by Good day, dear poultry farmers! Turkeys are the most aggressive of all poultry. They can sort things out not only with roosters or drakes, but also arrange fights within their flock. Why do turkeys fight among themselves and what to do – we are looking for the cause and ways to eliminate it.
Such behavior of turkeys is usual for their owners and usually does not worry poultry farmers until such skirmishes lead to serious injuries to the bird. But when fights are accompanied by pecking, and such bloody battles occur daily, it is time to take serious measures to eliminate the factors of aggressive behavior of this bird. But first they need to be identified.
If it is difficult or impossible to determine the reason for such behavior in adult males, then a range of measures is carried out.
Reasons for aggressive behavior in turkeys
When determining the reasons for turkey aggression, you need to pay attention to:
- When fights occur – during meals or after meals.
- Where do skirmishes occur – indoors, in the walking area, near feeders and waterers.
- The age of the “fighters”.
- What body parts are most often pecked. Heads and wings of turkeys are subject to pecks in the struggle for dominance in the flock. The cloaca is pecked during diarrhea or difficulties in laying eggs.
Why do turkeys fight reasons
The main reasons for fights between turkeys.
First of all. Species predisposition. In a flock of turkeys there is a special hierarchy, from the strongest member of the flock to the weakest, and the desire for leadership is most strongly manifested in males after the age of eight months. And any violation of the established order will become a source of battles, as a result of which there may even be a redistribution of leadership in the flock.
Since these birds remain wild and strong even in domestic conditions, they very zealously defend their territory from strangers and fight with rivals. It happened that the leader turkey pecked the growing young to death. They also “with hostility” meet new members of the flock, especially if they differ in size and plumage color.
It is important to remember! A flock of turkeys should be formed from individuals of the same age, then the aggressive behavior of turkeys will be minimal.
Also, the aggressiveness of this bird directly depends on the breed. Lighter breeds are less aggressive. The following breeds are best for keeping in cages:
- BIG-6;
- BYuT-8;
- Canadian broad-breasted;
- Moscow white.
The weight of adult individuals of such breeds usually does not exceed 16-18 kg. Turkeys of these breeds are usually raised for no more than 4 months, and then they can be slaughtered.
The stocking density of such turkey breeds when kept on the floor is no more than 3 heads per square meter of the room. In this case, aggression in the flock is practically not observed.
But heavy breeds of turkeys – Moscow bronze, North Caucasian bronze, white broad-breasted – when kept on the floor are more prone to aggressive behavior and pecking. Moreover, not only males, but also females can be aggressive. Adult males of such breeds can gain weight up to 40 kg, and females – at least 30 kg.
Disadvantages of feeding
One of the reasons for aggression in turkeys can be an incorrectly composed diet. It is very important that the food contains enough protein! Its deficiency, as well as excess, can cause aggressiveness of this bird.
When there is a lack of protein in the food, males need to replenish it. As a result, the birds will actively search for food in the range or in the feeders, where fights will occur.
If there is too much protein in the feed, the bird’s metabolism may be disrupted. As a result, uric acid will accumulate under the skin and in the internal organs. Excreted in large quantities with the droppings, this acid corrodes the cloaca, the skin becomes itchy, feathers fall out, and the skin itself becomes dry.
Important! In the first month of life, turkeys should have up to 28% of their daily food intake as protein, and by 4 months the protein content in their food should be reduced to 20%.
Also, a lack of fiber in the feed can lead to aggressive behavior in turkeys. In natural conditions, this bird is accustomed to eating coarse bitter feeds, which are often lacking in food prepared for the bird at home.
In properly formulated feeds, the amount of fiber should be at least 4% of the total daily food volume.
Therefore, experienced poultry farmers recommend feeding turkeys from birth to one month of age only with special factory feeds, which include all the necessary ingredients in the required quantities.
Birds are also transferred to factory feed in cases where the cause of turkey aggression is definitely improper nutrition, but it is difficult to determine exactly what type of feed they lack.
Turkeys should be transferred to factory-produced feed after 12-14 days.
When this poultry enters the moulting period, sulfur-containing amino acids such as methionine or cysteine, as well as mineral complexes, are necessarily added to their feed. Premixes of vitamins and minerals are added to feed or added to water in drinkers.
Improper poultry keeping
Particular attention should be paid to the conditions in which turkeys are kept, since any deviation from the norm will provoke violent fights among members of the flock.
Temperature indicator. Turkeys become more aggressive when the poultry house is hot. And day-old chicks tend to peck at low temperatures, when the young are forced to huddle together to keep warm. Therefore, the temperature in the room where turkeys are kept from birth to 7 days is maintained at +34+36 degrees Celsius.
Humidity indicator. The normal humidity level in a room where a flock of turkeys is kept is 56-70%. If the humidity level in the poultry house is lower than the specified values, the bird’s feathers dry out, as a result of which the birds begin to stimulate the uropygial gland to lubricate the feathers. As a result, the gland is damaged, and this is how pecking occurs.
