Talking Turkey....cuz Turkey Day is Coming --

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it seems appropriate to talk turkey.  Here are some things you might not know about the turkey:

1. With about 600 million turkeys in the world (National Geographic, May 2011), about 90% of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving and 50% consume turkey at Christmas (www.home.aristotle.net/Thanksgiving/trivia-submit.asp  2012).  

A white broadbreasted and a Spanish black heritage turkey -- the same age.

2. Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere, with the first turkeys being domesticated in Mexico and South America (www.infoplease.com/spot/tgturkeyfacts.html  2012), and there is evidence that they have been around for over 10 million years (www.baltimoremd.com/content/turkey1.html  2012). 

Turkeys are curious birds and investigate everything -
and we haven't had one drown in the plastic goose/duck pond,
though my cousin said that she had one that drowned in a trough
(it got in and couldn't get out).

3. Contrary to popular belief and in spite of the musical that I really like (1776), Benjamin Franklin did not go head to head with others in favor of the turkey being the national bird.  The legend seems to have originated with a letter to his daughter about six months after the national coat of arms was accepted with the bald eagle as the national bird.  His letter mainly referenced his feelings about a military fraternity and after finding fault with the society's motives and its concept, he writes:

    Others object to the Bald Eagle, as looking too much like a Dindon, or Turkey. For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. His a Bird of bad moral Character...Besides his a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. His therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country, tho' exactly fit for that Order of Knights which the French call Chevaliers d'Industrie.

 I am on this account not displeas'd that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bid, and withal a true original Native of America...He is besides, tho' a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Genadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

 So, while Benjamin Franklin may not have been that happy with the choice of the Bald Eagle, he never actively promoted the turkey (www.americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=MMM.Turkey?action=print).  The things we learn in history class...

I left the dog kennel open and came home to roosting turkeys. 
When they saw me, they came to greet me. 
Who wouldn't like that?!?

4.  Several sources claim that, unlike wild turkeys, domesticated turkeys can't fly.  It is clear that they haven't been to GEE Funny Farm where our turkeys fly short distances on a regular basis.  While we have mostly heritage turkeys that are much more similar to wild turkeys in build and functioning ability, we happen to have a broad-breasted turkey who flies over our six foot fences on a regular basis -- which surprised even us, since that has not been our experience before.

Several of my heritage turkeys, at a young age,
roosting on our 6 foot kennel fence. 
Yep, they flew up there.

5. And finally, there is the claim that domesticated turkeys are so dumb that they will look up at falling rain and end up drowning.  Snopes says it ain't so. And we certainly haven't had that experience.  You can go to Snopes to find out what they believe caused the myth.



My favorite turkey, Sariah, coming
to visit at the front door. 

Sariah at the back door.
How can I not love this bird who seeks me out?

While we have heard from people that turkeys are 'dumb.' Ours come when called and know where to find food and water (including from the dishes of the other animals on the other side of the fence).  And while we may be among the Americans enjoying turkey at one of our holiday meals, we really love and appreciate our birds.  We are glad that they enjoy a life of leisure and fun as they wander where they will every day and that they have a secure place to go at night (from which they can and do escape if I'm not on hand when they feel it is time to get going in the morning - they fly through the opening between fence and 'roof.')  I really like turkeys...and not just eating them.

Talking Turkey

Like everyday, morning and night, I've just come in from feeding animals.  Sometimes, depending on weather, I dread going out, but once there it is a joy.

So, tonight, I'll tell you about feeding the turkeys.  I started off by calling them.  They were hanging around outside David's office window where they spend a lot of each day peering in at him and tapping on his window.  One of our turkey hens was hand-raised and she is pretty sure that she should be an inside bird.  She loves seeds given to her by hand and has made our other two hens look forward to the treat, too.  We have been going up to the window and herding them down to their pen.  They have to go in since there are coyotes and other things in the night that would love a turkey treat!  

Once we get them headed in the right direction, they usually go to the pen without a lot of complications -- unless we wait until it is truly dusk.  Then they are perched and if they move they want to go toward light -- which isn't in the direction of their pen.  So, I try hard to get out to them before dusk!!  My latest idea was that, because they love the seeds I give them, we would reward them when they go to their pen.  Last night my hand raised hen came at a turkey trot to meet me at the barn, where I keep the treat, and follow me to the pen; the other hens came running, too.

