Spur, Oak, and Snow- A Turkey Roleplay

[Amer]

Does it have to be older birds like jennies, and adults? Or are poults allowed to?

You can make poults. Though if it's in a wild flock you'd better make up a good reason for its existence, like in Willow's case.

 

[Anime2lover]

You can make poults. Though if it's in a wild flock you'd better make up a good reason for its existence, like in Willow's case.

I was thinking domestic.

 

[Amer]

Domestic Turkey Flock Form
Name: Acorn
Rank: Lead Hen
Age: 5 years (one of the oldest in the flock.)
Breed: Heritage
Appearance:

(sorry it’s so bad, I made this line art after bible study in my notebook and didn’t feel like drawing a new one. Also her face was too cute and not ugly enough so I was like, how do I make it uglier? So I looked at the Standard and followed their lead because I love the Standard illustrators but boy those turkeys are hideous. Also you can see I returned to my usual style.)
A large, muscular bourbon red hen with a small beard.
Mate: Was eaten by the Keepers.
History: Acorn was always a dominant hen and led the others, but she wasn't that horrible to deal with. Acorn always ranged the farthest. She liked to think she was like the Wood Walkers, and she always ate acorns and visited the forest, hence the name Acorn. Then she got the idea that she should raise some chicks. It was a proud moment when she emerged from the forest with those eight little jakes in tow. She raised them with good values and ensured that they were all outgoing, gentlemanlike, and excellent at ranging. They were the healthiest, most well-behaved, and handsomest young jakes ever, and then, when they were long-independent and growing in their beautiful new adult feathers... the Keepers took them all. This was devastating for Acorn, but she did not let her feelings show or keep her down for long. She became a mom to all in the flock, and pressed her values on everyone.
In her opinion, everyone needs to be outgoing and make eye contact when he’s speaking.
Everyone needs to be a gentleman.
Everyone needs to experience the great outdoors and life outside the fence and get fresh air and exercise because it’s good for you! It builds character! *hewitt intensifies* Everyone must experience the rain and see the trees!
and by everyone, she means all the young jakes that she is determined to keep in line. It seems like she doesn’t like them, since her words tend to be criticisms. But she loves them. It’s a tough love. And after living for so long, she decided she might as well kick out the tom (does someone want to make him? Or should he just be dead) who was the flock leader, so she could saturate the flock with her fierce mothering.
Personality: Tough love. Very proud. Tough on jakes, semi-tough on jennies, slightly disdainful towards toms and hens because of course she is better than them. Ignores dumpies completely. She has had a few conversations with wild turkeys while they were foraging in the cornfield. This caused her to get chased away after not very long. Wild turkeys are an interesting topic. Is she too proud to ask them for help? Or is she proud enough to say “We’re joining you, losers.”
Other: Slate-bane. Totally a foil character for him. Also she is fond of the term “fluff-for-brains”

 

[Anime2lover]

