broody turkey apparently not eating

[Peaches]

she is due to hatch next week, and is setting in the woods - although pretty secluded. she will not even take offered bread and I have not seen her off nest once. I always manage to see my hens several times off nest. I know turkeys are much more stealthy and so on. anyone have any thoughts or experience. I keep expecting to find the poor thing dead on the nest or something.

 

[ticks]

do you think she might be foraging on her own? She is in the woods where there are lots of bugs probably. So she is just eating bugs and living.

 

[Peaches]

well, that is a thought - they do certainly forage more than chickens.. I figure something like that... it is so dif. from the hens.

 

[ticks]

just keep a close eye on her see what she does during the day

 

[ivan3]

Ours shared a nest during their second summer, they'd usually take turns, dust bathing/foraging between 2pm-4pm, of about fifteen minutes apiece. The furthest away I ever caught one going was our slate girl getting rid of a bad egg (saw her walking past the back door with something in her beak and followed her) about 60yd. from the nest.

So long as she has access to food/water at a reasonable remove, she should be fine (will keep fingers crossed `bad things' don't find her!).

 

[Frosty]

I had one that stayed on her nest, it was where I could check anytime. I put a straw bale beside her and leaned an old truck tailgate over her onto the straw to give her shelter, and left food and water where she could reach it without getting up. The food did disappear, so I think she ate it...

 

[Peaches]

I can't leave food because she is in the woods - that would attract "others". I guess she just must be foraging. I need to watch this week though - when she hatches, just getting them out and then there will be a chain link fence between her and our pasture... and then the pasture.. with various turkeys , ducks etc. and the great pyrs who normally guard these things, but they may not see babies from the woodland and things to guard. sheesh

 

[Frosty]

You might want to consider building a small pen around and over her... I had a setting turkey attecked by a raccoon and it tore her up bad.