Nothing like I thought they would be
I said to Mad yesterday, in a comment, that the Spanish Black Turkeys are nothing like I thought they would be.
I thought they would quietly slope about like a peacock. Roost in the same place every night like all the other birds.
I thought they would sit in the trees and being such a rare bird I thought they would be sweeter somehow – dare I say prettier. But what turkey could possibly be pretty.
Though they do have a certain charm. I know their sight is bad. If I turn the lights off in the barn before they have found their perches they blunder about bumping into things, rushing headlong INTO buckets and bales of hay or getting caught in corners with no reverse.
They peer at things closely, curious.
Every day they trip when they try to run down the verandah stairs. They fall over each other and peep and shriek as they race each other, wings flying, feet going every which way to catch up.
It can take a full day for one to work out that they need to jump Over the gate to get out – that pacing up and down squawking while trying to force their way Through chicken wire will never work.
They sit in chairs – no perching ON the chairs. Sitting IN them. Or they will set themselves down and sleep exactly where conscious thought left them.
And it is seldom a safe place for a fat bird to sleep.
They stand so close behind me that I am constantly trying to avoid stepping on one.
They scramble about – Grace is not in their vocab – they trip over things and get lost and turn in circles. Literally turn in circles.
Boo just watches from his warm pod with all the gentle sighs of a benevolent Uncle. 
Tima on the other hand runs them off the porch, she does not like competition for her afternoon carrot.
I hope you have a lovely day.
We are getting ready for the weather to dip below freezing this weekend. Not ready. But getting ready.
Love celi
69 Comments on “Nothing like I thought they would be”
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Celi, you are so observant of your critters. I learned a lot about turkeys in general. Chip by chip, drop by drop, the outer layer of citygirl is falling away. However, want to know about Chinatown in San Francisco? The best store in which to shop? I’m your girl. Now I’m going to bed. Nighty night. Much love, Gayle in sunny Sacramento, California
I have never been to San Francisco – not to stop anyway.. c
Well, now wouldn’t That be fun! I lived there a total of 27 years. It’s home town to me. Love, Gayle
That black turkey looks as if it’s expensively clad in black square iridenscent sequins with a pink neck frill – perhaps a thought OTT for the Farmy, but I suppose you wear what you’ve got. I sense that you are not much in love with the turkeys. Some creatures are endearing enough to make it worth the extra effort… Do you think you’ll raise them again next year, or was once enough?
Wandering the same myself Kate…
Except that was supposed to say ‘wondering’ 🙂 Seems I am as confused as the turkeys.
Kate, maybe that style is for Geraldine’s benefit!
A turkey trying to compete with a peacock is always going to lose, poor love!
I have decided to let these guys go and see if they breed. Though I am not sure they will. But the only big one is the Tom and we can’t have my only Tom for Christmas! So i will let them shamble about and see what happens next.. c
I wish you success! I’d read somewhere that even the heritage breeds have trouble breeding successfully, and following your progress with them, I can see why: some creatures are just too stupid to breed!
Our heritage breed turkeys have pretty much bred OK the past two years (we now have more than 30 from an original 4 – we have eaten quite a few too!). They are rubbish at looking after the chicks though so we take them into protective custody when they hatch. Sometimes they squish them as they hatch so if I find eggs pipping, I take them and pop them in the incubator. I love them, they are silly, curious, naughty birds, but so very friendly.
Perhaps there’s hope for Celi’s lot, then!
Good tips thank you – I like to hatch the peacock chicks myself too, they seem to die pretty easily on Mrs Flowers watch.. Hope we get chicks then we could start eating them..
Ha ha the saying bird brain comes to mind. Thanks for giving me a laugh. x
Do you think inbreeding could be responsible for their lack of grace and intelligence? That turkey on the couch is priceless 🙂 Laura
i have turkeys i got as poults in the spring.
thelma and looeze are laying eggs now, i think it is because i have lights on in the chicken house so chickens will lay eggs.
the males are not intrested in the females, at this stage, they more intrested in strutting for each other.
thelma and looeze are infatuated with plastic turkey decoy. they dance around it in provocative [for a turkey] poses.
but the minute i come in site, i am the object of their attention.
i keep telling them, that a romance with me is out of the question, there is the thanksgiving thing that could come between us, and many other obsticles to a happy relationship.
