This is our journal of what we pray is our sojourn of life (Hebrews 11:8-10) along the narrow way (Matthew 7:14), even the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16), submitting to the Bible as a light unto both (Psalms 119:105). It is our prayer that these documented moments in our earthly time benefit whom God might choose to edify, but ultimately that God glorifies Himself through them.

Providence’s Perpetuation Provisions: Tasha’s Turkey Chick of 2017

One thing we’ve discovered with our turkey hens is that they like to make nests out in the woods, and so when one doesn’t come back at night, we go looking for it where we have seen them about during the day, or try to find them the next day, and thanks to the Lord we have often been able to find them, usually with broken eggs around them, as the critters get to them if they’re left, most likely over night.

Well, our brown hen, Haddie, from last year’s hatching from Trina disappeared. We could not find her, and she didn’t show up at all again around the homestead, as they often do at least in the morning before going back to sit.

One day when going back into the woods to cut fire wood, I saw a bunch of what appeared to be turkey feathers, and tracked them along a path. Sadly, it appeared she was taken out by some critter, although she moved quite a bit before the feather trail stopped, so she gave it a go. And so, we lost Haddie, and we miss her.

However, we were able to find our other new hen from last year, Tasha, with maybe 8-10 eggs under her, so we grabbed her and them and put them in the summer kitchen.

And by God’s graciousness, she hatched out three new little live turklets! (That’s what I call them, like I might call a chicken chick a chicklet 🙂 ). Sadly here though, two of them died when fairly young, but we do have the one left, who at the time of this writing is about 2/3 the size of her mommy now! We believe she is a hen as well, she looks a lot like Tasha, and we’ve decided to call her Halia, in honor of Haddie — the “Ha” from the start of her name, and that “Halia” apparently means “Remembrance of a loved one” in Hawaiian.

Here the pair are back in June:

New 2017 Turkey Chick

And here is a video of them in the summer kitchen, and then when we released them to be free:


Finally, turkeys do silly things, and here’s a video example, with Lil Hank from last year’s hatching tapping on the screen and saying hello through the house window…while perched on a sawhorse!


As always, we are very thankful to the Lord for granting these provisions, and the health and safety He did grant to any of them! It’s only of His will, graces and mercies we are supplied with anything, where we deserve nothing, and even to have them taken away for sin. And so, we are very grateful!

— David

4 Comments

  1. Judy

    David and Sue, what breed of turkeys are you raising?

  2. David and Susan Sifford

    Hi Judy,

    We believe the original female is Spanish black heritage breed. Not sure about the original male, other than he is apparently a heritage breed as well.

    You can learn the whole saga, how Trina the original female just showed up at our homestead one day, and how we got her mate, by starting at the beginning of our turkey blog posts here: http://blog.siffordsojournal.com/search/label/turkeys

    We're thankful to the Lord for these many gifts!

    — David

  3. bayougirl

    Thanks for your update on the turkeys. Your posts are always entertaining and inspirational. May the Lord continue to bless you,
    Jill

  4. David and Susan Sifford

    Hi Jill,

    Thanks to the Lord, and thank you for your blessings. And thanks as always for saying hello! May God's graces & mercies be with you.

    — David

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