I still love my turkey :)

[cashela]

Yesterday while bailing out the basement of 3 feet of water while sitting outside in the sun watching water drain my BBW hen just came over and sat with me. I am so in love with my turkey. Who knew that I could love a bird this much? All on a whim last year at a chicken swap I came home with two turkeys and was thinking afterwards what had I done and now I am in love and want more. Since losing my tom in the fall I think I need to find a friend for my hen, she has her chicken friend but I think she needs a turkey friend.

 

[Blisschick]

They do well as single pets, but just like chickens, they prefer company of their kind. She'd do just as well with another hen as with a tom. I think it's cool she comes to you for attention. I had one turkey hen that was just like a little kid...she had to check out everyone and everything, and would follow me around to see what I was up to.

 

[cashela]

I love it. I never knew they were so cool. I want a tom mostly because I like watching them strut around

 

[fowlmamma]

my white tom follows me every where he protects my kids ,when strangers come he stomps his feet to scare them , and he was helping me do yard work today and he even stood next to us while we swung on the swingset i love my turkeys so much too .i think their more loyal than human friends.

 

[Blisschick]

My oldest tom is like that. He only allows me to wander freely though the backyard, mostly because I'm the only one who goes back there by the pens. He doesn't like my daughter or husband (although he will tolerate them) back there, and definitely not strangers. He even gets bossy with me on occasion.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
fowlmama, how are the bourbon reds doing?! Mine are so happy right now because the weather is lovely and they can eat grass and sun themselves after all that snow finally melted.

 

[NCIndiaBlue]

That's very sweet, she knew you needed a friend. I'm sure she would love a turkey mate, you may could find a good deal on craigslist.com. My two hens follow me everywhere, one of the hen's, her name is Thelma, lets me rub her head and pet her like a puppy would. They are very curious and must know what's going on while I'm outside, it's cute.

 

[fowlmamma]

Quote:
fowlmama, how are the bourbon reds doing?! Mine are so happy right now because the weather is lovely and they can eat grass and sun themselves after all that snow finally melted.

the turks are doing great ! did you see my avator thats one eye joe. they were fighting like crazys this week over breeding that hen i had to pull em apart over and over again needless to say one eyed joe won the fight and he is the breeder. i was sitting having coffee with friends outside and my white tom tried mating me hes acting so wierd he was jumping on my legs and sitting on my feet wonder why hes being so protective of me. spring has definitly sprung. did any of your turks lay yet?

 

[Struttn1]

Quote:
If you can get to southern Illinois I have a Bourbon Red tom that is about 6 months old and has just started gobbling. You can have him for free.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
fowlmama, how are the bourbon reds doing?! Mine are so happy right now because the weather is lovely and they can eat grass and sun themselves after all that snow finally melted.

the turks are doing great ! did you see my avator thats one eye joe. they were fighting like crazys this week over breeding that hen i had to pull em apart over and over again needless to say one eyed joe won the fight and he is the breeder. i was sitting having coffee with friends outside and my white tom tried mating me hes acting so wierd he was jumping on my legs and sitting on my feet wonder why hes being so protective of me. spring has definitly sprung. did any of your turks lay yet?

Wow, sounds like you've got a lot of turkey business going on over there! My hens are laying ... one has 5 eggs, another has 3 eggs in her nest, but the 3rd hen must be hiding hers because I can't find them.

I hope one-eyed joe and the other tom aren't hurting each other... I think they've all lived together before, but I wan't around during the spring mating season, so I don't know if they typically fight for the 'right' or not.

I had a tom that tried mating a friend's leg once, and that's when I realized I had to teach him boundaries! I was so embarrassed to have to tell my friend what he was doing. So I started being vigilant that the tom was not allowed to come closer than 3 feet to me. You know how they kind of sidle up to you slowly when they want to mate with your foot? Someone on BYC told me that you have to think like a turkey, which meant that EVERY time I saw the tom, even if he was 20 feet away or 4 feet away, I had to let him know I was ALPHA turkey (turkey boss) by taking a threatening step toward him, or picking him up and putting him down (that taught him that I was boss). I was never mean or hurtful... I would just pick him up nicely, walk a few steps then set him down again and go on my merry way. It gave him the lesson that I was the boss of him, and that he couldn't try the mating thing around me or my guests. It worked well. He "learned" quickly. I think people who kick at, or hit turkeys (besides being cruel) just teach their turkeys to be mean. I found my persistence and firmness (every time I saw him, I took a step in his direction, or picked him up) was what taught him, while keeping him a gentle and a kind turkey.

Anyways, it sounds like they're doing great, and that you've got awesome 'turkey television'!