yesterday, looeze was tapping on my slideing glass door, holdng me hostage in my house.
when she was not tapping, she was crouched in large planter of flowers singing ,in turkey,”when i’m calling you oo oo,”
the floozy is trying to entice the wild turkeys to visit, but aperently wild turkeys are not too fond of overweight ladies
hopefully the boys will notice the lovesick ladies soon
Goodness. Need I apologize for laughing? They do sound pretty pathetic, poor souls. Best wishes…! 😉
Your turkeys sound much cleverer than mine, and entertaining.. I love Looeze! thanks for the great story Ron.. c
I have a friend who has chickens. One of the chickens fell in love with her husband. Would curl up on the tops of his feet. Chicken love….whoda thunk? Love, Gayle
Nice comment. Love it. Thank you. Looeze and Thelma – you called/named them after the movie, didn’t you?
accually i had strange grade school teacher who had nickname turkey, her real name was thelma.
looeze is the natural name to go with thelma.
i know it is spelled incorrectly, but she can’t spell anyway
We have wild turkeys that wander about our back field and the woods. They are very funny to watch as well. Gotta love your orange feathered ‘rug rat’ bird! 😉
I would never call a turkey pretty, maybe it is a hang back to when I was twelve. Mammy was ill and the Christmas (we don’t do Thanksgiving) turkey was dangling by the feet from a beam in the garage feathers and feet still intact. It was my task to hoike the bird down, de feather it, give it a clean and then tackle the feet and the innards. A turkey big enough for about fourteen people looked enormous, but I managed it, got it into the oven the next day, but had to ask my eldest brother to help me lift it out for basting and when it was cooked. Everyone had seconds and NOBODY died! Mind you they had plenty more than turkey, there was a full ham (that I had set on to boil before I tackled the feathers), sprouts, carrots, and celery and roast potatoes, cranberry sauce and gravy. I would love some ot that right now…. who do I know that celebrates Thanksgiving:?:
You were a busy wee girl – it all sounds delicious! c
Hunger makes good sauce!
Lots of work for a 12 yo. – Though: Your feast sounds delicious. I’m craving, too. 😉
it was all good training and did me no harm.
I now know more about turkeys than I ever imagined. I like learning something new everyday. I do feel for them as I know how difficult it can be with limited vision and half a brain. 🙂
Oh I think you have a WHOLE and very intact brain! It is just your motor that took a hit.. Brains you have c
You make me laugh. :))
I have a friend who has turkeys, and if you say “Hello Guys’ to them they all gobble back in unison. I just can’t help saying ‘Hello Guys’ over and over again, just to hear them gobble! 🙂 As for that Tima, I would love to just grab her and give her a big smooch on her forehead and her nose! She is just too adorable!!!
That would be fun – I have heard one gobble so far, maybe they are too young for the gobbling?
Domestic turkeys are definitely NOT the mental giants. They are beautiful in their own, weird way, though.
When i come to visit your zoo – will you be my guide?
I would like nothing more!
Big Man always refused to keep turkeys on the grounds that they were more trouble than they were worth! i wish we still had our beautiful Andalucian hens – blue, grey and black, Fantastic layers, good sitters and so friendly and intelligent – I could have sent you some fertilised eggs 🙂
WOW International eggs – just imagine.. i am sure there is a RULE about that.. but I would love them, i did wonder about your hens with you both moving about so frequently.. c
A neighbour took them all and now he gives us eggs. Maybe next time with a bit of planning I can send you some and mark the box “fragile sewing notions”…which is my way of getting around sending foodstuffs and seeds to places that are strict!!
What a good idea!
Sewing notions!!! I wrote perfume on everything!
Glasses? Lobotomy?? (Joking around, forgive silly me!) On the other hand… “sleep exactly where conscious thought left…” Well, I’ve been known to do just that (passing out on my (home) office chair after way too many work hours and stress), so…
Hmm me too – but usually it is when i am driving my car!! I am a horror for it.. c
Oh please no! Conscious thought must not leave you while driving… although it seems natural/logical that it would, since you’re always RUNNING – so that sitting still at the stirring wheel must feel close to taking a nap… Could I come along and nudge you before you “shamble about” in a car?? 😉 (I love the English words I’m learning here!)
