So I lost the sweetest turkey ever. He was a royal palm gobbler. They were dumped on the side of the road and a lady called me to come get him and the others. I found homes for the wild and bourbons and kept the 3 rps Well the 2 hens snuck off to nest in the spring and were killed.1 killed 1 disappeared. So the lonely gobbler started following me. I named him R.P. which actually stands for Royal Pain. Well summer came and my poor gobbler adopted a muscovey egg and WENT BROODY! I took the egg but he got another one and proceeded to set. He set all day and night. One day as I was doing dishes I heard a peeping.I didnt have any broodies so I went out to look -nothing. Well sometimes the mockingbird imitates baby chicks. So back inside. peep peep peep back out for a closer look. Well there is R.P. walking around while a terrified baby duck ran away from him! I dont know who was more surprised;the turkey,the duck or me. As luck would have it the muscovies hatched a day later and he bonded with them. The duck and the turkey. wherever the duck flock went R.P. was right there guarding his peeps. Cause now they were ALL his peeps. He hung out with the flock all summer and winter even ignoring the turkeys I hatched from his mates eggs. This spring he had started being male again and I hoped to get some babies. but the fox came. I do not even know how old he was or where he came from but I really miss him greeting my car and following me around the yard. My 1 hen turkey thats left is not so friendly. (and she is sitting on duck eggs)
