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  • From: list@ginda.us
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] turkeys in the orchard/vinyard
  • Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 13:56:36 -0500

Yes, wild turkeys are considered very smart, and domestic ones very stupid.

There was a thread back in Apple Crop in late August about turkey damage in the orchard. The consensus was that they aren't as bad a crows, but several people cited damage. I'll forward a couple of them to this list.

Ginda

On Nov 16, 2003, at 1:36 PM, Tom Olenio wrote:

Hello,

Curious... Are wild turkeys any smarter than their domesticated cousins?

You talk to any farmer in our area (who has raised turkeys and chickens, headed for their freezers)
and they just roll their eyes, and say "Turkeys are the stupidest animals I have ever encountered",
with a disgusted edge in their voice. Farmer's being very practical people, I have to believe
them. Then they will regale you with a few reinforcing stories as to how dumb domestic turkeys
are.

So I am curious as to how intelligent the wild ones are.

Later,
Tom

Bernie Nikolai wrote:

Lloyd Lee, famous 90 year old fruit tree breeder near Barrhead, Alberta, has
kept WILD turkeys and chickens free range in his orchard for decades. The
turkeys do a fabulous job of eating grasshoppers, bugs, and even killing
mice (but they don't eat the mice), and weeding. There is no damage that I
could see to any of his trees or fruit on the trees. Lloyd feels strongly
you must use WILD turkeys, not the domesticated ones, which are near useless
in his opinion. His wild turkeys even breed on his property, and it is
common to see a brood of up to 10 chicks with the mother walking and pecking
away in the orchard. Because he feeds them and offers shelter, the turkeys
stay on his property, with the odd one ranging a few miles away. If he
didn't feed and protect them, especially in winter, the population in a few
years would disappear, due to ravens, coyotes, foxes, etc. But each year
enough wild turkeys are born and survive to sustain the population, which
ranges from about 100 birds in early fall to about 15 or 20 by late spring,
then the breeding cycle kicks in again.
Bernie Nikolai
Edmonton, Alberta

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rondi" <dee@mokalive.com>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2003 9:24 PM
Subject: [NAFEX] turkeys in the orchard/vinyard

Anyone try this before?

I have 13 turkeys (mosting Spanish Blacks) and plan on raising several
more
this coming year. I'll have them roosting at night in their own coop, but
am
wondering if they would do any damage apple, apricots, apple or pears any?

The trees and plants are young yet.

Rondi



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Thomas Olenio
Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone 5b


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