Talk:Turkey (bird)

Social turkeys

I completed the metadata mostly to share something. While I do like the domestic turkey as food, I'm also charmed by some of the wild turkeys in my area. There's one that lives somewhere behind the library, and occasionally struts out to inspect, and sometimes even socialize, with people in the parking lot. Another spends much time on the commercial fishing period and is said to act like a dog that owns it. --Howard C. Berkowitz 03:03, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

No problem, thanks, I got interrupted. By the way, I wasn't sure about the Benjamin Franklin thing. Truth, or myth I picked up somewhere? Aleta Curry 03:34, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

I've heard the Franklin thing, and even read his arguments, although I can't give you a reference. It's an honor to socialize with a wild one, but the domestic ones are incredibly stupid. Probably just as well for poultry. Howard C. Berkowitz 03:42, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

I've got the reference right here and I'll add it. Hayford Peirce 21:08, 16 October 2010 (UTC)

Suggest Merge with Aleta's article

I'd suggest a merge with Aleta'a article as it was started first. Also, the Ben Franklin statement is fact. I included that in the Turkey Factoids with a reference.Mary Ash 21:17, 16 October 2010 (UTC)

Moved to domestic turkey

On second thought, I've moved this section to the stub domestic turkey. I had started that without metadata deliberately, pending the conclusion of the great turkey debates. So, that can very easily be cut/moved/deleted/pasted somewhere else, whatever is finally decided. I'm not making any determinations what that should be, only that the factoids shouldn't be at roast turkey. Aleta Curry 20:51, 16 October 2010 (UTC)

So-called "factoids", removed from other turkey articles and put here will awaiting reassignment or oblivion

This section should be carefully scrutinized. Some of these nuggets may be used eventually in various articles. Hayford Peirce 18:14, 19 October 2010 (UTC)

Turkey Factoids

• King Henry VIII was the first British king to eat turkey. He made it fashionable to eat turkey at Christmas in England where it's still popular today.
• English turkeys were herded to market and wore booties to protect their feet. In the United States turkeys were walked to market too. It is unclear if the American turkeys wore booties.
• Wild turkeys spend their nights in trees while domestic turkeys can not fly.
• Since 1947 the United States president has received two turkeys from the National Turkey Federation. The turkeys are never eaten as they receive a presidential pardon.
• Israelis eat the most turkeys as they consume 28 pounds of turkey per person per year.
• Ben Franklin wrote the turkey should be the national USA bird.
• Thanksgiving is when most turkeys are eaten. The National Turkey Federation (NTF) estimates that approximately 45 million turkeys are gobbled up at Thanksgiving followed by 22 million at Christmas, and 19 million at Easter.
• June is National Turkey Lovers Month.
• Tom turkeys gobble while hen turkeys cluck. The tom is the male and the hen is the female.
• President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day forward one week.
• Food Network chef Alton Brown says stuffing is what goes inside the turkey while dressing is what's baked in a casserole dish. He also recommends preparing the dressing.