Feeding Wild Birds

[R2elk]

My Turkey hens were terrible broodies, even the ones they hatched didn't survive. So, i got rid of them.

I have had awesome turkey mothers. The one last year had 24 adopted poults of various ages at the same time. She never lost one of them. Of course I never let her have them in the general population until they were at least 2 weeks old. There too many things that can go wrong before that.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have had awesome turkey mothers. The one last year had 24 adopted poults of various ages at the same time. She never lost one of them. Of course I never let her have them in the general population until they were at least 2 weeks old. There too many things that can go wrong before that.

I think my hens laid on those poults rather than sitting up. Very few survived that. I did manage to hatch some of their eggs. But seasonal layers are not very productive.

 

[R2elk]

I think my hens laid on those poults rather than sitting up. Very few survived that. I did manage to hatch some of their eggs. But seasonal layers are not very productive.

Don't know what variety of turkey you had but broad breasted turkeys are notorious for losing poults. They just can't step delicately like heritage varieties. They accidentally kill many poults by stepping on them.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Lots of nests on the buildings at work but I really liked this one inside one of the pavilions

 

[CapricornFarm]

Don't know what variety of turkey you had but broad breasted turkeys are notorious for losing poults. They just can't step delicately like heritage varieties. They accidentally kill many poults by stepping on them.

Better to raise them in a brooder then.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Don't know what variety of turkey you had but broad breasted turkeys are notorious for losing poults. They just can't step delicately like heritage varieties. They accidentally kill many poults by stepping on them.

I had Narragansetts.

 

[R2elk]

A neighbor has Narragansetts that are wonderful mothers.

It really depends on the individual turkey whether or not she is a good mother.

 

[sourland]

Lots of nests on the buildings at work but I really liked this one inside one of the pavilions

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Sometimes birds will build skyscraper type nests when they are parasitized by cowbirds. Today at the club I saw a hen turkey with newly hatched poults. I have no idea how many as I got out of there in a hurry. Some froze in front of me while others scurried away. I did not want to interfere with the hen calling them back together.

 

[TwoCrows]

This wild Tom Turkey comes every day to the yard for handouts, literally, he has become so friendly I could probably hand feed him but I won't so as to keep him wild for his own safety. When he can't find any more fallen wild bird seed, he waits by the porch and stares at the front door waiting for me to bring out wild bird seed mix. He was displaying here for a wild Hen, (the hens are terrified of me and if I went outside she would run and he would quit displaying.) So this photo is through the window screen.

 

[TwoCrows]

Ash-throated Flycatchers are nesting in one of my nest boxes! Usually the Juniper Titmice use this box but the Flycatchers kicked them out.

1 egg was laid today!