Kannur (Kerala) [India], September 20 (ANI): Two peahens that had been raised by a turkey along with her own chicks are now the best friends of Gokul Sudhakar, a Class 10 student living at Kuyiloor in Kannur.

Gokul has named them 'Chinnu' and 'Minnu' and they arrive at his house for food every morning.

"They came eight months back and were found walking along with turkey chicks in our house. The mother turkey raised both the peahen chicks. Once they grow up they flew to the nearby rubber plantation and they come home daily to have food. After that, they spend time in the house and fly back in the evening," Gokul told ANI.

Gokul's mother Geetha said that during the COVID lockdown the peahens arrived at their home and the boy spend a lot of his time with the birds.

"The arrival of the birds ended the boredom of Gokul. We found the peahens in the turkey flock we have at our house. We started feeding them along with the turkey birds. Everyone thought that once they grow older they will fly away. But it did not happen. My son has seen them growing up and always fed them. It may be the reason that they arrive each day by around 6 am and even play with him," she said.

The neighbours are also amazed by the unusual bond between the peahens and the boy. When anyone else approaches the birds, they fly away but are comfortable with Gokul.

"They do fly around the neighbourhood houses. But they eat food when the boy gives them. Every morning they reach the house from the rubber plantation nearby. If the door is closed they knock on it using beaks and make sound by fluttering their wings," said Narayanan a neighbour.

The favourite food items of Chinnu and Minnu are smashed bananas and feed given to chicken. Gokul's father Sudhakaran rears cattle, pigs, turkey and food for peahens are always available in the house. (ANI)