Tonight, they glanced in my direction, but they didn't move.  It was warmer out today and the snow had melted, but now it is starting to freeze and it is slick.  They are uphill from me and I'm not too happy that I'll have to slip and slide up the hill to herd them.  I decided I'd go ahead to their pen, calling as I walked.  Just about the time I was going to give up, my little hen came running with the other two on her heels.  Whew!  Saved again by a turkey!  Sarah, the hand-fed one, looked at me expectantly and I gave her a treat.  She's a wonderful turkey ambassador!

(In a moment of true confession -- I wrote the blog last night and didn't have a camera.  So I thought I'd get a video tonight.  I opened the garage and there they were waiting for me.  So, they followed me down to the barn and I ended up dropping some seeds to distract them long enough for me to get ahead of them -- I love turkeys!)

RIP Poor Elvis

I'm not talking about the Elvis who may or may not have died in 1977. I'm not talking the King of Rock 'n Roll. I'm not talking the Elvis who was surnamed Presley. And I'm certainly not talking the Elvis who made the ladies swoon. No, our Elvis kicked the bucket in 2011. And our Elvis was the king of barnyard crooning. And our Elvis was probably surnamed something like Roostermeister. And our Elvis did not have much success with the ladies.

In fact, this very Elvis I speak of wrote (on my blog) just a few months back about his troubles. Well, those independent ladies were just the beginning of his problems as it turns out. Presumably, there was something lurking in the shadows. Not only was Elvis himself lost, but his brave and daring ladies were a little too brave and daring for their own good. Our evil preying enemy of the night didn't stop with the chickens, either. No, he moved on to bigger fowl. Three ducks, who have lived on the Farm for over a year, disappeared. Then one of Kathy's imprinted geese disappeared. As your imagination surely suggests, August was a sad and mournful time at the Gee Funny Farm as our wicked nemesis picked off our colleagues not just one by one but by groups and in daylight!!

The results of his evil deeds linger on. Freedom has been restricted for the protection of remaining fowl. The outdoor fowl now spend no time open grazing these days.

All I can say is, Boy, am I glad that my cage is in the safe shelter of a house. The outdoors can be scarey -- and it seems that something wicked likes birds for evil purposes!! It is a sad time for feathered critters!

From the Henhouse

I've stepped in to tell you about happenings at the GEE Funny Farm. My name is Elvis and I'm a silkie rooster. I was brought to the Funny Farm by my friend, Becky, because she has another rooster, and as everyone knows, no one needs more than one rooster!!

Anyway, I came and was alone for awhile; Kathy would groom me (I can't reach those pin feathers on my head), and I liked that, but it sure was lonely! Then, two weeks ago, 6 cute chicks showed up during the day. They were in a house next door, but we could see each other and I strutted and crowed a lot so they could see how cool I am!

Last week, we were all let into the yard. I was SO excited!! I just knew these pullets (they are really older than chicks-I'm NOT a egg robber) were going to love me. I even got a chance to show how brave I am. Kathy got all of the pullets into MY house and yard and the ducks (those bullies) came barreling through the door to get the food. I rounded the pullets up into a corner and I stood up to face those ducks. Nothing ended up happening since as soon as they were done eating they took off, but the point is I was ready to defend my girls!!

So, I thought all was well, but when we went outside, these girls headed off into the trees and bushes. I was horrified! Don't they know about raccoons, opossums, hawks, coyotes, and foxes?!? They could have been sitting ducks (so to speak) for any of them (well, maybe not the hawks, though they do sometimes land in a tree waiting for unsuspecting birds to wander by). I ran over and clucked gently, explaining the danger, and headed to the pen. As I arrived at the door, I looked back to make sure all my girls were there and to my astonishment not one had followed me. I tried again. They all came around me and seemed to listen to directions, but again, when I arrived at the safe house I was alone. Kathy, who for some reason was snickering, herded them inside and I could breathe easy since we were safe.

To my amazement, even though those hussies cuddled up to me at night, they totally disregarded my attempts to get them to safety during the day and evening hours. Kathy had to help me every time -- females! Can't live with 'em, can't live without them.

The good news is, I finally rule the roost and I get the girls in safely at night -- maybe I didn't get the brightest bulbs in the pack, but they are mine - whew! What a fella has to put up with!!

Oh, thanks, Asimov, for letting me post.

From the henhouse, over and out - Elvis