A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Bantambird]

I LOVE my lil spinnin wheel. . It is super relaxin for me! Our monsters could care less what i wear so long as i talk to them. If i dont talk they are loud and proud in their protests. Paul brought back from a journey long long ago a coat... this thing make us look like chewbacha. They dont even blink at it. One of our roos takes offense to it when i wear it though. He follows me and tries to get the fur from the inside lol! That is the only time he gets near me. And even then he tries for a nibble and hauls butt away.

I'm trying to convince my husband to let me get Jacob sheep once we move to the bigger place, as I have a friend who would buy all the wool I could produce. They say Jacob's sheep wool is nice for spinning, and I like the breed.
Also, an update on Ablyn, the androgynous turkey. Turns out that Ablyn is a Tom. He doesn't act like a Tom, but he's definitely a Tom for sure now. He won't gobble or display like his brothers before their big dinner invite, and his main goal in life is to be loved on. He likes to get his jawline rubbed and the carnucles gently rubbed. If you don't pay attention to him, he will nibble on you, and he has scared me a few times doing that because when a turkey nibbles, you expect to get hurt, but he's not pecking, just nibbling. He won't even puff when the other Tom(dronah, son of big red Tom) gobbles and makes a scene. His breast lacing has faded away and he has darkened up with his big boy molt, but I'm not sure if he will ever be a normal Tom. I couldn't invite him to dinner because he insisted on climbing into my lap when I was sick and it was still a reasonable 40 degrees out and I was sitting on the deck. It's really hard to kill such sweet birds. However, when he caps out his weight, it might be awkward for him to be in my lap.

 

[PolarBerry]

When my big Tom came up and pecked at me and puffed up coming at me I gave him a firm tap-slap to the side of his head. He hasn’t done it again yet.

My birds are upset I’m not letting them out right now. Just saw a coyote on the property (within a few hundred feet of the birds’ coop in broad daylight) and so they’ll stay cooped up until I can be on rifle duty later lol. Hope the kitty is hiding himself under the house!

 

[PolarBerry]

Update: saw the cat sunning himself on the deck. No signs of coyote but I warned the neighbor that lives in the direction he headed to be ready (they have chickens and goats and horses).

 

[stephcraig78]

Well I’ve been enjoying my very first hatch. Wasn’t turkeys like I want to try come spring. My newest silkie-8 mth old- sat faithfully on 17 eggs. Final count of live chicks is 6. They are healthy and adorable. Momma is doing an incredible job with them. I am however having an slight issue with my turkey trio. As you know I have two hens about a year and a half old. Then there’s the mystery bird that we are very sure is a tom now. They have gotten along great other than the hens having a peeling order dispute a couple times. Yesterday my husband comes in and says he had to break up our narri hen and the tom. She had his head pinned to the ground and wasn’t letting him up. Had to physically make her let go. Then she went right back at him. She continued to attack him all day off and on. The last time we saw them wrestling around and he grabbed her little snood and had her head twisted around so I ran out to them and got him to let go. She was shaken up and let me pet her and even pick her up. I put her in the coop and closed the door. She had several nicks and pinch marks and was clearly not herself. Later when it came time for bed she seemed fine and didn’t try to approach him. I was wondering if I should worry or if this happens occasionally. He is about 7-8 mths old and struts constantly. He very macho. I just don’t want her getting hurt. Thanks for any input and here’s baby pics and a new pic of tom. He really is a nice looking bird. So big already.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Another funny turkey tale. We had to go out New Years Eve, and I knew I wouldn't be home before dark. We had the fox attack last week around dusk, and I was nervous he would return.

So before I left, I took my pajamas that I had worn for a few nights and hung them on the tree near the coop. The hunter told me that foxes hunt a lot by scent, so I figured this could be a temporary decoy. I also sprayed them with a lot of perfume, and had a radio playing talk radio.

All was well when I got home, but of course, my pjs were on on the ground. I have no doubt the turkeys thought they were pinatas and had a good time yanking them down. Thankfully there were no holes!

 

[memphis]

AnneintheBurbs...consider yourself lucky they weren't wearing the pjs.

Stephcraig...tis the time of year for squabbles. Let them settle it. Or separate your tom.

 

[duluthralphie]

Update: saw the cat sunning himself on the deck. No signs of coyote but I warned the neighbor that lives in the direction he headed to be ready (they have chickens and goats and horses).

Were you using the cat as Coyote bait?

 

[R2elk]

Were you using the cat as Coyote bait?

A government trapper friend has told me that cats are the best coyote bait.

 

[stephcraig78]

We have plans to separate the turkeys from the chickens but hoped it would wait till spring. May have to work something out sooner

 

[duluthralphie]

A government trapper friend has told me that cats are the best coyote bait.

OH HOLM!!! I need couple more cats that break into pieces!!