A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[memphis]

Cheers! I'm drinking beer tonight. Been a long week for me! Working on a crazy project at work. Turkey/chicken time is huge stress relief for me!

MM...is that an aussie in your video?

Ralphie...glad you found decent peaches!

Speaking of chases....Annie, the Bourbon Red, has decided she enjoys chasing one of my Australorps. Just one in particular. Louise. Louise isn't happy about this. Doesn't pay attention to any other chicken. Doesn't do it all the time either. Just every so often. Can't imagine Louise did anything to provoke her. She doesn't act like she wants to hurt her. Not sure what she's doing. Meanwhile Daisy just sits in my lap watching the action. Boy has she got me trained!

 

[holm25]

My "babies". I have kinda come to hating the BBW. He is the devil and attacks and has pulled all my Welsummer roos pretty tail feathers. But his time is coming. I think the BBB r hens. Neither of them strut and neither have beards like the BBW.

 

[memphis]

Holm nice flock. I like the pond too.

So this morning I was enjoying a cup of coffee in the yard with the flock. Daisy was in my lap. One of the neighbors wandered in and reached over to pet Daisy & she hissed at her. I've never heard that noise before. What was that about? She sat down across from me on the bench & the other turkey hopped up to stare at her. She was drinking a cup of coffe and i know Annie thought she'd share! The chickens were facinated with the shinny beads on her sandles. Needless to say she didn't stay long! Guess I have pesty fowl!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Holm nice flock. I like the pond too.

So this morning I was enjoying a cup of coffee in the yard with the flock. Daisy was in my lap. One of the neighbors wandered in and reached over to pet Daisy & she hissed at her. I've never heard that noise before. What was that about? She sat down across from me on the bench & the other turkey hopped up to stare at her. She was drinking a cup of coffe and i know Annie thought she'd share! The chickens were facinated with the shinny beads on her sandles. Needless to say she didn't stay long! Guess I have pesty fowl!

I've heard one of my girls hiss too when I was trying to catch her after dark the one night. It seamed like a fear/threat thing.

 

[memphis]

The hissing is just yet another turkey sound I hadn't heard before. Daisy was in my lap dozing. Maybe my neighbor scared her.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have never heard mine hiss, but I have heard every other noise in the book from them. The worst was the "quacking" Ethel did while missing her babies.


Ethel has given up her babies! She does not even go with them when they are free ranging the same area as her. But she still quacks all the time.

The babies will be locked up today, they were very badly behaved yesterday. They found the "field" behind the buildings. I was getting the feed for my CX's yesterday afternoon. There is a large garage door to the south looking out towards the field. While I was scooping up the CX feed, I saw a grey bird about 300 yards out at the other end of the field. It was one of the babies. I went down there and found all three babies there! The dark two were impossible to see from the shed because of there color in the tall stubble.

They were happy little birds chasing grasshoppers bugs and cabbage moths. It took me 20 minutes to walk them the 900 feet back to the yard. They did not stop eating and chasing bugs just because I was chasing them. I have wished the other birds would go out there and eat, but they refuse. The babies alone are just too vulnerable in an open field like that. The field is surrounded by pines ( 20-30 year old) and then a tamarack swamp beyond that. It is a haven for predators and a common place to see eagles hunting.


I fed the CX's and maybe pet and held a few for a few minutes too. When I was chasing down the last CX's I happened to look out at the field again and saw the grey turkey under the apple tree 20 feet beyond the field. So I made the trip out to get them again! They walked even slower this time and ate more. I locked them in their run, and finished putting the CX's away. They did not want to go in last night at all. There were just too many bugs to chase. BTW I have 2 weeks left with the CX's. I do not think any will go 12 pounds dressed this year, I think the 3 weeks of late heat slowed them down too much.

And now for the really important stuff. I found a replacement for Mikes hard lemonade in my smoothies. I now am using Mikes Harder lemonade. It makes the smoothies so much better. Matter of fact, they were so good and I was so weak and deplenished (yea, I just coined that word) I was forced to drink 4 of my health drinks last night. ( I use a quart jar insolated cup thingy for a drink) I did not even finish the last one I left an inch or so. BUT they must be good for me as I slept like a baby and my knee did not hurt all night!


I will try to get pictures of the field and the drink cup today for you.

 

[duluthralphie]

Here is a turkey that came up the deck I just finished building to inspect the work. I was sitting on the deck enjoying my first smoothie of the day. Sorry about the mess in the background, I am a sloppy worker and have started cleaning it, I cannot believe how many cans of crap one deck project can make.




And this is a picture of my smoothie cup and a quart jar, Can you pick out which is my cup?

 

[chickadoodles]

Love the pics ya'll. Thank you for sharing them.

 

[duluthralphie]

Here is a video of the area the dare devil baby turkeys went bug hunting, notice all the cover the predators have:

And this is a enhanced still shot to show you the distance they travelled!

 

[memphis]

Ralphie, after your long journey to retrieve the errant turkeys, you certainly deserved a few smoothie treats! Did you share with the turkey exploring your new deck? But dang that's quit the tankard! I would have slept well too! I will say, after seeing your video, can't blame the turkeys. Looks like prime bug hunting out there. Maybe you should take them on supervised bug hunting excursions! Take the guineas too!!