Can a Turkey Hen Raise her own Poults

[dorthal]

My Red Bronze hen finally went broody, and I was wondering, will I be able to leave the poults with her when they hatch? Her Tom is in the same pen. Will he hurt the poults? I know that Drakes will kill little ducklings. Unfortunately, I know that firsthand. Has anyone let their turkey hen hatch her eggs while she was in the same pen as a Tom. I read somewhere that males will even sit on the eggs. I have no knowledge of that. If that is true, then I can't see them hurting the babes.

Thanks

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Ive heard Toms wont bother eggs but they can kill poults. If you breed a pair of Red-Bronzes you can get bronze, red-bronze, and bourbon reds! =]

 

[ziggywiggy]

The problem with leaving the Tom with the hen while she is setting is that he will try and mount her on the nest and destroy it. I learned the hard way. You should remove the Tom.

 

[Struttn1]

Yep remove the tom. The hen has to sit over the top of the young poults to keep them warm and the squat will make tomboy think its breeding time everytime and the poults will end up smashed.