Tribute to @memphis and her Lapper turkeys

[R2elk]

Oct. 28, 2015 @memphis wrote

Oh yea!! My girls are so chill!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16017396

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 28, 2015 @memphis wrote

I love my Bourbon Red, Annie!! They are long lived heritage breed lap turkeys! !

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16017445

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 28, 2015 @memphis wrote

I love that picture! Eve is just darling.

I have noticed that Annie is the one who will really figure out things. Took her several days of investigating the chicken coop, but she figure out how to get her big butt in a nest box to lay. Currently she is trying to figure out the chicken feed treadle. Daisy prefers to lay in my lap eating bon bons!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16017512

 

[R2elk]

Oct, 28, 2015 @memphis wrote

I was watching the local news this morning and they showed the snow & sleet in Minnesota! Ugg....Ralphie & Coffee. ...it didn't look pretty.

I'm still waiting for molting bald turkeys. Looks like Daisy's belly & chest is getting bald. I hope this is the beginning of her molt and not some strange turkey baldness thing.

Ralphie. ..glad to hear your bonding with the Sussex! I think you'll really like them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16018543

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 29, 2015 @memphis wrote

Annie (Bourbon Red ) discovered a wind chime in the garden today. It's one of those large cylinder things that has a deep tone. The first time she pulled the ringer I thought she'd jump out of her feathers! But oh no....she couldn't leave it at that. Finally had to chase them out of my garden back to their yard. She was fascinated with it & her chime ringing got annoying. She would ring it & run.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16020624

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 29, 2015 @memphis wrote

I should have named Annie Dora, Dora Explorer! She just has to investigate everything. Saw her stick her whole head in a birdhouse. She's interested in everything. Since the weather has been so nice I'm working in my gardens. Getting things wrapped up for the season. I'm used to gardening with the chickens, but the turkeys add a whole new dimension! I don't allow the birds in my gardens until late fall & winter. So everything is new to the turkeys. Annie has to stick her beak on everything. And every time I take a break Daisy hops up & sits next to me.
They got their first pumpkin. Cut a small one in half....chickens have had them before. Didn't take the turkeys long to decide they like pumpkin.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16021229

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 29, 2015 @memphis wrote

No pictures. Only had a few hours of daylight and was trying to get a bunch done. I thought the pumpkin would distract them longer.

Annie is so curious. And she gets all excited exploring something new. She's so vocal. She starts chirping like crazy. Daisy will saunter over to see what's so exciting, but ends up under my feet.

However, crack open one pecan anywhere near Daisy and watch out! That's her favorite. She gets so impatient. ...Flies up & grabs them out of my hand before I can get it shelled. Then again, this is the bird that stole a pizza!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16021577

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 30, 2015 @memphis wrote

Daisy has a bald belly & chest. Someone tell me this is a turkey molt & not some weird turkey issue. I'm used to my chickens molting. I'm anxious for them to both grow new tail feathers. Their tails are rather ratty looking right now.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16028606

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 30, 2015 @memphis wrote

Hawk! Yikes! Let the chickens & turkeys out early. They were out in their yard ranging. I wandered up to the house for coffee. Left the gate open. Heard Daisy but thought she was just looking for me. Called to her from the back porch & they RAN to the porch completely fluffed up & displaying. I thought they were just being cute until I noticed my chickens huddling a under a bush. They kept looking up. When I came down from the porch to see what was going on it flew off. It was low, flying under my pecan tree canopy. Dang! I've cooped everybody for the day. Ugggg!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16028927

 

[R2elk]

Oct. 30, 2015 @memphis wrote

Ralph.....i keep watching those tails. Still ratty. I do see smaller feathers in the coop. Daisy is sort of bald on her belly & a bit on the underside of her chest.

My jury is out on how stupid turkeys can be. Seems once I've shown them something they remember it pretty well. I've also found them easier to train than chickens. The one thing I've noticed is when they are a little stressed they don't think. I do enjoy watching them figure out things. Annie is working on the treadle feeder. She's determined. She knows there is food in there, she knows if she steps on it it will open. Problem is it was built for a shorter bodied chicken. So to get her head in there she steps back & it will shut. I can see she's frustrated. She keeps going back to try it. I'm interested to see if she figures it out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-century-of-turkey-talk-2000-2100.966414/post-16028968