A 14-YEAR-old boy who proved a turkey can be for life and not just for Christmas dinner was rewarded for saving its life.

Budding turkey breeder James Nolan, whose family run a hobby farm with rare sheep, hens and ducks, is the Turkey Club UK’s Young Turkey Keeper of the Year 2008 award.

He won the award for his care of Chicky-Poo who was the only turkey to hatch from a batch of eggs a year ago.

James, of Weasel Lane, Tockholes, was given the prize for his commitment to looking after the turkey by feeding, cleaning and caring for it.

The Bolton School pupil struck up a friendship with a single chick that hatched from a batch of eggs.

He realised the chick he named Chicky-Poo could die so he took charge.

James, who looks after the turkeys with sister Lucy, 16, created an electric pen and made a comfortable bed of shavings in a large cage.

Knowing turkey chicks are slow learning to peck without help from their mothers, he patiently sat using his finger like a beak in the chick crumbs and water teaching the chick to peck.

He would sit Chicky-Poo on an old towel on his lap, stroking its head while watching television or playing on the computer. James even took it on a family holiday to Scotland because he didn’t want to leave it in someone else’s care.

Then it fell ill and James nursed it back to full health after he was told Chicky-Poo would not survive 24 hours.

And in the spring Chicky-Poo was paired up with a young hen turkey and the result was four new chicks.

James said: “I was really shocked and really happy because the Turkey Club has members all over the UK.

“Turkeys are really nice friendly animals. They run up to you and follow you around.

“When they are young they are cute. Some of my friends found it funny but congratulated me.”

His mum Sue, 50, said: “James’ care was responsible for the production of another line of these handsome traditional birds and maybe the foundation for another enthusiastic rare turkey breeder."