View attachment 2739147

A flutter of fritillaries floated through a sunny, daisy-speckled meadow. A slate turkey-unoriginally titled Slate-skipped after one, his steps light and effortless. As the butterfly paused on a flower, he lunged, closing his beak around it.
I’ve got it! I’ve got it! he thought. Slate had never caught a butterfly before, though he had long hoped to.
How exactly do I eat this? Wings first? Do I even eat the wings? Head first?
“Fire! Fire! Wake up! The barn is on fire!” the butterfly yelled. Slate spat out the butterfly in surprise. Am I dreaming? Why does that always happen whenever I’m having a good time? The butterfly hovered over Slate, giving him a judgemental stare. It opened its beak to bark orders. “Get up, fluff-for-brains! All of you! Before you die!”
Maybe I should wake up, Slate thought. Butterflies definitely don’t have beaks.
Slate didn’t wake up to the light of day or the dark of night. His eyes were assaulted by screaming, contorted faces. Turkey faces. His flockmates, their bloodless features blinking in and out in the undsteady light.
Light thrust against the shadow and smoke blurred them both. The three-sided shelter that had long been Slate’s sanctuary was now a box of terror. I need to get out of here.
Slate thrust himself down from the roost to the bare dirt of the fenced run, exciting a cloud of dust. He ran the full length of the pasture, sprinting blindly into darkness. When the far wall of the wooden fence reared in front of him, he wheeled around.
The turkey shelter was just a black rectangle of darkness, silhouetted against a wall of fire. The conflagration had been the chicken coop only the day before.
A twin blaze of fire rose beside it, the home of the Keepers.
The fire reached over the dry grass, grasping at the turkey shelter with crimson fingers. The few remaining turkeys-mostly “dumpies,” broad-breasted ones- tumbled out of the shelter as the crackling fire began the attrition of its new fuel.
“Jump the fence!” Slate heard a voice above him. A turkey was perched on top of the six foot fence.
The fence presented little obstacle. Slate had never left the fence. He prefered the inside. It was safer.
That night, however, he flew over the fence with no hesitation.
A rafter of turkeys was already scattered around the fence, eyes glued to the fire, speaking in panicked tones.
The fire loomed like a predator, consuming all in its path. Slate’s feet itched to take him to the woods that existed only a couple hundred paces away. But they remained planted. He feared being alone just as much as he feared the fire.
So he remained, watching as the last stragglers hopped the fence. When the last birds hit the ground, he bolted forward. The effort was unnecessary. The flock pulled him along towards the trees like a surging river.
The group paused below the shade of the dark forest, not sure whether to go on.
“Fly!” A big tom flapped his wings and landed in a tree.
His voice was echoed by a multitude of voices as the swarming masses followed, crying “Fly!” and flapping their wings. They burdened the slender young trees and broke a few. Most of the dumpies contented themselves with the forest floor.
The flock chattered among themselves long into the night, comparing stories of fear and terror. I wish I could block their voices out, thought Slate. He didn’t want to remind himself of where he was or what had happened. All he could do was set his jaw and close his eyes.
He longed to get back to his peaceful dreams, but his sleep yielded only nightmares. The butterfly dream was the last peace he would feel for a long time.


Background:View attachment 2739134
A farm existed in northern Wisconsin. It had a house, a perfectly safe and predator proof chicken coop with a covered run, and a 3 sided turkey shelter with no more than a 6 foot wooden fence, allowed free range as long as they went in at night. A heat lamp fire consumed it all at 11:00 on December 9th.
The human keepers were unfortunately casualties. The chickens died, ironically victims of the the everything-proof-excepting-fire shed. Most of the turkeys escaped their pen. The escaped birds fled to the woods.
There are two flocks of turkeys already in the woods, a male flock-Spur- and a female flock-Oak.
These flocks have well established pecking orders and aren’t interested in allowing in newcomers at more than one or two at a time.
It is the morning of December 10th. It snowed overnight after all that north wind, but only enough to cover the ground. The domestic birds aren’t going to do well surviving weather, finding food and water, or evading predators, etc.

Flocks:
There may be exceptional members in the flocks. Turkeys in chicken flocks, domestics in wild flocks, etc. In that case they will probably be treated as misfits in society, as they are.

Spoiler: Spur Flock

Spur Flock: Wild Turkey Tom Flock. This flock is formed in fall. No shipping, wild turkeys take their mates in spring.
Tom turkey hierarchy (which is an oligarchy) begins to be determined not long after hatch. All of the male chicks in a clutch become a sibling group, or as I like to call it, a “sib.” Pecking order is determined in this sib and the dominant male is the leader of the sib. Sibs will be named after their leader. Sibs are extremely loyal to one another and back each other up. They are a unit and never separate for their lives. If a chick is adopted into a clutch at a young age, he becomes a sib member. If there is only one male in a clutch, he is a sib in himself. Jake sibs (sibs under one year) fight other jake sibs as units. Usually the one with the most members win. Also, flocks fight one another as units. Anyways, the sib unit that makes it to the top leads the flock with the leader of that sib unit reigning supreme. Jake sibs never are experienced enough to fight their way to the top. Jakes are typically about 8 months old.
Once the winter flock is established it is very stable. Typically no challenging is going on.
I didn’t make up or exaggerate any of this.
Ranks: (this’ll prolly fall apart because of a lack of peeps)
Lead Tom: Leader of the flock. He is backed up and advised by his sib, which is the leading sib.
Leading Wingman: a lead tom’s wingman
Sib Leader: A leader of a sib. Lonely if you’re the only one in the sib.
Sib Wingman: wingman to the leader of a sib. You have no power, but at least you have friends.

