The unusual one who wants to be "friends"

[BeakSanctuary]

It's so interesting to me why one particular bird, this is a white turkey I call Blue because of his blue eyes, wants to be my pal and show me such distinguished attention. Most of the other birds really haven't built the kind of friendly relationship Blue has. I know there are thing he likes about me, like following me to get treats (tomatoes), but even without treats, he lavishes a lot of attention on me, frankly, and I love it.

He does like to nip with the same curiousity he courts attention, though I think he's getting "better" about it. Neither of us is perfect!

So cool having a turkey for a friend/special pet. If anyone has a theory about why some birds seem so in tune with us, I'd like to hear it.

 

[KellyHM]

I don't know why it is either. I just hatched a bunch of chicks last weekend and there's one little white Silkie (although not show quality) who doesn't run when I stick my hand in the breeder and will even climb right up on my fingers and sit there contentedly. I would normally give her away, since she wouldn't be one I'd want to breed, but I think I'll just have to keep her!!

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Thanks for the story about your little Silkie. Maybe this has all the romance of the Little Prince and his beloved Rosebush, and sometimes we get that lucky. I wish you continued luck with her. Heavens knows I'm hooked on Blue liking me, too.

 

[KellyHM]

Yeah, I'm selling the "quality" white Silkie out of the group so I'll have room for this one. She doesn't have much fluff on her head at all, has a pink toe, is missing a toe on one foot, and has 6 on the other! Needless to say I won't be breeding her, but she's too sweet to give away!

 

[BeakSanctuary]

I'm glad to hear she'll have a home with you despite a few irregularities, if you want to call it that.

Just so happens that msnbc posted an article yesterday that I found this morning on the subject of animal personalities that's quite interesting, to me, at least: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27123058/ I guess our bird friends are examples of the responsive types.

 

[MissPrissy]

There is something about turkeys! All of mine are just curious and friendly and calm. Even the thanksgiving toms - oops -

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Yes, there is, MissPrissy. They're almost contemplative. Among older turkeys (still < 6 months), I have Blue, 2 "turkey boys" that look like some kind of fat, brown brothers (not sure what kind they are, used to think they might be chocolate but now I think they might be bronze), and one eastern wild turkey female I call Priscilla Pressley because she's so dazzling beautiful and girly. They have their own behaviors and habits that I love; for example, the turkey boys always fly up on a cage top 2' off the ground just before getting put away for the night and I have to pat them and tell them to go home. Then they very cautiously figure out how to jump/fly down to the ground again like someone thinking of jumping off a mountaintop. Realistically, I figure that they'll be having leg problems at some point and that's why they make a big deal of jumping down. They don't interact with me as much, nor does Priscilla, but they're all very interesting, steady birds.