The ancestor of all domestic turkeys is the wild turkey from North America. Many different breeds and colours exist, some of which are very rare or even close to extinction. The male turkey is much larger and more colourful than the turkey hen. He impresses his hens by elaborate display behaviour. Male turkeys can be so heavy that there is a risk of injuring the hen they serve, so never more than one male should be left with the female flock. They also tend to be quite aggressive towards each other and might even kill the weaker opponent. The hens are the best mothers imaginable and can foster any kind of chick from tiny ornamental bantam chicks to even ducklings or goslings (take care they have no access to bathing water, as the turkey hen might follow “her” young and drown!). Brooding they outperform most commercial incubators, but the eggs should match her size, very small eggs might be squashed by her weight. She broods so intensely that there is real danger of starvation and she should be forced off her eggs at least once daily, when she will drink and feed.