Gertrude and her baby turklets

Dave Hoskins

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Parker County, Texas
Yes, I know. Baby turkeys are not called turklets but it seemed OK to me. Gertrude has been AWOL to the point of calling it desertion. Then she shows back up a couple of days or so. With young ones. I thought I only saw two of them. This morning she's out there with about 8 of them. This is not the best photo as she kept getting where I couldn't get a good position to catch here and the babies. But this is better than nothing. One squirrel, undaunted by the turkeys and Gertrude and I think 6 of her brood. There were more to the right but I didn't get them. Was going to try for more photos but they went into the high grasses so that was out. Anyway, here's the one half decent photo.

 
Thanks, guys! She and her little ones hung around for about 2 hours total this morning. Kept waiting to be able to get a better pic of them, but no go. Rafter, eh? Wonder who ever came up with that one. I'm sure there's a good reason behind it, even though it totally escapes me beyond the rafters of my house. Sorry. Should not have done that last one. :D
 
Thanks, guys! She and her little ones hung around for about 2 hours total this morning. Kept waiting to be able to get a better pic of them, but no go. Rafter, eh? Wonder who ever came up with that one. I'm sure there's a good reason behind it, even though it totally escapes me beyond the rafters of my house. Sorry. Should not have done that last one. :D

Always heard them called a flock of turkeys, but what do I know... a murder of crows, a gaggle of geese....
 
I didn't know that. If she is smart and stays up here near the house, they will be alright. The coyotes don't seem to come near my house and shop area. Or at least the best I can tell by the prints that I can see on the acreage while I'm out doing my daily walkabout. If she goes out near where the stock tanks are, then she might get in trouble. Don't know. I don't shoot anything here except the occasional coyote. All the rest, turkeys, deer, ducks and so on know they are safe and hang rather close. After all the years I have been feeding and watering them I guess they got it all figgered out.
 
I forgot to mention that the back part of my land is leased to a guy who has some cattle on it. As well as donkeys. Donkeys keep the coyotes at bay really well. Some other surrounding areas have donkeys as well. Now and then in the night I'll hear a donkey braying and making a bunch of racket, and coyotes screaming in pain! Kinda makes you feel good in a way.
 
Donkeys keep the coyotes at bay really well.

Well that explains why I never see any around here, the neighbor is kinda of a Jack....err...donkey some days, of course my wife would say it's me. ;)

Actually I've caught a few going across the driveway, they usually just give me a dirty look and keep going.

Great pic btw... :wave:
 
Darren, I'm just not sure how to reply to that one. :D But, FYI donkeys are used widely by cattle ranchers to keep the coyotes out. Cows are rather low on the brain scale and apparently don't realize they should protect their calves from coyotes and other mean critters. A friend of mine had a donkey named Todd, who was meaner than a den of rattlesnakes. He guarded my friends longhorns. One had a calf named Spot and the mother could not produce milk so was bottle fed. I did it for him while he was on a trip. Once Todd came over and tried his best to bite me, but I elbowed him up the side of his head. He quit trying to bite me, and I don't think my elbow has ever been the same. Oh, well. Spot grew up and is a nice looking longhorn bull.
 
Dave after 2 weeks the poults learn to fly . Most off the eggs get eaten by snakes, coons, possums & yotes. Hens will lay up to 18 eggs so what your seeing are the ones that did not get eaten.
If you keep an area of high grass around so hawks can't see them that is a big help.
 
They have more high grass than they could ever need, believe me. Lots and lots of it. I didn't see them today, but that's not surprising. Gertrude comes around whenever the mood strikes her this year. She and another hen were regulars last year. But, we've had a lot of rain this year and I guess that has a lot to do with it. I just like seeing them. Fun to watch, just like my deer herd, and black bellied whistling ducks.
 
Great pictures. Our place is kind of a nursery for quail. We should be seeing some eggs with legs any day now. They generally show up the same week every year.

Used to get chukar around, but I reckon we just have too much activity for their kind anymore. Used to see the chukar and their babys around here.
 
Either Gertrude didn't come up yesterday, or I just missed her. She was up this morning with what seemed to be 8 young ones. They were starting to do little short flights. Funny to watch. Just fun to watch. They don't seem to mind the noise coming from the shop any more than most of the deer don't. Some of the deer come up near the front of the shop (3 car garage open in front) and just stand there and watch me for a bit, then they just walk off. Probably muttering in deer talk about the racket I'm making.
 
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