Friday, January 8, 2010

Attacked by a Turkey!

What a morning!
I got out of bed this morning and made my way to the kitchen for a coffee and out the window I saw my pet sheep, Paul and Kelly. Normally this would be normal but yesterday I took them on holidays. Due to the drought and the recent hot weather my sheep paddock had run out of green feed. After asking around I was able to move them to the local sports reserve here in Yanac. The reserve is used over winter for hockey and in March each year there is the big Yanac Sheep Dog Trails. There is a holding yard for the sheep taking part, it is secure with shade and heaps of grass. So yesterday they wandered over with me to check it out. They seemed to like it and made pigs of themselves eating the grass and running around having fun. I closed all the gates and bought over their water container and checked all the gates again so they couldn't get out. So I thought!
I was a bit shocked when I saw them out the window this morning!
I pulled on some yard clothes and headed out to get them back in to my yard as it seemed they were home sick. I had to work today so I was in a hurry so I could get back inside and ready for work. I thought maybe they would run and carry on so I grabbed a small pail of layers pellets cause they love them.
While I was bending over getting the pellets out of the bin WHACK!
I thought someone had run into me! I had the air knocked out of me and the back of my leg was stinging. I turned around and there was Troy my gobbler, so proud of himself!
When Troy came to live here 4 years ago I was told he was prone to attacking people but I was confident that I would be able to rehabilitate him with love and good care.....seems not!
I have 3 decent size gouges in the back of my thigh and I was bleeding a lot! and I still had to get the sheep in and secure the fences and gates then go to work so holding the back of my leg I set to work.
I have made the sad decision that Troy will need to find another home. I love turkeys and will never be without them but Troy has just been so violent towards me and visitors that he has to go. I can't eat him as even though he is a pain in the bum he has been a good gobbler and served his hens well and I am a bit attached. If you know of anyone who could home a slightly violent gobbler please let me know.
Chek out this previous post for more fun with Troy

6 comments:

Tracy said...

Good luck finding Troy a new home. I have my own slightly nasty gobbler,Colin,whp particularly dislikes my husband.He doesn't really bother the children,just the grown-ups.We always have a stick next to the door so we can safely go into the pen.

Broad Betty said...

Yep, there are sticks, brooms and stuff at all the doors. I could just leave him in his encloser but I feel sorry for him :(
Visitor are told to take a broom with them as they venture out to go to the outside loo and often decide they really dont need to go that bad LOL

belinda said...

Sorry to hear you had to make this choice. I know how hard it would have been for you to make.

Good Luck with your search.

Kind Regards
Belinda

Anonymous said...

Maybe you can scare the mean streak out of him by pulling the big stew pot into view and sharpening the axe.
But seriously maybe you could make him his own pinned area where he could stay out of trouble but yet not a small as the enclosure you spoke of?
Just a thought.
~Blessings~

Chris said...

Dave dealt with a cocky rooster recently. He's now nicely filleted and in the freezer, LOL.

I couldn't do it though - I faint when I smell blood.

But geez it's nice when you deal with those spured fowls. Suddenly you get to enjoy your yard again and feel safe tending the "nice" animals, LOL.

I hope your leg heals soon.

Unknown said...

You can also try keeping a big cardboard box handy to toss over him when he's loose and you need to work in the yard. My adult son got attacked by a turkey last fall - in urban New Haven, Connecticut. Wild turkeys are getting to be a problem in areas that have parks.