Sponsor a Turkey to save it's life

[bugmankeith]

If you love animals, or are Vegan, there is a site where you can donate some money to sponsor a rescued Turkey. You will help pay for their care and food, and you will get a certificate mailed to you with a brief summary and picture of the Turkey you sponsored as a thank you. I dont live in an area where you can own farm animals, so this is my way of helping an animal.

http://www.adoptaturkey.org/aat/adopt/sponsor.html

I know a bunch of you eat Turkey yada yada, so if you dont want to do this no need to hijack the thread if your not interested in it.

You can also sponsor other rescued farm animals too. http://www.farmsanctuary.org/rescue/rescues/2010.html

 

[Kathy]

bugmankeith ~ I love you!!! Thank you for these links.

 

[bugmankeith]

Your welcome!

 

[RoachGirlRen]

I interned two summers at Farm Sanctuary and used to go up to volunteer a few times per year back when I lived in NY. This is also my first year in ages that I won't be attending the Celebration for the Turkeys (one of the few things I'll miss of NY). They do some truly amazing work for the animals, and while I'm sure many folks here don't agree with them ideologically, I don't think many could see the wonderful care the rescued animals on site receive and fully scorn them as an organization. And man, will you ever fall in love with the critters if you ever visit - especially the turkeys. They're just the most gentle, affectionate lil buggers you'll ever meet. Though, heavy when they decide to climb up into your lap for petting.

ETA: I sponsored Kima this year, btw

 

[Kathy]

RoachgirlRen, that is great to hear from someone who has actually worked there! I would much rather spend money on not having a turkey dinner, then having one.

 

[bugmankeith]

I'm thinking about sponsoring a male, as they tend have to have more health issues from being overly heavy, so now which guy to choose?

I have family who owns a farm in Massachusets, and had a bunch of turkeys in a tiny enclosure with no light and spurs removed, I felt so bad but they are the type that use everything from the animal and honestly would loose the farm if their stock didnt sell, they have chickens,pigs, and cows too, and breed miniature ponies for pets or breeding stock.

I disagree, but that's just me, they should have a free roam farm they have the room, only the ponies have a field to graze in.

 

[Offkillter]

Can I save a turkey by eating a vegan!Kidding,kidding vegans are way to bony to eat.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

*Yawn* Oh look, someone who likes to poke fun at vegans. How original. Oh well, I'm shocked it made it more than two posts without that happening, to be quite honest.

I love how people say that vegans are always going around harassing people about their dietary choices, yet while I've never said a word to anyone outside of a formal debate on the topic about their choice to eat meat, every jerk on and offline feels the need to make rude, condescending, judgemental, etc. remarks at me and other vegans for our dietary and ethical choices. "PETA: People eating tasty animals, lulz. For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat three, lulz. Save x animal by eating a vegan, lulz. Hurrhurr, you're all scrawny and protein deficient." Please. Come up with some original material, or better yet, just stop being close minded <EDIT -MrI>.

So, maybe we could allow the thread to stay on topic now?

 

[bugmankeith]

Ignore the post there just testing us.

RoachGirlRen I was always wondering, if a few domestic turkey eggs were placed in a wild turkey nest mixed with wild eggs, could they grow up to be wild and survive?

2 problems I could think of would be:
1. their color (but i've heard of a few wild albino turkey living based on being able to get into a tree away from preators on the ground)
2. Their heavy bodies. But, on a natural diet like bugs and seeds constantly on the move and using their legs and wings, I think they would not grow as fat being they have to work for their food since they are born and travel all the time burning extra calories keeping them slim and trim.

They would act wild when raised by wild birds, be eating a healthy,natural diet so they would weigh a lot less, they would excercise since birth so leg and wings muscles would be stronger.

Look at domestic chickens, really fat and can hardly get off the ground. But let them run wild, and they fly really good and can run really fast and are agile!

 

[pouchedrat]

My partner went vegan recently, actually. He wants to see how he does through the holidays as vegan. I've been vegetarian for 13 years (lacto veggie until the last 5 years), and I know plenty of veg'n people (one vegan who was a football player in high school, and is still quite the brute of a person). Yeah, I don't know any veg'n who goes out of their way to harass anyone, but I've been harassed plenty (mostly by my father).

