Turkey Lurkeys

I stopped at Ames Supply to buy dog food and came home with a dozen baby turkeys. We already have a very large hen house for our guinea hens and all the necessary accessories to raise baby birds. What I didn't know because I didn't do any homework before buying these birds on a whim is they don't do well living with other birds. They are prone to blackhead disease - something they get from other birds crap, really. I will spare you the details except to say it is contagious and so far we have lost 4 birds to it and another one is on it's way out.

I love the turkeys. They are super friendly, they let me pet them and follow me around the yard. They sit on the deck by me when I have my coffee, eat mosquitos off my legs, peck at my rings and make little chirping noises. They make me laugh when they run - they remind me of some sort of Star Wars character. They run lopsided with their legs flailing out, but they run fast. They haven't truly learned to fly yet but they flap their wings when they run, legs flapping - sometimes getting a foot or so off the ground. When one does it they all start playing around in the yard, chirping and flapping. But 'cause they are so friendly and want to be around us, their crap is everywhere and it is much messier and bigger than the guineas. For some reason Boston wants to attack the turkeys. He leaves the guineas alone, but the turkeys would be dinner in a second for him. This has also presented a problem as Boston is a 9 month old puppy who still has to be watched in the yard. When the turkeys are out he cannot run loose - it has become a total pain in the ass. It's a waiting game at this point. In Jason's mind he's wondering if we will be having all the turkey dishes he has named Forest Gump style. In my mind I'm hoping one little buddy lives to sit on the deck and have coffee with.