If by chance you read the story of "Richy", you might like to know that his legacy lives on. Here's some pics of RJ (Richy Junior) and his family.

Proud Daddy

Come and Get it!

Finding some shade

They are about a week old. There were 5 hatched, one was weak and lived for about 4 days. The other 4 are very strong and doing well. Hard to believe these little things grow up to be so big.

HOW CUTE!! OMG!!

Adorable!

We ended up with some white-mix babies, probably 4 out of the remaining 10. I hope at least one looks as pretty as your Jr.!

I had been letting them all out to free-range until the neighbor's feral cats had them pinned a few days ago...they couldn't get home! No kids lost, so all is well.

Mr. Kitty knows better then to go anywhere near them. I have to lock them up at night due to Raccoons. Same with my chickens.

Great photos!

Yesterday morning a coyote came ambling through the yard, not more then 15 feet from me in broad daylight. When I yelled at him and clapped my hands, he trotted off a little faster. Durty bugger better not hurt my turkeys and chickens.

I have rarely seen a coyote although I know there are everywhere around - wonder if it was a hungry momma and that's why she wasn't scared?To me it's unusual for one not to run away as fast as possible ~Jan

In many areas around here developers are rapidly building giant subdivisions on what used to be farm land or woods. Their habitats are vanishing and coyotes are learning to blend in with suburban life. Humans are no longer rare and scary and household pets are their new prey.

That's the second time this year that I've seen one during the day time, and both times it was in no hurry to get away. The first time, I was out fixing fence, so it wasn't right by my house. Last night I woke up during the night to hear their choris of whinny yelping. They do keep the rabbit population in check though at least. Now if they start getting the raccoons, I'll be happy.

tveguy3 said:.... Now if they start getting the raccoons, I'll be happy.

Oh! Me, too!! One has chewed/torn right through an old wood shed door to get to a metal trash can full of feed, gets the top off and gorges every night! Yesterday I moved the can to a building with thicker doors and walls...haven't been out yet to see if even that worked to stop it.

Ever have one of those days when every time you turned around the day just seemed to get better? Well, I had one yesterday. First I was feeling good about getting my veggie garden planted, and while I was admiring my work, in drives the mail truck with a delivery of iris rhizomes I'm trading with a fellow iris lover I met on the ATP iris forum. That was fun unpacking and planting. Then later in the day I get a call from an area School District Director of Instruction. I had worked with them for about 6 years doing consulting through a grant, that has since ended. He was inviting me to apply for a part time job doing some intstructional coaching for thier math program. Might be a good thing, since I'm taking another 14% cut in my retirment benefits. Then topping things off, as I went out to feed the turkeys, I found that when RJ stood up, he was brooding 2 of the baby turkeys! He's a good daddy just like his father was. I was really happy about that. Mom had 2 under her, and he had two under him. I'll try to get some pics when I can. So now I wonder if this is a learned behavior, or is it geneticlly imprinted? HMMMM.

Perhaps it is genetically imprinted, and breeding has removed it?

By the way, distemper will kill the coons. Not that I am recommending it - but years ago while I still did farm chores, when spring arrived one winter there were a bunch of dead racoons all over that farm. My ex is a veterinarian, and when I mentioned it to him (we leased the barn) he said it was most likely distemper. I was more worried about rabies, so that made me feel better since my dogs were vaccinated. (not that I wanted them around the raccoons anyways!) ~Jan

That does sound like a great day, Tom!

The gal I got my turkeys from mentioned the fact that they were naturally raised, so maybe that makes the difference. Or, it could just be that they're allowed to. Most others are simply hatched in incubators, I think.

Jan, no distemper here, or I'd bet the feral cats would die off too. One got one of my pond fish the other day.

Is the same distemper strain able to infect dogs, cats and raccoons?

We got 10 straight rin bourbon red poults Saturday. 2 different friends breed heirloom toms to broad breasted hens. We will save 2 of the best toms and try to find 3or 4 broad breasted gals for them. 1 friend breeds a Spanish Tom to production whites and the other breeds bourbons to broad breasted reds.

Well, I finally got a picture of RJ brooding a poult, not the best shot, I had to get him up to take the picture. Kind of cut his head off the pic, but you get the idea.

Very cool Tom!

I think the canine distemper is what gets the raccoons, or possibly both versions can. I could be wrong, but I don't think the canine & feline version can infect each other, but wild animals are different. I am no longer married to a vet, so I am answering this from memory, so am not a specialist on it. It is my understanding that those with pet raccoons have to vaccinate for canine & feline versions. ~Jan

106 here yesterday, and supposed to be more of the same today.

I have a fine mist of water going in the turkey area to help them through it. So far, so good. No losses. Thank goodness their shade trees haven't dropped their leaves!

Here's an update on RJ and his family. They sure are getting big fast. Now that they have found some late corn I planted and are loving pulling the new sprouts up and eating them. I have to be on vigil all the time and chase them out. The pic is near a water puddle that I keep filled for the birds. The turkeys seem to like using it too. There are two larger poults and two a bit smaller, Think I have 2 of each. We'll see.

They're looking good, Tom!