Rescuing a turkey?!?!

I could do anything with him but he hated my husband with a purple passion.
This is relatively common among turkeys that have been imprinted by people. The toms especially can view the person that raised them as their mate and develop a strong antagonism to those viewed as being rivals for their mate.

BTW newly hatched turkeys are poults.
 
This is relatively common among turkeys that have been imprinted by people. The toms especially can view the person that raised them as their mate and develop a strong antagonism to those viewed as being rivals for their mate.

BTW newly hatched turkeys are poults.
What you said is no doubt true, but that isn't why my tom hated my husband. One of the younger turkeys (not a pet) somehow managed to break his leg up in the drumstick area. It was a bad break, we couldn't figure out how to splint it, so we decided the best thing to do was to butcher him. The older turkey was watching through the picket fence while my husband dispatched the young turkey. From that point on he had it in for my husband. Before that he never paid any attention to him at all.
 
What you said is no doubt true, but that isn't why my tom hated my husband. One of the younger turkeys (not a pet) somehow managed to break his leg up in the drumstick area. It was a bad break, we couldn't figure out how to splint it, so we decided the best thing to do was to butcher him. The older turkey was watching through the picket fence while my husband dispatched the young turkey. From that point on he had it in for my husband. Before that he never paid any attention to him at all.
My turkeys always can watch when I kill anything be it another turkey, rooster or whatever. None of mine have ever turned against me because of it. However, none of my turkeys are pets nor do I imprint them. I go out of my way to make sure that I don't imprint them.
 
I have no idea if my tom was imprinted on me or not. I cared for him from the time he was a few days old and he was my pet. I could do anything with him. However, we had other turkeys and he interacted with them. In fact the turkey we butchered was one of his offspring. To say I was surprised at his reaction is an understatement. It was kind of funny. When my husband was out in the yard the tom would strut around like turkeys do, all the time getting closer and closer to my husband. When he was close enough and my husband was distracted he would whack him with a wing or bite him on the butt. Once in a while he would fly up on his back and whale away with both wings.
 
I have no idea if my tom was imprinted on me or not. I cared for him from the time he was a few days old and he was my pet. I could do anything with him. However, we had other turkeys and he interacted with them. In fact the turkey we butchered was one of his offspring. To say I was surprised at his reaction is an understatement. It was kind of funny. When my husband was out in the yard the tom would strut around like turkeys do, all the time getting closer and closer to my husband. When he was close enough and my husband was distracted he would whack him with a wing or bite him on the butt. Once in a while he would fly up on his back and whale away with both wings.
Your tom was definitely imprinted by you and the type of behavior that you describe is of your turkey viewing your husband as a rival.
 
Your tom was definitely imprinted by you and the type of behavior that you describe is of your turkey viewing your husband as a rival.
Except he never viewed my husband as a rival or in any other way until the day after he saw my husband kill the young turkey. In fact he ignored him. He never interacted with me the way he interacted with the other turkeys either. Although he never ran from me, or ever tried to avoid me, and he would allow me to touch him, pick him up, and doctor him, he didn't follow me around unless I had a feed bucket.
 
Except he never viewed my husband as a rival or in any other way until the day after he saw my husband kill the young turkey. In fact he ignored him. He never interacted with me the way he interacted with the other turkeys either. Although he never ran from me, or ever tried to avoid me, and he would allow me to touch him, pick him up, and doctor him, he didn't follow me around unless I had a feed bucket.
In your mind, your turkey did not view your husband as a rival but that does not mean that is what was going on in his mind. Prior to witnessing the death of the other turkey, it is entirely possible that he considered that turkey to be higher in the pecking order than your husband. He probably viewed the culling of the other turkey as an attempt by your husband to move up in the pecking order and wants to make sure to put your husband in his place. Personally if I had a turkey attack me and jump on my back, he would lose his head over the incident as soon as I could get the water up to 160°F for the scalding process.

Turkeys that have not been imprinted will not let you walk right up to them and start touching them unless they have been conditioned to as adults which takes a lot of work to accomplish.
 
Don't get a broad-breasted turkey, their deaths are inevitable. Go with a heritage breed if you can find one.
Also, consider rescuing some battery hens, but do some research first into the health issues they tend to have.
I disagree with this post 100% I rescued a BBB a couple of years ago. When i first rescued her she was horribly overweight. But with years of regular exercise and a proper diet she's just as healthy as my heritage Turks. She's my oldest turkey as well, she'll be 6 years old soon. This picture was taken a few weeks ago of her.
IMG_3643 (2).JPG
 

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