OF TURKEYS & ALPACAS
Two years ago, just before
Thanksgiving, I adopted two bronze domestic turkeys. They had
been raised from chicks to control pests in a small vegetable garden, and the owners did
not wish to see them butchered. Since I am a vegetarian, they knew the turkeys would have
a chance to live out their natural years on my farm.
I had never owned turkeys before and I thought I was just inheriting some useless birds
which would only add to my already long list of animal-related responsibilities. I was
wrong! It turns out that these initial birds encouraged me to purchase and breed a small
flock which now grazes alongside my alpaca and llama herd. In the process, the turkeys and
camelids have developed a successfully symbiotic relationship from which the alpacas and
llamas are the greatest beneficiaries.
Turkeys, especially the wild
variety, are wonderful predators: They are swift and highly
effective exterminators of unwanted pests such as grasshoppers, flies and other
insects.
Since I do not feed them any grain during the warm season they are hungry and make a
visible dent in the population of pests that may damage crops and pastures, or simply
render fields unpleasant environments for both humans and animals.
The turkeys are gregarious birds and enjoy the companionship and the sense of protection
they get from grazing alongside my herd. They therefore tend to follow the grazers and
never miss an opportunity to check out the fresh droppings in the various poop
piles.
The
turkeys’ poop-pile inspections remove almost immediately any unwanted fly
larvae,
nematodes and other pests, thereby minimizing the re-contamination of the fields.
Also, in
the process of searching out the bugs, the turkeys break down and spread the
piles,
thereby maximizing the fertilizing reach of the manure piles.
Turkeys are such aggresive predators that they are also known to be effective snake
deterrents. There aren’t very many precautionary measures that can be taken to keep
rattlesnakes away, and although turkeys are not 100% effective, they are perhaps one of
the best tools offered by nature. Turkeys have been documented to keep snakes at bay,
killing and eating them and, in a period of drought, when snakes search out irrigated
areas, it is a comfort to know they are an added protection for my
animals.
I enjoy imprinting crias at birth to familiarize them with human contact and handling and
have extended this practice to my turkeys. Raising them from chicks, it is very easy to
imprint them, so much so that I now find myself surrounded by gobbling turkeys and humming
alpacas when I work in the pasture. If handled with gentle care, turkeys will easily
become as spoiled as any other household pet: they enjoy being petted and caressed on
their waxy necks and they always greet visitors with loud verbalizing, wings
widespread.
They have truly become an entertaining as well as a useful part of my farming enterprise
and visitors to the farm seem to enjoy them as much as I do.
Purchasing and then breeding turkeys requires a minimal initial investment and very little
care. Yet the benefits are immeasurable in terms of the ways they improve pasture and the
grazing environment as well as benefit the overall health of a herd. Finally, for the non
vegetarians, another added benefit is that you can produce your own supply of fresh eggs
and range-fed, organic gobblers to feed your family.
Although I don’t eat
them, I
love turkeys and what they do for me!
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