Tom's, two in the front are hens. They are growing nicely.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

They're coming along nicely!

 

[sumi]

They look great!