Spoiler: Oak Flock

Oak Flock: Wild turkey hen flock. This flock is formed in fall. No shipping, mates are chosen in spring. Flock hierarchy (more of a democracy) is placed but not as important as in Spur Flock. It is every woman for herself, the most dominant hen is leader, most submissive lowest in rank, everything in between.
Lead Hen: As the leader of her flock, the lead hen is respected. Other birds listen to her opinions first. A good lead hen will then act like a mediator, listen to all opinions, and let the majority choose what to do. A bad lead hen will just take advantage of her flock’s respect and eat and drink first and try to make all the flock’s decisions. (Which usually ultimately fails, since she’s probably a horrible turkey being, meaning she probably has no friends and she’s only one hen against a whole flock, so they won’t listen to her and a new hen will take her place.) Jennys (hens under one year, typically around 8 months old) aren’t ever respected enough to become lead hen.
Hen: a hen. Unlike those bros in spur flock she might actually have friends that aren’t from the same family. She has a role in society, higher or lower.

Spoiler: Domestic Turkey Flocks

Domestic Turkey Flock: Has little identity. Thus the lack of name. Both sexes exist in this flock, shipping is allowed. Flock hierarchy is dealt with on a bird to bird basis. Higher up birds have higher rank, lower birds have a lower rank. It’s all based on power. In this flock, few birds actually survive for a year, so those birds who do are respected. Nobody really knows who’s related to whom, most are hatchery stock for meat. Those who do live for a year might have chicks, but family is really irrelevant, though if you want to include it on your form, fine.
Special Terms:
Dumpy/dumpies: broad-breasted birds. They are almost always less than a year old because they are meat birds. They can’t fly well. They are pretty useless in a survival scenario so I’m interested to see if anyone will make one.
Rangers: heritage birds. Very proud of their ranger status. Think they can survive anything.
Dumpy’s uncle: a very boring or complacent bird, an insult to rangers. No relation to a monkey’s uncle.
Fluff-for-brains: stupid
Acorn peckers: wild turkeys. Used when rangers have their typical awe for them but also disgust for their aloofness.
Corn peckers: acorn peckers but if you leave out the “a.”
Far Rangers: wild turkeys when you want to maintain that you are awed by wild turkeys but are proud of your ranger status.
Wood Walkers: wild turkeys when you are just awed by them.
Ranks:
Lead Tom or Hen: the dominant bird. Over one year. Leads the flock and decision making. Typically asks for the opinion of all but not jakes or jennies.
Tom or Hen: some are lower in rank, some are higher. All respected.
Jake or Jenny: Birds under one year, can be quite young. Low in hierarchy. Kinda overlooked by the older birds.

Mates: domestic turkeys probably have at least once in history taken lifelong mates of the opposite sex so I’ll suspend my disbelief and allow this to happen.
Genetics: Follow genetics since it’s my pet peeve. If it’s a wild turkey, it’s probably a bronze bird, just a hint.
Breed: 3 turkey breeds. Wild, heritage, broad breasted. And mixes between these. Whatever chicken breed or mix you like.

Spoiler: Survival Factors

Survival Factors:
This is what wild turkeys know. But I don’t expect your domestic birds to know this.
Nuts, seeds, dormant invertebrates, field corn, crabapples, plants, berries and hazelnuts are the primary foods that wild turkeys eat. A big bonus would be the frogsicle, a frozen wood frog. They typically forage in the young forest. After heavy snows that cannot be scratched through, wild turkeys “practice patience.” They fast and roost in trees, subsisting off a supply of fat that was hopefully put on in fall, scratch along a deer trail, eat a few tree buds. The domestic turkeys will probably survive though they will be very hangry about it.
In blizzards and cold, turkeys move to the old growth forest, which is mostly old hemlock. The branches yield more shelter. Turkeys prefer south-facing slopes, they get less snow on them.
Bobcats and owls will prey on full grown turkeys. Eagles will as well if they’re stupid enough to get isolated from rhe flock. Coyotes and fox are rare predators and usually pretty ineffective as long as you aren’t roosting on the ground. Wolves will eat turkeys. Very young turkeys are what everyone wants to eat and they have a lot more predators. Fox, raccoon, badgers, weasels, the ones that eat grown turkeys, and more!

