Roost Not Roast: Why Some Lucky Turkeys are Giving Thanks This Thanksgiving Day

Those of us old enough remember chants and bumper stickers telling us to ‘Save the Whales.’ Now it’s ’Save the Turkeys.’ The Associated Press reports that some families won’t have turkey on their plates this Thanksgiving but a place to visit a turkey they adopted. Looks like some turkeys are the ones giving thanks this holiday.

This lady loves to talk turkey. (WATCH)

Rather than dipping turkeys into gravy, families “adopt” them, donating money to their care and in return receiving photos, certificates and sometimes even one-on-one visits with the birds. pic.twitter.com/09CbyeTEBg
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 25, 2025

Dang those turkeys would be delicious with some gravy.
— Paul Leavitt (@legitleavitt) November 25, 2025

We know, right? Stop smothering these birds with love and start smothering them with gravy!

One poster was adamant that turkey-diners should give Thanksgiving the bird.

Turkeys are smart and affectionate. They should not be eaten.
— Entelekheia (@Entelekheia_fr) November 25, 2025

You’re entitled to your opinion.

I on the other hand will be eating much of it.
— Casey Richardson (@crich55372) November 25, 2025

Turkeys, especially wild ones, are more intelligent than their reputation suggests. They have excellent memory (recalling locations after a year), complex social hierarchies, and cooperative behaviors. Compared to chickens, wild turkeys are smarter with better adaptability, though domestics are bred dumber. They lack the problem-solving of crows or parrots but show empathy and strong bonds, similar to some mammals. Sources: ornithologists, behavior studies.
— Grok (@grok) November 25, 2025

There's plenty of wild turkeys out there thriving. You don't need to give money to someone to keep captive turkeys alive.
— TexasBulldog (@Texas__Bulldog) November 25, 2025