The House of 7 Gobbles

PitbullMidwest · Jun 22, 2005

This is our schezophrenic turkey, he showed up about a month before Thanksgiving last year and began his campaign to convince us that he wasn't really a turkey but was in fact a cow. Everyone knows that you don't eat beef for Thanksgiving so he began hanging out with the cattle and followed them everywhere they went.

After that he started following the dogs around, which really freaked them out in the beginning, but was soon accepted as just another dog. He follows my mother in law around while doing yard work and enjoys running after the kid's 4 wheelers along with the rest of the dogs.

His latest incarnation is that of a rooster. About a week ago he started walking around the roof of my brother in law's house "crowing". It was quite a start the first morning my BIL woke up to find a turkey looking in his 2nd floor window /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

While turkey is pretty docile, we do have to remind our kids that he is a wild animal and to be careful around him. Our 16 year old nephew must have done something at one time because he is the only one that turkey dislikes and chases off whenever he comes around.

I know very little about turkeys except that they are good with stuffing. Has anyone ever heard of this kind of behavior before?

Curt

PitbullMidwest · Jun 22, 2005

Here's a better picture (I hope)

MossRoad · Jun 22, 2005

Take some videos of it interacting with your family, send it to Planet's Funniest Animals and make $100.00. Then buy a turkey dinner at the store. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

EddieWalker · Jun 22, 2005

I'd say it was very unusual behaviour for a turkey to be so social with humans. They are extremely wary animls that go to great lengths to avoid contact with humans. Most hunters consider them to be the most difficult animal to hunt due to there intelligence.

Just a guess, but I think your bird was raised by people and wondered off. How well do you know your neighbors. I bet somebody is missiing their pet turkey.

Eddie

PitbullMidwest · Jun 22, 2005

( I bet somebody is missiing their pet turkey )

We know all the farmers for miles around and no one has turkeys. If it belongs to someone he is a long way from home.

Curt

HomeBrew2 · Jun 22, 2005

Of course, your story/turkey wins the prize but, I've had a similar experience 10 or so years ago ... turkeys accompanying/chasing the kids down the street to the bus stop (highly entertaining) and chasing/ trying to attack the front tires of our car when driving out the driveway ... when you stopped, they would stop, look around innocently as if to wonder what we were looking at, then we'd start up again and they'd start chasing again (hard to drive laughing so hard). Had one turkey that must have seen a cat walk across the hood and top of our car cuz she had to do it too ... actually sat on the hood long enough for the fam to see it and get a pic of it. Had one hen squat down in the yard and take a nap ... let me get close to get a pic of that too. They also liked to peek in and peck on the windows too (scared the crap out of the kids ~ still laughing about that).
These turkeys were used to humans as a retired couple used to put hen scratch out for them as they made their way grazing the neighborhood pastures but otherwise they were wild.

woodlot · Jun 22, 2005

Pit - I once saw a story about a wild Ruffed Grouse in Northern Minnesota that would come out every time the Lawn was mowed. It eventually would ride on the Lawnmower with the homeowner, only to return to the woods after the job was done. I'd never believe it had I not seen the video. Amazing.

PitbullMidwest · Jun 22, 2005

( It eventually would ride on the Lawnmower with the homeowner )

Turkey (that's what my kids call him, just plain "Turkey") used to ride on the golf cart with my mother in law but now usually just trots along beside her. My m-i-l perfers it this way since a bird of that size is a bit intimidating.

Curt

Wood_Butcher_Dav · Jun 23, 2005

A couple of years ago our little town of 2000 was terrorized by a turkey. The turkey would go around attacking and tearing up parked car's chrome and various yard ornaments. Took about two weeks before the public dog catcher, was finally able to capture (after many different attempts and schemes) and then release way outside of town. It was entertaining to listen to the folks that was feeding it and the ones that wanted to eat it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Coldwater · Jun 29, 2005

( Take some videos of it interacting with your family, send it to Planet's Funniest Animals and make $100.00. Then buy a turkey dinner at the store. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif )

Sounds like a good idea. Might have yourself a soon to be famous Turkey on your hands. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif