Buggy I know you wanted to start another PETA thread..Oh well...

and I dont appreciate you changing my title..

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Many people think of turkeys as little more than a holiday centerpiece, but turkeys are social, playful birds who enjoy the company of others. They relish having their feathers stroked and like to chirp, cluck, and gobble along to their favorite tunes. Anyone who spends time with them on farm sanctuaries quickly learns that turkeys are as varied in personality as dogs and cats.

When not forced to live on filthy factory farms, turkeys spend their days caring for their young, building nests, foraging for food, taking dustbaths, preening themselves, and roosting high in trees. Read on to learn more fascinating turkey facts.


Talkin’ Turkey
Ben Franklin had tremendous respect for their resourcefulness, agility, and beauty—he called the turkey “a bird of courage” and “a true original native of America.” Franklin even suggeted naming the turkey, instead of the eagle, as our national bird.


Turkeys have been genetically modified to gain weight rapidly because fatter turkeys mean fatter wallets for farmers. But in nature, the turkey’s athletic prowess is truly impressive. Wild turkeys can fly at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour and run at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. The natural lifespan of the turkey is between 10 and 12 years, but on factory farms they are slaughtered when they’re just 5 months old.


Male turkeys, or “toms,” are bigger and have more colorful plumage than female turkeys, or “hens.” The males attract females with their wattles, colorful flaps of skin around their necks, and tufts of bristles that hang from their chests.


Turkeys are born with full-color vision just like our own, and in nature they stay with their mothers for up to the first five months of their lives. These gentle birds are very bonded to their young—in the wild, a mother turkey will courageously defend her family against predators.


Many respected researchers have spoken out on behalf of this intelligent, social bird. Oregon State University poultry scientist Tom Savage says, “I've always viewed turkeys as smart animals with personality and character, and keen awareness of their surroundings. The ‘dumb’ tag simply doesn’t fit.”


Even a popular turkey-hunting guide admits that turkeys are far from feather-brained. According to the Remington Guide to Turkey Hunting, turkeys will “test your wits as they are rarely tested in modern life.”


Erik Marcus, the author of Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating, has spent a considerable amount of time with turkeys on farm sanctuaries. He reports, “Turkeys remember your face and they will sit closer to you with each day you revisit. Come back day after day and, before long, a few birds will pick you out as their favorite and they will come running up to you whenever you arrive. It’s definitely a matter of the birds choosing you rather than of you choosing the birds. Different birds choose different people.”

The truth about a Free Range turkey Farm..


http://www.free-range-turkey.com/wst_page2.php

I changed the title of this thread to keep the discussion sort of confined, especially since we have another animal rights thread going on currently.

--PunkDavid

I just want the sweet potatoes anyway, but thanks!!

No We need a PETA thread....like we had last time...


I can post alerts and such here...this isnt just a Turkey thread

I agree.

thanks! Oh hey Ill get with you probably next week about the boxset.....Ive been so busy..

Me too!

Hey, seriously, don't even worry about it - I was just playin around.

Ok, but keep it clean. And I'll expect that ALL PETA realted topics will end up in here, right?

--PunkDavid

This thread wouldn't be complete unless it contains this word:

Tofurkey.

I didn't know those things about turkeys - it will make me enjoy my Tofurkey even more tomorrow (They're quite good, and it was the only thing my family could agree that we all would eat)

what about the joys of turducken?

It wouldn't have been a proper PETA story without these words included:



--PunkDavid

Ohhhhh another PETA thread. Ohhhh another response about fertilizer from me.

How do you vegans and vegetaritans know that the fertilizer used to grow your vegetables doesn't use/contain animal byproducts?

Many if not most organic fertilizers contain ingredients that are ground-up animal parts, such as bone, blood, or feather meal, or fish emulsion.

As vegetarians, you don't eat animals, and many of you don't want to exploit or use animals. Should you be using what are probably slaughterhouse by-products as fertilizer?

I toss in a couple things:

I like PETA's cause of trying to protect animals from harm or exploitation, but I do not always agree with their methods or with some of the battles they choose to fight.

I do not have a problem with responsible and ethical hunters, dog mushers, farmers, and ranchers. I think that there are plenty of examples of both good and bad people in each of these professions. Where I think PETA should focus their energy is on making SURE that people in these positions respect their animals and encourage good animal stewardship, care, and quality. They should go after and encourage action against those who knowingly abuse animals, but should not lump eveyone in these professions into that category.

By doing so, they often alienate the very people they NEED to persuade...and that is people who own or work with animals. In order to make the relationship between man and animal better, you need to have a working relationship with the people at the heart of the matter. This goes for chastising people who eat meat as well. Focus instead on the health reasons for vegitarianism and the fact that some meat is healthy and if they choose to eat meat (which PETA cannot prevent) try to persuade them to eat meat from reputable farmers and ranchers.

I think there is definately a void in the connection between people whose livelihood depends on animals and the people who are trying to protect these animals. There needs to be communication and, at times, compromise on both sides.

[/rant]

Argh I feel horrible for eating meat.

PETA's 2004 Holiday Auction for Abused Animals..



http://www.peta.org/feat/holidayauction/index.asp

Every purchase that you make from the following selection of terrific holiday auction items will help improve the lives of neglected animals in Virginia and North Carolina by funding PETA's Community Animal Project (CAP)—a unique program we've created to help bring animal rights and hands-on animal care to one of the most disadvantaged areas for animals in the United States.

Our goal is simple-to help all residents, particularly those living in underprivileged neighborhoods, to better care for their animals. We do this in a variety of ways:
We provide low-cost or free spaying and neutering through our acclaimed mobile veterinary clinic called SNIP (Spay and Neuter Immediately, Please).


We transport animals to veterinarians for de-worming and other badly needed treatments and even bathe and groom dogs who have lived outside for years.


We educate people about the needs of animal companions, including proper shelter, food, veterinary care, and the attention of a loving family.


When we spot abuse, we never give up on an animal. Our cruelty caseworkers will do whatever possible, for as long as necessary, to get an animal out of harm's way.


Please bid high to help us reach as many animals as possible. And don't forget to tell all your friends and relatives about the PETA Holiday Auction. Every bid helps animals!

Animals taste good. Especially marinated in Teriyaki.

Teriyaki is a wonder sauce.

It is the sauce of the gods.