turkey tom kills hen?!

Just wondering if anyone can shed some light into yesterday's tragedy.

We had a trio of turkeys that were destined for the dinner table anyway, we just hadn't quite gotten there yet. They were hatched last year, mid summer, and had grown up together - all 3. This past month the hens started laying. I noticed the tom breeding the hens, all three were fairly small turkeys (they were the result of quite small blue slate parents with a possible bronze influence somewhere). The tom sure didn't have any problems breeding them, but at the same time the hens looked fine - not a feather out of place. I had only seen them breeding once, but the tom perched on top for about 3 minutes.

Yesterday I went out and did chores. The tom was mounting the hen as I collected eggs. I got the eggs and went and cut the lawn. An hour later, after the lawnmower was cleaned and put away I went to collect eggs again, as my heritage hens tend to lay later in the day. My turkey hen was dead. She was in the same location as she had been when the tom was mounting her, the pen is completely enclosed - roofed, etc. There was no way that anything could have gotten in there and I never heard anything of course, because I was mowing the lawn

So, the hen's feathers were all ripped off her back, she had gouges through her skin, and her head was bloody. She was fine only 1 hr before. What the heck? So of course now the Tom is going to the freezer ASAP before he kills the OTHER turkey hen we have fed for a year now.

Is this common? We have had 2 other trio's of turkeys and never had any problem like this at all! I know people use turkey saddles but I didn't think this situation needed them as we only wanted to eat everyone and they JUST started laying/mating.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Not common at all I have never lost a hen that way, but getting ripped apart is somthing that I have seen way to often, Toms can be hard on the hens, maybe a saddle

BriarwoodPoultry wrote:Just wondering if anyone can shed some light into yesterday's tragedy.

We had a trio of turkeys that were destined for the dinner table anyway, we just hadn't quite gotten there yet. They were hatched last year, mid summer, and had grown up together - all 3. This past month the hens started laying. I noticed the tom breeding the hens, all three were fairly small turkeys (they were the result of quite small blue slate parents with a possible bronze influence somewhere). The tom sure didn't have any problems breeding them, but at the same time the hens looked fine - not a feather out of place. I had only seen them breeding once, but the tom perched on top for about 3 minutes.

Yesterday I went out and did chores. The tom was mounting the hen as I collected eggs. I got the eggs and went and cut the lawn. An hour later, after the lawnmower was cleaned and put away I went to collect eggs again, as my heritage hens tend to lay later in the day. My turkey hen was dead. She was in the same location as she had been when the tom was mounting her, the pen is completely enclosed - roofed, etc. There was no way that anything could have gotten in there and I never heard anything of course, because I was mowing the lawn

So, the hen's feathers were all ripped off her back, she had gouges through her skin, and her head was bloody. She was fine only 1 hr before. What the heck? So of course now the Tom is going to the freezer ASAP before he kills the OTHER turkey hen we have fed for a year now.

Is this common? We have had 2 other trio's of turkeys and never had any problem like this at all! I know people use turkey saddles but I didn't think this situation needed them as we only wanted to eat everyone and they JUST started laying/mating.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

WOW, I am in shock over the fact you cut the lawn! We still have many, many feet of snow...

I was going to mention cutting the lawn as well but thought I would leave it alone

Lol oh you two.

I will be honest, I was more horrified about the violence involved in this male's sexual appetite then the loss of the turkey. I wanted them in the freezer a month ago because I don't really like them (not turkeys, but this particular trio as they are flighty and unpersonable, particularly the lady-killer-tom), but no one listened, and I couldn't do it myself!

BUT, I was just wondering if this was some weird freaky thing or if that kinda thing happens if they don't have saddles? We have had 2 other breeding trio's that we had for 2 years and they were saddle-less and the girls stayed pristine...

I have heard from fellow enthusiasts that it is possible for the Toms to actually break the backs of the hens, now I have never experienced this myself, but have seen first hand the results of Turkey's breeding with no saddle on the hen.

Pick some up at the POPWA sale and already they have been put to use.

a hard thing to watch turkey's breeding, but i prefer to stick around and make sure the girls hang in there, of course when I can, you never know when the boys are going to get to work.

Hope you don't run into this issue any further, Crazy turkeys.....