A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[duluthralphie]

We used to worry Dinner would pass out and die...


Sadly though, the hen that was acting weird that started the whole "holy crap, I have lice" died. Looks like she fell off the roosting bar in her sleep. Second hen this has happened to. I am starting to worry that there is something more worrisome in my flock.
She was my Barnevelder, hatched this spring. Strange. I considered a necropsy, but I don't know what the heck I am looking for. I'm not going to send her off anywhere either. My kids want to bury her.

When I first got JJ, I Worried he was not eating, I never saw him eat all he did was strut all day long. I tired to hand feed him and he refused. I thought I was going to kill off this turkey I rescued from living under the Deck in Minneapolis. Then I started checking his crop and it was full. so I knew he would be ok.

I had a rooster die last week the same way MM. It was one of my Barred Toads. About 5 months old. I cam out and it was dead under the roost, no indication of anything wrong. I did not bury him though. I gently laid him to rest in the yard, so the other chickens could recycle the protein.



I caught two critters in my live traps today!

First was a weasel. The live trap malfunctioned and he died.

The second was a 3/4 grown kitten. The live trap worked and it got out alive, BUT it did not want to stay around and talk when I opened the door. I should have kept it and tried to make a feed room cat out of it.

 

[memphis]

MM, sorry about your hen. I had the same thing happen to two of my Speckled Sussex several years ago. Just died with no symptoms. It's always sad to loose one. I have Barnevelders too. They are cool chickens.

So now I'm curious about Banshee! I guess the tell tale signs for a hen are the light trim on chest feathers and a fuzzy feathery neck and head. Post some pictures. I'm sure all of us "experts" will have an opinion!

I wonder if poor Adam spent the day displaying to his new girls!

Fiesty....how is your chicken? Hope she's ok.

For the first time I wore a jacket out this morning when letting the birds loose. Both turkeys just stood there barking like a couple of seals. Daisy hopped up on the bench & had to tug on my jacket a few times. I guess it passed the jacket style police because they both shut up after that. They are so funny. It's hard to get anything done with them loose. Every time I turn around I practically trip over one. They have to check out everything.

 

[feistychick]

Unfortunately we had to put Lola down today, she spent the night in the house had a spa (bath and blowdry) which she absolutely loved. I think it was a bad prolapse, and was worse this morning. My poor little girl Kind of a rough week here, we put one of the dogs down on Wednesday. It was expected (our pets are almost all elderly), but still not fun.

MM- if Banshee is a girl, is that an excuse to get another turkey?? I can put a boy in the mail, or maybe Penguin could relocate to your neck of the woods

Memphis - that is so cool that your girls let other people pet them, your neighbor must have loved petting Daisy! One of the best and worst things about turkeys is the curiousity - so much fun to watch them explore everything, so annoying to try and work with them underfoot while they explore everything

 

[memphis]

Fiesty. ..so sorry to hear about Lola & your dog. Been there, it's never easy.

But you did bring up great point! If in fact Banshee is a girl, that would be a great excuse to get another turkey! And could be an opportunity for Penguin!

Penguin is under appreciated by Ralphie. I keep telling him to pack his bag & buy him a one way ticket to Memphis.

So since I've only had my turkeys since July, I'm still learning something everyday. For one, I didn't expect them to turn into the fashion police.

 

[duluthralphie]

Turkeys understand fashion completely, They know if a person can pull off Socks and Flip flops or not!


If I could figure a way to get Penguin to one of you, he would be gone!

I am copying the following from the Minnesota thread. We have a very close knit thread on here, and a lot of us know each other in real life and trade birds, objects and drinks.
The Tina mentioned in the post is Coffee, the Judy is my DW.



Judy helped me yesterday with the Turkey House. I really enjoy her helping, and it saved me another day of being Laurel without Hardy.

The funny thing was she spend a good portion of her day protecting "Blackie" the BA rooster from the turkeys. She has named 2 of them, Penguin, the complete Belly button and the Jersey Buff Tom, which she named Ginger. I may not allow her to ever name a turkey again, as those she names turn into Belly buttons.

Yesterday, while protecting Blackie (not a very original name for a BA, but I named it not her) she was becoming upset with the turkeys, Blackie hangs by us, he seems to have learned we will protect him from the turkeys. The sad part is Blackie would win in a fair fight with the turkeys, but they all gang up on him.

Anyways, after a few hours of chasing the turkeys away she started to notice it was Ginger and Penguin that were the ring leaders of the attacks. She even threatened them at one point.
She said, and I quote " Tina could have a turkey for thanksgiving yet, if you two do not behave"..

I almost fell off the ladder hearing her threaten her precious Penguin, If you know Judy you would know she is meek and mild and never threatens anything..

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Fiesty-I'm sorry for your losses

As for Adam, he is ALWAYS displaying. Every time I walk into the coop, he is displaying. Even before he gets off the roost! This morning, he was all puffed up on the roost so I walked over and was rubbing under his wings and put my face in his big, full chest lol. Just then, my daughter came outside and yelled for me so Adam gobbled RIGHT IN MY EAR! I may be half deaf the rest of the day :/

 

[duluthralphie]

Fiesty, I am sorry, I forgot to give condolences, It was not a lack of caring, it was a shortage of functioning brain cells and forgetting.

 

[memphis]

Sounds like Adam is trying hard to win the ladies over! Just love that your able to give him a snuggle. Sorry your now deaf!

Good for Judy teaching the boys chasing chickens is not allowed. Ralphie, they are just young & dumb! Out having some fun! My Annie will occasionally run after a chicken. Usually if there are treats involved. Never have seen Daisy be aggressive toward any of the hens. We were all sitting on the back steps yesterday. Daisy slowly reached over & picked some speck on one of the BA's beak. And the chicken didn't seem to mind. The hens were standing around preening & Daisy would occasionally run her beak through their feathers. Not sure what that was about.

Your Minnesota group is pretty good bunch. We went over to their thread wondering what happened to you when you disappeared into the woods. Fun bunch of folks.

 

[feistychick]

Thanks all, I have my fingers crossed that this week is better!

Aurora - totally love that Adam still cuddles now that he has ladies to keep him entertained. Although earplugs might be an idea when cuddling a gobbler

MM - sorry to hear about your hen dropping off the roost

Ralph - Penguin does sound like he's behaving like a turd. I do think it's teenage turd-ness. Turkules was such a dignified, well-behaved turkey until he hit teenage - then he decided that sitting on chickens and trying to fight with DH was a good idea. I'm holding onto hope that he'll grow out of it by us letting him know what we will/willnot put up with (maybe Penguin will too).

I only have one turkey hen - Big Bird. She's great with the chickens - gently helps them clean their feathers and just hangs out with them. If the boys decide to be hard on her, she'll be moving in with the chickens for awhile. It's funny, she likes people and is happy around us but is not a cuddler - the boys are cuddlers.

I still find it fascinating to watch the turkeys - they are all so individual....

 

[holm25]

Monday or Tuesday this guy is going to camp. He is going to dress out over 20 pounds.