A Very First for the Red Wattle Gang

[theoldchick]

Well now, what do we have here?




It's a baby! Yes, a wild poult! I found the egg while walking along my walking trail and there sat a large speckled egg. So I put it under a broody and nature did its thing!

Baby shower at the Old Chick's coop!

 

[chickenneighbor]

Sweet! Can you raise wild turkeys like domestics breeds?

 

[lularat]

Wow, very cute!

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Twists of fate have brought some unusual birds to your flock. First a wayward peacock, now a wild poult. I guess you will need to visit the turkey section of BYC on occasion.

What a good broody mama.

 

[theoldchick]

That's so true! As an interesing sidenote to this addition is that I was rather perturbed that our hayfield was ready for cutting and baling and I knew there were turkeys nesting in the field with eggs near term. And wouldn't you know I find an egg on my walking trail. Just one egg. Coudn't find a nest anywhere so I put it under the broody. I didn't really think it would hatch but it did!

However, a few days ago I saw two turkey hens moving across our shorn hayfield with numerous poults darting about between them. After seeing that I really wasn't sure the egg would hatch-didn't know how long it had been out of the nest. The first broody I put it under kept moving from one nest box to another. Then two more hens went broody so I put the egg under another who was more determined. Look at her wattles and comb in the picture-the other hens were brutal as they managed to lay their eggs in the same nest box. There are 16 nest boxes. It's not like they didn't have the room. Occasionally I'd find a cracked egg under her from where they tusseled in the box.

After all that the poult is alive today so I fenced off the corner of the coop and placed it and the broody in the 'safe area'. With no chance of cool weather at this time of year I'll leave mom and poult in the coop. When the time comes I'll release it to join the wild flock. Or let it hang around the house. Don't matter to me!

 

[b.hromada]

That's is the most precious thing ever!

How could anyone resist? Thanks for sharing!!!