Broody Tom!

[Haida]

Hi everyone!

I have a hen sitting on some eggs right now (she started about a week ago) and I made a makeshift nesting "bucket" right next to her nest (so that the other girls would see it and not use her box). Well, it worked very well... maybe too well... because I went to give them a cucumber this afternoon, and this is the sight I saw:

I don't even believe my eyes!! That's my tom, Avery! I thought that was my broody hen making all of that noise, so I went to check on her to make sure she was ok... but nope, it was just him! She wasn't happy about it at the time, she was in her box hissing like crazy.

So I left him... and I set up another temporary nesting bucket... After my other hens used it, I gave him some new eggs:

He took his break this afternoon (5:30-6 or so), but kept running in and checking on them while he was eating and foraging. I have never seen anything like this! I did get another egg for him from the other nest, and he caught me while I was putting it in his bucket, and he was FURIOUS. He walked over to his nest (I was backing away from it slowly) checked it, then turned and looked me right in the eye. Then charged me, but I threw my arms up before he got close. And then, he escorted me out of the coop, LOL.

I checked on him a little while ago (about 8:45pm) and he's sleeping on the nest! My other hens aren't quite sure what to think of the whole thing...

So I really want to see if he'll be able to hatch anything! I'll keep everyone posted!




The nest box that my hen is in was also temporary! Why do they like the temporary boxes more than the ones I built?! Silly birds!

 

[southernflock14]

Hahaha I can't wait to see if he hatches and how good of a mama he is going to be

 

[Haida]

Day 2:

He spent all night on his nest! He's gotten off of it several times today to poo... I can't even call them turkey poos anymore, they're more like cow patties, they're huge. Much more larger than any broody poo I've seen. It's crazy! He's calmed down a bit... he only puffs up and starts peeping at me when I walk in there... very much so a warning. I've never had trouble with predators in the turkey coop (knock on wood) but if something gets in there, maybe he'll be able to protect my other broody hen as well. He's a big guy... I've already felt his spurs once (I had to put a hen apron on one of "his" girls and he didn't like it, lol).

Oh, and there was absolutely no gobbling coming from him this morning, either. I've only heard him gobble once since yesterday... its kind of nice because he can't just gobble once at something, he has to gobble 5-6 times. At anything. So it's been nice and peaceful here.

 

[TiaRC]

Please keep use posted. I'm truely interested in what happens! go Avery go

 

[Haida]

Day 3:

I hadn't planned on updating every day, but it seems like there are new developments every day. Lol. Well, Avery was on his nest all night and most of the day, but he broke several of his eggs. I hadn't put enough padding in the bucket for brooding in, only laying in... I hadn't planned for anyone to go broody in it, not my tom especially! He abandoned it, and took over Bandi's nest. So now they're both in the dog crate, sitting right next to each other. I couldn't tell if Bandi had any eggs under her, but she did get up and examine something beneath her, I just couldn't see... Avery was in the way. I wonder how many eggs I could get under him, he's so big.

I don't know if I should intervene... I don't even know if I'd be able to get close enough to see if Bandi has any eggs under her without Avery trying to knock my head off. I think I might just leave them be, maybe they'll be a tag team (like ostriches do!) and I'll just keep collecting eggs everyday in case someone else decides to feel broody.

I tossed out the eggs he abandoned, they were SO GROSS. They're completely coated with egg yolk/egg mess... I wouldn't even put them in my incubator, there was not a clean spot on them at all, so I could kinda see why he'd abandon them.

I wonder... would he go broody year after year?

 

[PalmRoyal]

Unfortunately, Gerald goes broody as well. How many other toms and hens do you have? He would go broody when it was just him and Caroline. Now that it is him, Jeffery, Pepper, Poppy, Posie, Pansy, Penny, Leslie, Crimson and Clover, he does not have time to go broody. He broke every egg last year from trying to sit on them, so I never got the chance with baby turkeys. This year, I have to immediately remove the eggs for incubation because so many turkeys are trying to steal each other's nests and are cracking the eggs as a result.
I much prefer males that go broody because it seems like they have a much better disposition.

