My broody put her nest in a stupid place and the eggs she laid were ruined by the elements. I redid her nest (with a few turkey inflicted injuries) so the eggs I swapped for would not meet the same fate.
Today was egg swapping day. I knew I would have no one to hold a flashlight after dark and we have not gotten electricity to the coop yet (she is outside anyway) so I did it this afternoon. Her new nest setup is in a plastic box set inside a wire dog crate that I close up at night. All I had to do was slide the box out, put my jacket over momma's head, and put her in the crate until I was done ... at least that was the plan.
It went well until I had the box all the way out of the crate and picked up my jacket. I think she must have remembered the nest renovation from the other day because she FLIPPED OUT. She lept off that nest and I barely stood up in time to dodge her attack. I felt like a bull fighter flipping my jacket at that goofy turkey everytime she came at me! I would bet we argued for a good 5 minutes (read that as she chased me around the coop while I waived my jacket at her to fend off her attempted floggings) before I finally got her herded into the crate and shut the door! Then she made the saddest turkey noises as she watched me change out the eggs.
I was surprised she did not attack again when I opened the cage and slid the nest back in. She was too busy peering into the nest and cooing at the eggs. She checked them out really good and then settled right down on them before turning to me and letting out her best hiss!
I am not sure if this would have been better after dark, or if I would have been in trouble when she could see me better than I could see her!
Maybe she will be more grateful once the eggs hatch. I have done my best to try to get her to hatch some poults. Hopefully she has better luck this time!
28 days to poults!
Today was egg swapping day. I knew I would have no one to hold a flashlight after dark and we have not gotten electricity to the coop yet (she is outside anyway) so I did it this afternoon. Her new nest setup is in a plastic box set inside a wire dog crate that I close up at night. All I had to do was slide the box out, put my jacket over momma's head, and put her in the crate until I was done ... at least that was the plan.
It went well until I had the box all the way out of the crate and picked up my jacket. I think she must have remembered the nest renovation from the other day because she FLIPPED OUT. She lept off that nest and I barely stood up in time to dodge her attack. I felt like a bull fighter flipping my jacket at that goofy turkey everytime she came at me! I would bet we argued for a good 5 minutes (read that as she chased me around the coop while I waived my jacket at her to fend off her attempted floggings) before I finally got her herded into the crate and shut the door! Then she made the saddest turkey noises as she watched me change out the eggs.
I was surprised she did not attack again when I opened the cage and slid the nest back in. She was too busy peering into the nest and cooing at the eggs. She checked them out really good and then settled right down on them before turning to me and letting out her best hiss!
I am not sure if this would have been better after dark, or if I would have been in trouble when she could see me better than I could see her!
Maybe she will be more grateful once the eggs hatch. I have done my best to try to get her to hatch some poults. Hopefully she has better luck this time!
Last edited:
