A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[SarahGfa]

Last night I closed the coop, my (chicken) hen was sitting on eggs due to hatch today. Today, I opened the door to see one poult eating by himself at the chick feeder, another poult fallen on the floor peeping, and a third one cold and dead on the opposite side of the coop. Mom was still in the nest box sitting on remaining eggs. i amSO MAD at myself for not blocking off the nest box last night. But I have never seen poults nor chicks get up and running so fast. Did I hatch super-babies?

 

[R2elk]

Last night I closed the coop, my (chicken) hen was sitting on eggs due to hatch today. Today, I opened the door to see one poult eating by himself at the chick feeder, another poult fallen on the floor peeping, and a third one cold and dead on the opposite side of the coop. Mom was still in the nest box sitting on remaining eggs. i amSO MAD at myself for not blocking off the nest box last night. But I have never seen poults nor chicks get up and running so fast. Did I hatch super-babies?

Sorry, just normal ones.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Yesterday I re-introduced my turkey hen and her 8 poults back in with the general population and they seem to be doing great! Joseph is such a good dad and their 3 month old big sister is doing wonderful with them! I am so happy that they are now one big happy family again!

 

[SarahGfa]

Sorry, just normal ones.

Seriously, it is normal for just-hatched poults to walk out of the nest box and do their own thing? I thought they would lie there like vegetables for the first day or 2. that's why i had not blocked off the nestbox. darn

 

[turkey girl 0964]

I am officially and 100% free of turkeys. It is kind of sad.

Here they are leaving home.

View attachment 2676310

Awe. I am so sorry. Why did you have to get rid of them?

 

[R2elk]

Seriously, it is normal for just-hatched poults to walk out of the nest box and do their own thing? I thought they would lie there like vegetables for the first day or 2. that's why i had not blocked off the nestbox. darn

It is normal for poults to be up and mobile within hours of hatching. It is not normal for them to be hatched in an elevated nest box. It is normal to be hatched by an attentive turkey hen at ground level who will use her beak and voice to establish limits for the poults. It is also normal for the hen to leave the nest with the poults the day after they hatch.

 

[Bantambird]

Seriously, it is normal for just-hatched poults to walk out of the nest box and do their own thing? I thought they would lie there like vegetables for the first day or 2. that's why i had not blocked off the nestbox. darn

they will be off exploring the moment they get their feet under them. they will be flying after a week or 2. Mine get into everything in the intermediate brooder because it has no lid. That should be a next project..... an enclosed 1-2 week old brooder box ( I rotate them weekly to keep ages grouped)Luckily the hatchery is warm enough that they don't usually die of exposure, they just mill around and get bored and hop back into the brooder, or wait for me to put them back in and then cry to be fed RIGHT NOW darn it...
because babies.

 

[Bantambird]

poults require more guidance from their mothers that chicks do, and turkey hens are very detail oriented, moreso that chicken hens, due to poults being so delicate and needy.
Turkey hens also have different vocalizations innate to their species than chicken hens, although the language barrier isn't a big deal to poultry.

 

[Bantambird]

here is Rosabelle with her hatch in 2018
that is the hatch where Pretty Girl came from.

 

[Huntmaster]

Just placed my last 7 incubator eggs in hatcher, they are some Fall Fire x Sweetgrass cross. Wanting a few more Fall Fire for breeding next year. 3 broodies left on eggs, 1 sitting on 12 Fall Fire x Sweetgrass cross, 2 sitting on Black Winged Bronze x Sweetgrass cross. They are supposed to produce Cornish Palms. Never tried this cross before so looking forward to seeing results. Also looking forward to being done with breeding and hatching it's getting to hot and has been alot of work.