I took Minuet out to the turkey pen yesterday morning. I held her until after the birds were fed and all munching away, and then set her on the ground near Goose. Goose didn't even look up! The turkeys did though. Some of the chickens cackled and pecked at her as she ran off, but the turkeys attacked her. Two of them ran at her and jumped - STOMPED!- on her back and pecked her head. I scooped her back up and got her out of there!
Outside the turkey pen she was wriggling about, so I set her down and let her walk. She followed me for a few steps, chirping away. That got Goose and Gackle's attention. They both came to the gate honking. I let them out into the yard, and Gackle went right to Minuet and snuggled her neck. Goose held back a bit, surveying the situation. He doesn't like to get too close to me.
After a few minutes I opened the garden gate and attempted to usher them in. No luck. Finally, I picked up Minuet and took her in. Gackle rushed in behind her. Goose took his time, stood up and flapped his wings, but followed along as well. I left the three of them in the garden alone for the rest of the day.
It's hard to understand animal behaviour sometimes, isn't it? I hope there was no lasting harm done to Minuet.
ReplyDeleteNo, Minuet was fine. Thankfully the turkeys aren't big enough yet to do any real damage!
DeleteSo, stomp on the newcomer! Minuet is so tiny. I imagine the turkeys are much larger even than the hens. I am glad you cared enough to watch and rescue her. Patsy Cline had a hard time and there was only Thelma with her. It would have been worse if Thelma had not been injured. But, by the second night, they were cuddling.
ReplyDeleteNo, thankfully, not. A week ago when I trimmed wings, the turkeys were still smaller than the meat roos. They've shot up a bit since, now about two inches taller, but still slender. They're almost as big as the grown up rooster now. I think they might have thought they could eat her.
DeleteNow that Goose and Gackle are attached to her, they protect her from the other birds. They're getting a little perturbed with me taking her away at night, too. She needs the heat lamp overnight though.