Turkey talk

This year we decided to see what it was like raising turkeys. I read up as much as I could plus thought how different could it be from raising chickens? Well, they are way different from chickens.

I got them as chicks from a local farm store. I  read if you went out to them twice a day , once in the morning and once at night the turkeys would be more friendly than if you hadn't.  I had some friends who raised turkeys and every time I went to their house their  turkeys would come running after me. I didn't want that kind of bird. So out I went every morning before work and in the evening when I got home to talk turkey. I love these guys. Dude thought they were ugly, I thought they were adorable.

We put them in with the ducks to start.  That didn't work out well. The ducks were mean and didn't like them in the area.  We ended up putting the turkeys in the same barn as the goats but separated by fence. They could see each other and they quickly became good friends.

 

They grew up fast. We went out one day and found the white turkey had gotten sick. It was an interesting time to watch Tom, the dark turkey.  He avoided the sick turkey and didn't want anything to do with it. At least Tom wasn't like the chickens, when one of them is not feeling well, they picked on it. 

 

 Sad to say the white turkey did die within two days of becoming sick.

 

Tom survived. I learned that sometimes turkeys are just a bit dumb and will eat so much and so fast that they will choke. We would have to watch him, we would let him eat and then take away his food for the day. He foraged in the field the rest of the day.

 

 

 He quickly became great friends with the goats and walked with them in the fields.  We would get calls from friends who had seen him out with the goats and would say someone needs to tell Tom he is not a goat.

 

Tom would even protect the goats from the family dog. Our goats are afraid of the dog.  He would get between the goats and dog , spread his wings and stomp loudly.  The dog was actually afraid of the turkey.

 

 

We did raise Tom for a purpose and he was butchered last month for our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.  That badboy was huge and weighed out at 42 lbs. We dropped him off at my sister-in-laws who will roast him for the holiday.  She ended up taking him to the butcher to cut him in half so he will fit in the oven.

 

As with all our animals, we are eternally grateful and thank Tom for the meals he will give us and for the friendship he provided to our goats. We know that his kindness, courage and love will nourish us in more ways than one.