Below is Spotted Head, she has been brooding continuously since the middle of June.
We had the RP and Slate hens in their predator proof dog run where both were working on clutches (would return to the main run in the evening to roost). Before they had enough eggs to flip the brooding switch, the RP was killed during the late afternoon by a raccoon while protecting a second nest just inside the woodline (didn't know it because she had eggs in the dog pen and was coming back to roost every evening!).
We moved all of the eggs into the back corner of the turkey shed and the slate hen continued to lay. We added the RP eggs to the clutch and the last count (before the Slate became `untouchable') was 22.
As of this afternoon there were still 5 eggs (stood up to give me the hiss) and she remains insistent.
She comes out to drink in the mornings, beat up on the low tom in the pecking order (1RP/2Slates), grab a few bites of food and get back to setting. None of the toms have had anything to do with her in over four and a half months (totally ignore her) even though they share the same run and shed.
Just how to break this cycle without kicking turkey butt? Is there a better method than forcing the issue? Or should we just wait until she either consumes the rest of the eggs as they go bad (has only carried two out), or just grab `em and go?
We'd like her to get out and about before the really cold weather sets in. Last year the hens gave up by late August. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
This seems to be instinct eroding into compulsion...
We had the RP and Slate hens in their predator proof dog run where both were working on clutches (would return to the main run in the evening to roost). Before they had enough eggs to flip the brooding switch, the RP was killed during the late afternoon by a raccoon while protecting a second nest just inside the woodline (didn't know it because she had eggs in the dog pen and was coming back to roost every evening!).
We moved all of the eggs into the back corner of the turkey shed and the slate hen continued to lay. We added the RP eggs to the clutch and the last count (before the Slate became `untouchable') was 22.
As of this afternoon there were still 5 eggs (stood up to give me the hiss) and she remains insistent.
She comes out to drink in the mornings, beat up on the low tom in the pecking order (1RP/2Slates), grab a few bites of food and get back to setting. None of the toms have had anything to do with her in over four and a half months (totally ignore her) even though they share the same run and shed.
Just how to break this cycle without kicking turkey butt? Is there a better method than forcing the issue? Or should we just wait until she either consumes the rest of the eggs as they go bad (has only carried two out), or just grab `em and go?
We'd like her to get out and about before the really cold weather sets in. Last year the hens gave up by late August. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
This seems to be instinct eroding into compulsion...
