So I just adopted my first turkeys a few weeks ago, er they adopted me. I don't know how anyone can think they're dumb. There is no better place for a turkey to be right before Thanksgiving than stowing away in my truck, as I have refused to eat any sort of fowl (eggs are OK) in over ten years (no judgment on anyone who does, just a personal sentiment that for me it would be like eating my friends).
I already had friendly and outgoing ducks, chickens, geese, emus and parrots. But these turkeys are over the top, even with total strangers! They greet me and they [kind of] come when I call. When I say "Gobble Gobble", Tom says "Gobble Gobble" back at me. Like someone here posted, their m.o. is "It looks dangerous. We should check it out." But I can usually get them away from their troublesome predicaments, like ending up on the wrong side of the fence, just by coming outside. After all, even if I don't have treats, my winter coats always have some sort of dangling strings, fabric, or shiny things that are just as interesting. Or maybe I'm about to engage in a project outside that should not be attempted without turkey oversight. Today when I left the house on an errand, my garden hose developed a hole and a nice big fountain was spraying part of the yard. Of course the ducks loved it and weren't going to tell, but I was barely out of my car when Tom was gobbling hysterically to inform me of the malfunction. Perhaps tonight one of the turkey hens will try again to sneak onto a chicken roost, or crazier still into a nesting box, which won't go over too well with whichever silkie is trying to hold the spot. But they are so gentle that I have not yet gotten a face flap from any of those big wings when I relocate them.
When I first got the turkeys, in intended to keep them in my barn and pasture with the big critters, but they wanted to be with the rest of the birds. It was utter pandemonium for several days as I tried to find a nighttime place that was acceptable to all poultry involved, but everyone is happy now. I am so glad it's working out. I always thought it would be cool to have a Tom strutting around. He is sooooo mellow.
"Uh, I think you're going to want to turn left up there."
Who says turkeys can't read?
I already had friendly and outgoing ducks, chickens, geese, emus and parrots. But these turkeys are over the top, even with total strangers! They greet me and they [kind of] come when I call. When I say "Gobble Gobble", Tom says "Gobble Gobble" back at me. Like someone here posted, their m.o. is "It looks dangerous. We should check it out." But I can usually get them away from their troublesome predicaments, like ending up on the wrong side of the fence, just by coming outside. After all, even if I don't have treats, my winter coats always have some sort of dangling strings, fabric, or shiny things that are just as interesting. Or maybe I'm about to engage in a project outside that should not be attempted without turkey oversight. Today when I left the house on an errand, my garden hose developed a hole and a nice big fountain was spraying part of the yard. Of course the ducks loved it and weren't going to tell, but I was barely out of my car when Tom was gobbling hysterically to inform me of the malfunction. Perhaps tonight one of the turkey hens will try again to sneak onto a chicken roost, or crazier still into a nesting box, which won't go over too well with whichever silkie is trying to hold the spot. But they are so gentle that I have not yet gotten a face flap from any of those big wings when I relocate them.
When I first got the turkeys, in intended to keep them in my barn and pasture with the big critters, but they wanted to be with the rest of the birds. It was utter pandemonium for several days as I tried to find a nighttime place that was acceptable to all poultry involved, but everyone is happy now. I am so glad it's working out. I always thought it would be cool to have a Tom strutting around. He is sooooo mellow.
"Uh, I think you're going to want to turn left up there."
Who says turkeys can't read?