Anyway, I used to live in NY and remember college kids trying to help a farm sanctuary there. Here in MD, I used to live in this house in the woods, and there were three turkeys who would hang out in the front yard all the time and actually let us get close to them to feed them! Later I found out there was a hunter who released these turkeys every year in the woods to go hunting.. Before moving, the turkeys were caught and taken away (don't know where...) because they were going to be doing construction there, and they kept coming up to the construction workers. They looked wild, but were very tame. I took a great photo of them during a snowstorm, but I can't find that pic anymore

 

[jebbewocky]

I'm a red-blooded carnivore but I might sponsor a turkey just for s&g's.

 

[bugmankeith]

I've never actually seen a wild turkey in person, I hope to one day. Where I live a rabbit is the least tame animal we see.

 

[jebbewocky]

I've never actually seen a wild turkey in person, I hope to one day. Where I live a rabbit is the least tame animal we see.

They're pretty dumb looking actually.

 

[codykrr]

^agreed. While I respect you all for saving a turkey. Im cooking two for Thanksgiving.

 

[jebbewocky]

And I have no problems with vegans/vegetarians, at least when they are consistent, and not preachy. I've known a few that have leather clothing, and/or drink beer or wine filtered with isenglas (which is a fish-based product), or eat mozzarella cheese (not vegan or vegetarian friendly, even if made with soy instead of milk, because rennet is a key component of most mozzarella), or use shampoo/conditioner made with dead animal components or was tested on animals. Like, I have a friend who is vegetarian, because of AR reasons, but he eats eggs, and egg factory farming is just as cruel as meat farming.

I do know a guy online who just doesn't eat meat because he was raised vegetarian, and meat makes him sick.

 

[Speedy]

Wait. Do these sanctuaries pull turkeys from food farms?

 

[pitbulllady]

Ignore the post there just testing us.

RoachGirlRen I was always wondering, if a few domestic turkey eggs were placed in a wild turkey nest mixed with wild eggs, could they grow up to be wild and survive?

2 problems I could think of would be:
1. their color (but i've heard of a few wild albino turkey living based on being able to get into a tree away from preators on the ground)
2. Their heavy bodies. But, on a natural diet like bugs and seeds constantly on the move and using their legs and wings, I think they would not grow as fat being they have to work for their food since they are born and travel all the time burning extra calories keeping them slim and trim.

They would act wild when raised by wild birds, be eating a healthy,natural diet so they would weigh a lot less, they would excercise since birth so leg and wings muscles would be stronger.

Look at domestic chickens, really fat and can hardly get off the ground. But let them run wild, and they fly really good and can run really fast and are agile!

No, a domestic turkey would NOT survive in the wild, for the exact reasons that you mentioned. Wild turkeys and domestic turkeys are as different as timber wolves and English Bulldogs, from a physical perspective. Same species, but VERY different body structure. Domestic turkeys have been selectively bred for huge pectoral muscles, that tasty, tender white breast meat coveted by us carnivores. Wild turkeys, on the other hand, are all dark meat, with tough, sinewy muscles designed for actual FLIGHT-yes, they can FLY, and pretty darn well for such a large bird! Domestic turkeys cannot. Wild turkeys can run like a deer, and vanish like a puff of smoke at the first hint of danger. One second there can be 100+ birds foraging away in an open field, and in the blink of an eye, not one turkey can be seen! Don't let their looks deceive you; wild turkeys are clever, intelligent birds who learn very quickly what a gun is and that humans are little threat without one. We have a lot of wild turkeys living on our property, and although several people have permission to come hunt them during the brief spring turkey season, not ONE has been successful, due to the birds' intelligence and skill at avoiding predators of all sorts, two-legged, camoflage-clad predators included. Hunting turkeys is very much an art and a skill that few hunters will master.

pitbulllady

 

[jebbewocky]

...and many of the hunters who do master hunting them, also need to master taking the birdshot out of them. I know my dad sure didn't.

 

[pitbulllady]

...and many of the hunters who do master hunting them, also need to master taking the birdshot out of them. I know my dad sure didn't.

Well, THAT sounds painful...for YOU! Dental work can be expensive! I chomped down on a BB once...that was in a POTATO, of all things, and was a most-unpleasant experience!

pitbulllady

 

[RoachGirlRen]

Wait. Do these sanctuaries pull turkeys from food farms?

Their animals are not purchased or stolen from food farms, but are generally part of rescue efforts when the authorities are called in for animal cruelty issues. They also often take farm animals that were abandoned or that escaped, and people have a tendency to dump unwanted farm animals there as well. Don't worry - it's quite on the up and up, they wouldn't want to risk their legal status as a 501(c) with direct action or anything that extreme.