South Jersey woman has turkeys — as pets

SOUTHAMPTON - Every day is special for Bob and Fred.

"I always tell them on Thanksgiving that they are so lucky that I'm feeding them and not the other way around!" said Brenda Jones, proud owner of the turkey brothers taking up residence in her backyard. "They're like my own little children."

Jones has been a Southampton resident for more than 20 years. For the past 10 years, she's been caring for Bob and Fred, whom she adopted from her neighbors. She said the turkeys would flee her neighbor's yard and come over to eat and roam around.

"I got so much enjoyment out of them, they kind of just gave them to me," Jones said.

Bob and Fred, both 13 years old, are domesticated. They have their own pens and a fenced-in area to run around in and keep them safe and active.

"I have 5 acres here and take care of any animal that comes to my door."

When not roaming around in their fenced-off section of the backyard, Bob and Fred are kept in two 80-square-foot pens.

Jones said Bob and Fred — both Royal Palm turkeys, a domestic breed — are too small and aren't meant to be served on the dinner table.

The turkey brothers aren't the only birds not heading for Jones' dinner table next week. She's planning on a home-cooked meatloaf while watching her "children" play in their pen.

Bob and Fred are probably safe next year, too.

"I keep saying to myself, one day I will go fully vegetarian."

The turkeys can look forward to a special Thanksgiving Day treat as well.

"Their favorite foods are sunflower seeds and grapes," Jones said. "I like to spoil them."

Jones, who lives alone, spends most of her time outside caring for the animals who come to her back yard. From feral cats to possums, she has a place in her heart for all wild animals. But Bob and Fred gobble up most of her time — and she likes it that way.

"When I work out in the yards, I let them out with me. All they do is follow me around. It's fun," Jones said, adding that Bob and Fred are interactive birds.

"They really like to be around people. It's fun to be on my knees pulling weeds, doing yard work, and there's a turkey on each side of me. I never dreamed that I would have turkeys and that I would get so much enjoyment out of them."

Although Bob and Fred fight over their "mother's" attention, Jones says they love each other and are nonaggressive. The only rule of owning a turkey is not to wear red.

"Fred gets especially mad. I found out the hard way when I wore red pants outside to feed them. It wasn't pretty."

Fred has a couple girlfriends who like to pay him a visit every once in a while.

"He's quite the ladies' man," Jones said. "The wild turkeys will come in my backyard looking for leftover food. You can hear them talking back and forth, gobbling and cooing. Whenever it's mating season, the females will come over and Fred finds his girlfriends."

"They will breed with wild turkeys," Jones added.

Jones doesn't just care for animals, she's been providing comfort for cancer patients for the past several years.

When Jones was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, she felt inspired to create Hug Wraps, a nonprofit that has made more than 1,000 kimono-style gowns for women experiencing various forms of illnesses. The wraps come in many types of bright patterns, colors and designs aimed to keep patients smiling and wearing something louder than cancer.

Matt Flowers: (856) 486-2913; mflowers@gannettnj.com

Turkey fun facts

Stuff yourself with these 5 fun facts about the turkey, courtesy of Smithsonian.com: