Got my first turkey egg yesterday!

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I'm so excited but I have a couple of questions. My last hens decided to make their nests on the ground in the woods. So I would just place a hardware cloth cage over them to keep them safe. My current hen has decided she wants to nest in the chicken coop, which is great, and is definitely less work for me. The thing is, she's chosen to make her nest on a shelf in the coop that's about 6 ft off the ground on a hay bale my chickens like to lay on. I would really like to leave her nest there so she doesn't move it outside. Will the babies be able to get down? Or will I have to watch like a hawk after they've hatched and help them to the floor? I made her a good sized nest box that's on the coop floor, but she's shown zero interest in it. Any advice you all could offer would be fantastic!

 

[ivan3]

Is she still leaving nest during day (still laying), or has she gone hard broody - run out to drink and poop but nearly impossible to catch her at it?

If she is still laying remove ALL potential nesting material from current location and place the whole bunch of straw, etc. with eggs in center of `nest' , nearby on floor in back corner, etc. make sure she sees it and can't leave run (area where nest is located) for a few days. Ours have been moved from the woods/under the deck/out of the stand of raspberry canes, etc. We destroy those nests completely (after moving eggs to `nests' in shed) they've always adjusted to the new digs. Otherwise, it would be best to move the hen/nest to floor (in one unit if possible) where you'll want the nest, in the middle of the night.

6 ft. drop for hatched poults? I'd not want to try it. However, if you work something out like that please post some shots!

Good luck!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I thought it was pretty strange she decided to lay there, I thought a turkeys instincts told them to nest on the ground. She's still laying, this was her very first egg....ever. I think I may wait until she's really broody and hunkered down on her nest, then I'll move her to the floor and place a hardware cloth cage over her to keep her there. The one and only time I tried to move a hen she flipped out and busted up her eggs, and me- I ended up getting a turkey wing slap that left me with a black eye for a while. So that's one of the reasons I was a little leery to move her, but I really think its for the best. Thank you for your reply!

 

[ivan3]

Get rid of the current nest and put replacement on the floor/corner (with egg) while she is out foraging. If you find eggs `dropped' in run or elsewhere keep adding to pile in nest. Yes, messing with them AFTER they go broody? Hard to explain injuries (I blame all poultry related wounds on the cats - nearly everyone has been scratched up by cats)..

 

[mamawolf544]

I have one MW named Martha, she puts all her nests about 5 feet off the ground. She refuses to be moved. The poults stay right with her just like on the ground until she is finished hatching.

I have tried moving her and I had to bring the eggs in the house and incubate them because she went right back to her spot.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

So, either I didn't get an egg from her yesterday or she's laid somewhere else. She can fly out of the run, but her tom cannot. I haven't seen her hop the fence since I brought Mr. Gobbles home, so I'm going to assume she didn't lay yesterday. Mamawolf544- did Martha bring her babies to the ground on her own, or did you have to help them? That's my biggest concern, how they'll get to the floor without injury.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

So, just an update in case anyone was wondering. I couldn't leave the nest that high off the ground. I set up a cage on the coop floor and gave it a nice solid roof for poop protection. I scooped the whole top layer off the hay bale-nest, egg and the feathers she'd put in there. I put all of that inside the cage. She was a little confused at first, she kept going to her spot and calling. Then she finally got the hint and laid the egg in her new spot. I now have 4 turkey eggs in the new nest