Broody Turkey Question

[christytrav]

I have a Wild turkey hen that I was keeping with my chickens all winter. She started laying eggs mid winter. I got her a Tom and almost as soon as I put them together she went broody. She laid a few more eggs and then quit and is now sitting on nothing. Her eggs were not fertile. So my question is, can I give her my turkey poults that are on order from the feed store in a week an a half (which is right about 4 weeks from when she started setting)? How good of mom's are turkeys. These poults are $7 a piece so I have a bit on the line but I feel really bad for my girl to set there and get no reward. Or should I give her some less expensive chicks to raise??? What would you guys do?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Oooo, that is a tricky question. If it were me, I would not put the poults with her. I would be too paranoid that something would happen. My hens are EXCELLENT mothers. I'm not sure about wild turkeys though.

I would give her some less expensive chicks to raise. I would monitor her closely for hours if you put those chicks with her to make sure that she doesn't kill them. Make sure that Tom is NO WHERE around the babies because he may try to kill the babies.

Just my opinion...............

Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[GrammaNeceto3]

You could get her out of the nest and have her sleep in a wire cage a few nights to cool her body. Or you could put some chicken eggs under there. I would want to cure the broodiness to get her laying again. If you tom is broad breasted they may never be fertile. Since you have poults coming ( I would not chance the either) you might just try to beak the broody behavior, keep the eggs gathered for a while and try later in the summer.

 

[christytrav]

So when I got the Tom I put them together in my small brooding area. Also I was told he was a wild turkey but he is very large. Probably about 30 lbs. I moved them into a new pen away from the chickens and the hen kept escaping back to the chicken coop to lay her eggs. Then when she went broody of course she never left the chicken coop, so the Tom is not with her. Also I let her keep one chicken egg but all my eggs have been infertile as my rooster seems to be infertile(He is pretty old) I have a brooding room attached to my coop that has its own run that I would move her to. If I decide to give her some of my cornish cross should I move her now or do it when I give her the chicks and do it after dark?

 

[GrammaNeceto3]

If at all possible get her alone with the tom and with no eggs. I have a big tom and heritage hens. Hatching babies like crazy. You will need to have no nest for a few days for her to sit in so she will start to lay fertile eggs again then she will lay for a few weeks and build a clutch and either use her or a hen to brood the eggs.
I would not give her chicks. They are clumsy moms. Unless you are determined to let her raise them,
I hope it all works out
Denise