Your post made me fall in love with your turkeys Miss C!!!
Even us clumsy clods can be loveable little clowns 😉
If they do breed I will come on down and leave one in your letter box! c
Just about the ugliest bird in Christendom, and now you’re telling me that they’re the stupidest as well. Oh dear. It’s a good job they make tasty dinners (I do ‘t mean that they do the cooking, either)
Son here, distracted from poeming.
love,
ViV xox
Hello SON!! I probably won’t eat them – I will let them breed (hopefully) and maybe do a batch of them next year.. At this point i have the makings of a breeding group. But only one Tom (the one lying on the black couch) and he is hands down the supidest of them all..
Such chuckled. You’ve captured the turkey world perfectly. We had wild ones at the farm – nothing like the fat commercial turkey farm ones.
Old style turkeys are the class clowns
I see them on the porch and all I can think about is the turkey poop presents that they are leaving you. Geraldine must feel like Einstein with them. Good for Tima! ha Happy Friday!!! Hopefully, it will warm up quickly after the freeze in the night.
Luckily Turkey poop os small and sweepable unlike peacock poop that is a big glob of black glue!
oh, don’t I know it! Remember when Mr. Flowers laid a huge poop pile on the hood of my car? lol I was shocked at how big it was…looked like a black swirl cone of ice cream without the cone.
I often wondered how long that lasted on there – did your summer sun burn it off or the wind on the drive home..
Kind of makes you wondered how turkeys have survived! 🙂
As always, I absolutely love you pictures!
Ok, make that YOUR pictures! 🙂
Extraordinary birds that I contend are prettier roasted than roosting.
Well an interesting morning with all the turkeys! and laying on the couch! couch potatoes?? love it!! But I love Boo ~ laying ~ snoozing in his tub watching the world go by!! have a good one ~ gotta cover my tomatoes and red and yellow peppers tonight!! not ready for frost!!
Now you are really talking turkey! Love these photos-especially of Boo! Cheers!
Just read your yesterday’s conversation with Mad and now coming here the topic is: Turkeys. Funny. These birds seem to have personality and an extra strong and own will. They want to behave like men in occoupying your porch and seats. Crazy birds – great pics. It’s very interesting too to hear of their behaviour. No, they are not beautiful at all, not only are they baldheaded and numb but seem to be a bit stubborn and dumb too. I think it’s a bit arduous to have such birds, not to mention the cleaning.
Love the shot of Boo in his bright blue blanket. It’s beautiful!
I come from watching the movie that Mad Dog has recommended in his yesterday’s comments. I think I must take back my quick and – yes – not very lovely judgement. Maybe your birds are just special (not numb, dumb or else). – Oh, and now I feel a bit guilty to eat those birds…
Ha ha – the poor things look quite majestic in a vulture like way 😉
Turkeys
I think the TURKEY inspired the saying “Bird Brained”….. My grandparents raised white ones and yes, they would tilt their head up if it started raining and would drown. My father will testify to that because he was the person in charge of them and the chickens. The chickens would always run for cover in the rain but not the stupid turkeys. I was hoping your heritage breed would be a better choice.
Love BOO’s picture.
My sentiments exactly. All of them.
I love Boo’s pic too 🙂
I laughed that it’s your only turkey tom who likes the couch… so along as he doesn’t ask you to grab him the TV remote and a beer from the fridge!
Just a heads-up: don’t be surprised if a pig takes a chunk out of a live turkey. It’s pretty awful when it happens. 😦
This post made me laugh out loud. Turkeys can be such a silly lot. My husband raises pheasants for a living, and they are a constant source of entertainment for our family. Ou birds perch on their shades, all in a row, looking out from their pens. It reminds me of perching on the hood of a car watching a drive in movie. I love all the fun photos and the captions. Can’t wait to read more. From one farm girl to another, cheers! Teresa
This is one of the funniest post+comments ever! I’m saving it for later savoring. And for sending to my children and grandchildren at Thanksgiving. I wonder if turkey dinners are dangerous–either because of laughter-caused indigestion or because maybe some of their genes get passed along.
maybe this is why everyone loves a turkey dinner – it is Happy Meat!
With the name, one might expect the style and grace of a Flamenco dancer. The way this sit on furniture is funny to see. Tima and her carrot–so cute.