Lighting level. The duration of daylight hours is very important for turkeys, especially in winter, as well as its brightness. The normal duration of daylight hours in a room where a flock of turkeys is kept is 14 hours. If fights and pecking begin in the flock, it is recommended to reduce the duration of daylight hours to 10 hours.
Daylight lamps are simply switched off, leaving minimal light above the feeders and drinkers. In the summer, it is recommended to close the windows with shutters. The time for walking for this bird on a range is also limited.
It is better to equip the turkey house with daylight lamps to reduce the aggressiveness of the bird; blue light is used.
Stocking density in the poultry house. One of the main reasons for the aggressiveness of turkeys is their overcrowding. Therefore, when keeping this bird, you should remember: no more than 2 males, 3 females or 6 turkey poults, which are raised for slaughter, can be kept on one square meter. Perches are installed with the calculation of 0,3 m per head.
Food and nourishment must be available to these individuals at all times.
Places for walking. It is very important for turkeys to be in the sun – under the influence of sunlight they produce vitamin D, so these birds have healthy skin and beautiful feathers. But when walking, a canopy is always made where the bird can hide from the rain and too hot sun.
Sexual behavior, this is why turkeys fight males
Very often, attacks of aggression in birds are associated with the sexual instincts of turkeys. Often, in a fight for a female, a leading turkey can peck a weaker male to death.
In natural conditions, male and female turkeys live separately, and only come together in winter or during mating season. Therefore, in private farms, it is recommended to keep adult male and female turkeys separately, and for insemination, turkeys are released to the hens in the morning and evening hours.
If the herd is kept together, without separation by sex, then there should be up to 7 females for each male. Such herds are usually formed approximately 14-20 days before the start of the egg-laying period.
Important! Each flock of turkeys must be kept in a separate pen.
If turkeys are raised for meat production, they are usually slaughtered before puberty. If there are any that are too aggressive in the flock, they are separated from the main flock or culled.
Age of turkeys
Turkeys have several periods of time when they become more aggressive, so fights between them can be regular.
From the age of 21 days, the young begin to sort things out, fighting for leadership.
During juvenile molting (at 5-6 weeks), when turkeys begin to grow feathers, replacing the downy plumage. At this time, it is necessary to include amino acids, minerals and a complex of vitamins in their diet. Their deficiency will be indicated by dry skin of the chicks, chicks pecking feathers, baldness occurs.
For breeding females, the critical period begins with the moment of sexual maturity. When a female begins to lay eggs too early or lacks vitamins and minerals, she may develop pathologies of the oviduct and cloaca. If cracks form in the cloaca area, drops of blood appear, then pecking or self-pecking is possible. Therefore, nests for turkeys are equipped in dark, quiet places, and the lighting in the room itself should not be too bright.
You need to know! One nest should be placed for a pair of females. But there can be more nests, this will have a beneficial effect on the behavior of the hens.
And broiler turkeys fight if their fattening period is exceeded. Usually females are slaughtered at the age of 4-5 months, and males – 5-7 months.
With longer fattening periods, various problems may arise in raising turkeys, including fights during the birds’ sexual maturation.
Turkeys are fighting – what to do, how to solve these problems?
If turkeys are fighting, farmers are advised to take the following measures.
- Tidy up the poultry house – set the required temperature, humidity level and lighting.
- It is also necessary to equip a place for turkeys to walk in accordance with the standards. It is desirable that it be separate from the walking area of birds of other species.
- Normalize the bird’s diet, provide clean water in the drinking bowls, and maintain the density of turkeys in the room.
- If the poultry house contains breeding breeds, then males and females should be kept separately.
- Each flock is formed from birds of the same breed, the same color of feathers and the same age. It is forbidden to introduce new individuals into an already formed flock.
- The diet of turkeys should contain amino acids, mineral and vitamin complexes, as well as various additives and premixes.
- The poultry house should have the ability to divide the room into sections where aggressive fighters can be placed.
- It is better to introduce table salt into the bird’s diet for several days. But not more than 2% of the total amount of feed. Manganese sulfate is also added to the food.
- The last resort to prevent fighting and pecking in turkeys is beak trimming.
How to Treat Turkeys Injured in Fights
If fights occur regularly in a flock, all birds are examined daily. All individuals that have been pecked are separated from the main flock until their injuries heal.
Wounds should be treated with soapy water, then with an antiseptic solution (peroxide or a weak solution of potassium permanganate). You can also use a special antiseptic spray to treat wounds.
Prevention of aggressive behavior
To prevent aggression in a flock of turkeys, veterinary and zootechnical standards should be observed. Also, regularly check the bird for skin parasites, and carry out prevention of intestinal disorders in birds.
To prevent feather plucking and cannibalism among young birds, wire is stretched over the feeders, on which the turkeys will clean their beaks after each feeding.
It is recommended that breeding males have their claws trimmed to prevent them from injuring females during mating.
Unfortunately, poultry farmers do not always manage to prevent the emergence of aggression in turkeys in a timely manner. But if all the rules for keeping and feeding this bird are observed, it is possible to sharply reduce the number of fights and pecking in these individuals.
Maybe there are other reasons why turkeys fight among themselves? Share your experience on how to stop and calm them down. Any advice is important.
