The turkey poults have been here five days now and have more than doubled in size. They were getting crowded in their big plastic tub, not to mention very messy and a bit smelly, spilling water and feed, so I decided it was time to move them to the coop. Zinnie assisted.
I penned them in a big wire dog crate in the middle room of the coop. That way they won't get separated from the group and lost in some corner and, more importantly, the grown chickens, ducks, goose and guineas can't hurt them. Hopefully after they have been in the coop (protected by their crate) for a week or two, the other poultry will accept them as part of the family and not bother them. By then they will have outgrown the crate and I will give them the entire middle room of the coop.
Zinnie was like a doting aunt, so attentive and gentle with the poults. She would nudge a stray back to the group with her long nose, and even when they pecked at her nose curiously, she did not flinch.
After they were all moved in, Zinnie stayed and kept watch for some time. The two Jersey Giant hens have claimed the crate as their evening roost, so I hope the turkeys don't get pooped on too much.
2 comments:
You have to wonder what inbred trait makes ZInnie so attentive to turkeys? Maybe she just piked up the concern from your attention to them.
I made a donation to your kickstarter. I hope it all goes well.
First of all, thank you ,Marcia!!
It seems whenever we start baby poultry in the house, the cats and dogs all realize that they are important to us and never bother them. Our cats are hunters and, unfortunately, occasionally catch birds; they could easily snatch up a chick, but they never have (altho we have lost outdoor chicks to a feral cat.) Once Shamu even snuggled up with a cold chick, purring! http://squashblossomfarm.blogspot.com/2011/06/cat-poult.html
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