Indiana Resident’s Turkey and New Brood Wins USDA Cutest Bird Contest
(PRWEB) July 09, 2013 -- A photo taken of a Turkey Girl, her adorable new babies and their big sister Munchkin is a winner in the USDA sponsored Cutest Bird Contest. Tina Tyzzer snapped the picture of the family that won for June in the category of “Cutest Bird Family.”
“Turkey Girl sat on the eggs for 29 days before the babies hatched,” says Tyzzer. “Munchkin, who would be the equivalent of a teenaged big sister, was out playing until they were born. Then she became all business – eager to help mom feed and warm her siblings.” Meanwhile the father, Lucky, did his job as guardian, Tyzzer notes, making sure that mother and eggs were safe from predators.
Turkey Girl’s family will be featured on the Biosecurity for Birds website until the middle of August.
Residents of Fortville, IN, the Tyzzer family raise and sell Royal Palm Heritage turkeys as well as other breeds of chickens on their three acre homestead. They became turkey farmers quite by accident when seven baby Heritage turkeys turned up on their front lawn and made themselves at home in one of the trees.
The flock quickly grew to 70 in a matter of months and the birds are a second full-time job for the Tyzzers. Tina is an administrative specialist and her husband Charlie, an engineer, works in a laboratory. They spend their weekends and evenings tending to their new flock of birds, which are like family members.
The Cutest Bird photo contest ended in June and the winning images will be featured on the Biosecurity for Birds website through July. All winning images will be considered for inclusion on the 2014 Biosecurity For Birds Calendar.
The Biosecurity For Birds program, began in 2004, is designed to educate backyard poultry owners and bird enthusiasts about highly contagious poultry diseases and other threats to birds. The program helps inform bird lovers how to prevent disease and tells them what to do if they suspect their birds might be ill.
Media representatives may contact Joelle Hayden at joelle.r.hayden(at)aphis(dot)usda(dot)gov (301) 851-4040 or Pam Goldstein at pgoldstein(at)diversitymc(dot)com 973-377-0300, Ext. 14
Pam Goldstein, Diversity Marketing and Communications, 973-377-0300 14, [email protected]
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