Wild Turkeys

[Portia]

One of the local wild turkey flocks arrived in our front yard this morning to check out the chickens (and our one turkey) foraging in the front yard. Upon watching, the wild flock is a brood of 12+ juveniles and their mom, who went after our turkey (he's a wild tom) showing all her stuff as he ran to hide among his chickens. The rest of the flock were pretty young, probably 10-12 weeks old, the toms waddles were tiny compared to our 16 week old tom. Very fun to see. This is the 2nd morning we've seen them. I think the field(s) of corn and beans they'd been hanging out in were finally harvested so they are back in the woods for the winter. Here are some photos, they are a bit soft because they were taken through the windows.

Some of the wild flock

Our tom running for the shelter of his chicken flock

 

[chickenannie]

Wow, cool!!! Your turkey was being a chicken!

 

[Portia]

Yeah, he and the leghorn were raised by one of my black australorps, so he doesn't know anything different. Every bird in the flock accepts him like another chicken, I don't think any of them have a clue other than the fact that he roost in a tree vs the coop. I'm surprised none of the chickens have joined him in the tree, he goes up there before they all retire to the coop at night. But in the morning he's right there at the coop door waiting for his flock to emerge for the day. Silly boy.