 

[Haida]

Unfortunately, Gerald goes broody as well. How many other toms and hens do you have? He would go broody when it was just him and Caroline. Now that it is him, Jeffery, Pepper, Poppy, Posie, Pansy, Penny, Leslie, Crimson and Clover, he does not have time to go broody. He broke every egg last year from trying to sit on them, so I never got the chance with baby turkeys. This year, I have to immediately remove the eggs for incubation because so many turkeys are trying to steal each other's nests and are cracking the eggs as a result.
I much prefer males that go broody because it seems like they have a much better disposition.

I have one tom (Avery) and four hens (Bandi, Pepper, Franklin and Bronwyn). I did have another tom and they got along nicely until Spring came, and then it turned out my hens liked Avery more... they refused my other tom, which seemed to upset him, so he was rather rough on the girls. He relentlessly picked on Avery (not physically at first), and then it escalated and they got into one huge fight. So I gave him to a nice guy who just lost his tom. I miss him, though, I had him for a couple of years, but I couldn't have him being a jerk to everyone. That being said, my turkey pen was nothing but a huge soap opera earlier this year. I don't know how two toms get along. I see all of these beautiful pictures of toms hanging out, and I'm just like HOW DO THEY DO THAT?! I would love more than one tom!

I do collect eggs every day, I get 3-4 eggs a day usually. When Bandi started sitting, she was on 3 eggs. I gave her everything I collected that wasn't old (I write the date laid on the egg and then I don't refrigerate or wash my eggs until I use 'em), I think I gave her ten eggs or so. I looked tonight and I think she still had most of them. My other hens don't seem to be interested in eggs or brooding at all (I think)... do you think toms go broody because they're bored or having nothing else better to do?

 

[Haida]

Day 6:

WELL... so much for that. I guess he's done already! He sometimes sits in the nest next to Bandi, but doesn't actually sit on anything. I stuck my game cam in the coop to spy on them yesterday and today... he sits in it in the mornings, then paces around it all afternoon. My little kitty (she's about 4 years old but weighs less than 5 lbs) apparently likes to sleep on top of the nesting box, and Avery chases her off. He still breathes down my neck when I'm checking on Bandi. I have over a dozen eggs from this week that I'm going to set up in a broody-ready nesting box to see if I have any takers... another hen of mine (Pepper) paces around the nest box as well. Do turkeys get excited for babies? They kind of look like they're waiting in a waiting room at a hospital while someone's in labor.

Oh well... I was hoping this thread would end better! Sorry everyone! :c

 

[PalmRoyal]

Quote: Hey! You have a Pepper too! It must be a common name! Gerald kind of keeps everyone in line. He keeps the girls from fighting (or escalating into serious fights, I should say) and keeps Jeffery in line from picking on all of the other turkeys (he is the bully like your last turkey). However, as long as Gerald is within seeing distance of all of the turkeys, no one really acts up. The biggest trouble maker I have is my hen, Pepper, who is a huge bully to every one.

Quote: I think it is all in personalities of the toms. Gerald is the "police officer" like I said. I think you have to have one tom that is the protector. When it is not breeding time, Gerald and Jeffery hang out like buddies. It is crazy! Then, when I just had two girls, they would choose a boyfriend and hang out with them mostly. It was always Pepper and Jeffery, then Poppy and Gerald. During breeding time though, Jeffery is a bully and no one wants to be his friend (I do not blame them).

Quote: That was how I was told to do it. To leave a few eggs in the nest so the girls know where to lay at. I get about 2-4 eggs every other day for mine. I think toms go broody because it might be a natural instinct. Just like how some girls never go broody, maybe some boys just go broody (until they find out that they just aren't quite made for it). Gerald doesn't have time to go broody any more because he has so much to do. If he is crushing eggs, take some old dog houses (like these: http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/563091/3805009/0/1210812451/plastic_dog_house.jpg ) and take the tops off of the bottoms. BAM! Two nesting areas! The boys do not go into these houses (they are slightly too big to fit into them comfortably) but the girls ABSOLUTELY love them! I have all three sizes. If you want, you can paint them to look more cute.

 

[minhjirachi]

So cute. I haven't seen that before!