Puff, the magic turkey.

Here we go again.  Last year, Henry the gosling wandered up to C's shop.  This year, Puff The (Magic) Turkey found it's way there and almost into the mouth of one of my brother in law's dogs, but he intervened and brought this little critter over to the house.  It was a bit injured by the dog, missing some feathers under one of it's wings.  Remembering last year, I reluctantly agreed to take it in.  We didn't even know what kind of bird it was, poking around at pictures online at first and then bringing it in the car to the local feed store.  Walking in, it didn't take more than a glance through their cages of chicks to recognized it immediately as a turkey chick, or poult.   A ha! Of course: a little bump on the top of it's head, feet not webbed.  I'm not sure why I didn't figure it out myself.   We've been seeing more and more wild turkeys each year and just saw this one with a brood of about 10-11 chicks in the woods the other day.  You can just barely make out some of the babies following at her feet.

Well, they measured out a bag of "turkey starter" food for us and told us to keep it warm for at least the next few days.  So, here he sleeps tonight under a utility lamp, inside a crate, in a surrogate nest of dried grass.  It's no substitute for it's mom but better than the stomach of a dog so it'll work for now.  I'm not so sure I'm interested in having a turkey for a pet.  Thanksgiving dinner? Maybe.  Apparently they can wreak havoc on a garden and the deer already do their fair share of that,  so I'll try to call around to find a wildlife rehabilitation center some time in the next day or so.

Sleep well, little Puff.  I'm not sure we will with all your chirping.

Comments

[jessie]

I have two chicks (chicken chicks, not turkeys) peeping over in the corner right this moment. But we are moving next month and getting some land and the first thing my husband wants is pet turkeys. I don't know about the wild ones, but the domestic ones make quite faithful pets. You might find you like this one more than you expect!

[lla]

I had no idea that turkey babies were so cute.... good luck with young Puff, he looks scrappy, like a fighter - I'm hoping he pulls through!

[gail]

Ah, the pleasures and challenges of taking in creatures. I recall taking in a furless creature of some sort when I was about 12. It died before we determined what it was. Gives your kids good naturalist lessons--making sure it can return to the wild is most important. Three years ago a turkey walked along our driveway in the middle of a city of 250,000 people. My husband, who didn't see the bird, didn't believe me and said I was the turkey! Turkeys must be making a comeback for some reason.

[Michelle]

Aren't they loud!

You wouldn't think such a little thing could make so much noise.

[Lizz]

I hope that things work out for Puff. It's bittersweet doing rescue work as you already know.

The wild turkeys are really making a comeback here as well.

[jean]

We have a whole lot (gaggle?) of turkeys in the woods behind our house. They strut around the yard looking for things to eat. The toms are quite amusing when trying to impress. I've never seen such a young one. Good luck!

[knitteriam]

What a sweet little peep missing its mama! We have a raptor center near us in Charlotte, NC and the stories of these rescued birds is amazing. It is lucky to have found you!

[Chris]

Ok, he's Cute Overload level cuteness there - I think you should submit!

[c.e.]

I came over here to see your smock (lovely and I like the back detail, thanks for sharing pattern #) but this post caught my attention. Just got back from visiting my Mom's where she had baby chicks (just plain chickens) hatch while we were there. We are at an impasse as to exactly what makes a good chicken home before she'll let me have some :) What a cute little guy.

[Julia]

Wow! Cool! He's very cute. I remember rescuing so many different kinds of birds when I was little. We lived in Tennessee in the woods, so there was always an animal in need of my help it seemed! We had baby mice for a little while after my dad found their nest under a tractor. Of course they died without their mother (we think the tractor killed her as the nest was abandoned). It's always bittersweet forming relationships with wild creatures, but it's nice to be able to help out when we humans can.

[Beth S.]

What a life you have. Misplaced turkeys wandering around and everything! I hope he (she?) makes it.