Our Christmas turkey decades ago

@JudyEv (381837)
Rockingham, Australia
January 19, 2026 6:27pm CST
I was going through some old photos and found this one of my mother with her Christmas turkey. She raised a number of turkeys each year and would sell some each Christmas but always kept one to cook for the family. We also had a pet gobbler which Mum had raised since it was tiny. Despite being male, it never became aggressive. He would come to the house gate to welcome any visitors. If Mum gave him a cuddle, its wattles and head area would become very red as if he were blushing. If I had friends to stay we would hide in the stables or around the haysheds and Turk would come to find us. Turk was much loved and died of old age. Some pets are/were very special. I don't have a photo of him but that's not him in the photo - just in case you're wondering or haven't read the whole discussion.
14 people like this
13 responses
Amber
@AmbiePam (120585)
• United States
20 Jan
I am so glad he was a pet. I love the thought of the family just loving him his whole life. Your mom looks very satisfied with her yummy work!
4 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jan
She does look happy, doesn't she? I forget how much this one weighed but it was a big turkey. For many years, I had no idea that they were native to America and just ran wild.
3 people like this
snowy
@snowy22315 (208764)
• United States
20 Jan
Mum is looking admiralingly at her bird.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jan
She is indeed. It took a good few hours to cook.
1 person likes this
ShannyBananny
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
20 Jan
Aww that must have been nice to have that one as a pet. He certainly sounded like a lot of fun .
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jan
Often, entire male pets get quite aggressive but Turk never did.
2 people like this
Jennifer
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Jan
That's so sweet and a lovely photo of your Mother! We have a pet rooster named Buddy, he is very sweet and loves people. Although lots of people are scared of him that come into the yard!
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jan
Some people were scared of Turk but he was never a problem. It's nice to see you here again.
2 people like this
Jennifer
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Jan
@JudyEv That's good! Buddy is only a problem when he approaches my photography clients because he wants food. Then I have to shoo him away! It's good to be here. =)
2 people like this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174277)
• United States
20 Jan
That looks like it was delicious! Dad always told us not to name or make pets out of the livestock since we might be eating it one day...
2 people like this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174277)
• United States
20 Jan
@JudyEv We'd ride the milk cows and play with the chickens and rabbits... But dad might still butcher the chickens and rabbits anyway. He wasn't home often enough to know which ones we made pets out of. (Dad worked construction all around the country and just mailed mom money.)
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jan
Anything we named we didn't eat. Most of the pet lambs went back into the flock before we got too attached to them.
2 people like this
Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (59107)
•
20 Jan
Turk sounds like he was a wonderful and special pet. Some animals are just very special. What a nice picture of your mother, Judy.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jan
She had some lovely pets and would take in anything that was hurt or wounded.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan
@MarieCoyle You had to watch the gobblers but mostly if you didn't bother them, they didn't bother you. At least ours were like that. When we were house-sitting, we had one rooster that would fly at you with his spurs out. He was downright dangerous.
1 person likes this
Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (59107)
•
20 Jan
@JudyEv My friend Tammy that raises chickens used to raise turkeys, too, but now she is back to just chickens. She had a male gobbler, he was so mean, she gave him to a neighbor to butcher and eat and got another one. The second one was even meaner than the first one. The neighbor ate him, too. She just does chickens now, she says those mean male turkeys have a mean bite! Your Mom sounds like she had a heart of gold.
2 people like this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (135601)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Jan
Some birds just are special
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan
They all have their own characters if you spend enough time with them.
1 person likes this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (97908)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Jan
I love that photo, I used to be the big turkey baker ages ago,
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan
I can't remember what this one weighed but she was very proud of it.
1 person likes this
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (14784)
• Ireland
20 Jan
@judyev My granny used to raise a turkey for Christmas. First year she killed it by hitting it over the head with a brush. Then she hoisted it up on her knees and began to pluck it. Then the turkey regained consciousness and jumped off her knees and ran round the garden a bit distressed and mightily offended.
1 person likes this
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (14784)
• Ireland
21 Jan
@JudyEv From then on it was grandfather’s job. She also got some hens eggs from a farm to hatch. She put them under her own hen who was laying and got 3 ducks.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Jan
@xFiacre My Mum would often put turkey eggs under the bantams as the latter were better mothers.
1 person likes this
Fleur
@Fleura (34935)
• United Kingdom
20 Jan
I've never really thought of turkeys as pets but maybe that was just lack of opportunity!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan
I think just about anything can be a pet if it's cared for and respected. I know the Isa Brown chickens make great pets for kids.
1 person likes this
Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (11264)
• United Kingdom
21 Jan
Your Mom looks very proud of the Turkey she raised …quite right too, it looks a beauty. Not sure I could raise then kill and eat anything …..actually I am sure …I couldn’t do it. I would get too attached …that’s just me. The Pet Turk was lucky to be able to live out such a natural life ……i wonder , did he ever wonder where all the other turkeys went ?
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan
If you've been bought up on a farm, especially in those days, then that's how you survived and made a living.
Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (11264)
• United Kingdom
21 Jan
@JudyEv yes, that would be different.
1 person likes this
Dr Souvik Chatterji
@sathviksouvik (23235)
•
20 Jan
your mother's photo is awesome
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan
Thank you. That bird had a lot of meat on it.
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (222285)
• United States
20 Jan
That's a great picture. There is a man named Jorge Berge that has a ranch with a bunch of cattle, turkeys, etc. They all come up and put their heads on him and wait for pets. It's heartwarming. I'm glad you had Turk for a pet.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan
With the right treatment, many animals seem to like being petted and fussed over.
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (222285)
• United States
21 Jan
@JudyEv Yes, I guess they're all rescued animals; and it's amazing how friendly and calm they all are.
1 person likes this