Wild Turkey Form
Name:
Oak or Spur Flock:
Rank:
Sib (for Spur):
Age:
Breed:
Appearance:
History:
Personality:
Other:

Domestic Turkey Flock Form
Name:
Rank:
Age:
Breed:
Appearance:
Mate:
History:
Personality:
Other:

Occasionally a domestic turkey might join a wild flock pre-roleplay, and vice versa. Maybe different groups will split off. So feel free to make exceptions to my rules. I reserve the to deny a form though.

Yeah I know I made it way more realistic than I had to

Anyone can join!

Name: sparkle
Rank: poult
Age: 3 weeks
Breed: heritage (Narragansett)
Appearance: she is a runt. But has the ttypucal colors for poults her age.
Mate: to young
History: sparkle was hatched out three weeks ago. by her mother. She isn't genetically related to her, since her mother took in the egg of a younger inexperienced hen that gave up sitting half way through.
Personality: sparkle is playful and curious. She loves to explore, and is incredibly stubborn. She doesn't like the head hen much so prefers to keep away from her.
Other: she has two other siblings.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Domestic turkey form:
Name: Bessy
Rank: Jenny
Age: 7 months old
Breed: Heritage (coz I don’t really know much about turkeys)
Appearance: (HELP!!!!) Average, brown turkey. Bessy is rather fat but it only adds to her scariness.
mate: none…atm….up for being shipped
History: Bessy is not your average meat turkey, the kind killed for Christmas or thanksgiving, oh no. She comes from a land far far away, she was the ‘princess’ of her flock back there. Or at least in her head she was. In reality she grew up in the flock she’s in now and she was bred for meat but chances are she will escape death easily by hiding behind another turkey, not that that would work… She tries to fool other turkeys with the first story about her being from a ‘distant land’ when in reality she grew up in the same place all of them did.
Personality: Bessy is a compulsive liar and she feels no shame because of it, she’s so darn used to lying she can make it seem real. Unlike other turkeys she prides and views herself as being above them, she sees herself as next to take over from the lead hen but chances are that won’t happen. Bessy will certainly do anything to reach the top of the rank, if that means spreading rumours, threatening other turkeys she will do it because rank is all that matters in her life. And she will certainly do it just to crawl to the top.
Other: (I have no idea about turkey colours so She’s just an average turkey whatever that colour is…)

 

[Amer]

Name: sparkle
Rank: poult
Age: 3 weeks
Breed: heritage (Narragansett)
Appearance: she is a runt. But has the ttypucal colors for poults her age.
Mate: to young
History: sparkle was hatched out three weeks ago. by her mother. She isn't genetically related to her, since her mother took in the egg of a younger inexperienced hen that gave up sitting half way through.
Personality: sparkle is playful and curious. She loves to explore, and is incredibly stubborn. She doesn't like the head hen much so prefers to keep away from her.
Other: she has two other siblings.

Accepted. :0 what if she’s related to Willow?! They’re the same age and genetically possible. This just spiced up the drama.

Bessy is rather fat but it only adds to her scariness.

llol
This charrie form had me rolling.
Oh, and since you’re probably wondering what she is, a brown meat turkey would be broad breasted bronze. Definitely accepted!

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Accepted. :0 what if she’s related to Willow?! They’re the same age and genetically possible. This just spiced up the drama.

llol
This charrie form had me rolling.
Oh, and since you’re probably wondering what she is, a brown meat turkey would be broad breasted bronze. Definitely accepted!

I’m relieved to have created humour lol. Thanks for the info in case you haven’t already picked it up I know absolutely nothing about turkeys.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

I’m relieved to have created humour lol. Thanks for the info in case you haven’t already picked it up I know absolutely nothing about turkeys.

And tbh I really pity the poor soul who ends up with any sort of romantic connection (if there are any throughout the RP) to Bessy.

 

[Amer]

And tbh I really pity the poor soul who ends up with any sort of romantic connection (if there are any throughout the RP) to Bessy.

Saaaame

 

[Amer]

No one has tried forming any sibs in Spur yet! I’m surprised!

@puffypoo want to join?