Broody Turkey Hen

[OLSTRNGIRL99]

HELP!!

We are new to Turkeys. We got some baby turkeys about a year ago. A pair of blue slate and a pair of Chocolate slates.
The blue slate just started laying about a month ago. She likes to lay in a bush in the pasture. Today she was out there acting weird. She has apparently gone broody and is sitting on two eggs in a bush in the middle of the field.
This is not safe! This is our first broody hen and I've done some reading but my big question is can we move the nest? Also will she go in and eat and drink or do I need to put that stuff beside her?

 

[Debbie292d]

Heavens, I'm sorry nobody had ideas for you. I'd have certainly suggested putting her and her eggs where they are safe rather than leaving her out in the wild.

What ended up happening?

 

[OLSTRNGIRL99]

I moved her nest and she abandoned it. She did then start a new one in the hen house that she is still sitting on. Unfortunately our other hen did set up her nest way out in the field and by the time we found it she was deeply rooted and would not be moved. She would come in once a day to eat. Two days ago she came up to the barn and didn't go back to the nest. I went out and found her nest had been raided and eggs were torn open Hopefully she will follow the others lead and set up in the hen house if she decides to sit on another clutch.

 

[R2elk]

I moved her nest and she abandoned it. She did then start a new one in the hen house that she is still sitting on. Unfortunately our other hen did set up her nest way out in the field and by the time we found it she was deeply rooted and would not be moved. She would come in once a day to eat. Two days ago she came up to the barn and didn't go back to the nest. I went out and found her nest had been raided and eggs were torn open Hopefully she will follow the others lead and set up in the hen house if she decides to sit on another clutch.

For future reference it is tricky to move a turkey hen's nest. If she are already broody on the nest, take the hen and place her in a pen that she cannot get out of. Bring the eggs to her and put them in a nest in her pen. Keep her in the pen with the eggs.

If you let her out, she will abandon the eggs and return to her nest site.