Homesteading is hard... my poor turkey hen

[TraceeP1]

Today we found some devastating news... I went outside to the turkey coop to check on our turkey hen that is broody, she is on day 26 and had 13 eggs, when I saw a trail of red fire ants leading under her...I lifted her up to find 2 dead poults still mostly in their shell squished. We looked around and found the other egg about 20 feet from the nest half eaten. Dolly Pardon ( the turkey hen) looked kind of anxious and some of her feather on the legs and tail were torn out. I think it was some sort of mice or rat... she would never do something like this...We are so dissapionted that this happened so close to the hatch day.What does it sound like to you? Predator or the hen? I hope the rest of them make it! HELP US!! What should we do? Move her to a totally enclosed area or keep her in the nest?? Please reply! Thanks! @R2elk @Bigtom Turkey @Ridgerunner @Kiki @HeatherKellyB @Overo Mare @MissE @Chiknoodle @cmobley @CHlCKEN @RosemaryDuck @JacinLarkwell

So sorry for your loss! I can't be much help as I am pretty new to this but I just wanted to send condolences

 

[turkey girl 0964]

So sorry for your loss! I can't be much help as I am pretty new to this but I just wanted to send condolences

Thank you.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Update: This morning I saw a pip in one of the eggs! YAYAY! I just check on them again and the pip is now a hole and I listened to one of the other eggs and it was making so much noise!! Should have baby poults by tonight!

 

[turkey girl 0964]

We also put up a hardwire cloth around the nest area so the poults are safe. At night I am going to lock them up in a dog cage so nothing can get to them.

 

[Rooster Giddens]

Update: This morning I saw a pip in one of the eggs! YAYAY! I just check on them again and the pip is now a hole and I listened to one of the other eggs and it was making so much noise!! Should have baby poults by tonight!

That is awesome, so happy for ya!! Keep us updated!! Congrats!!

 

[thanai]

Update: This morning I saw a pip in one of the eggs! YAYAY! I just check on them again and the pip is now a hole and I listened to one of the other eggs and it was making so much noise!! Should have baby poults by tonight!

Yay! I was just reading up on this thread, sorry for your other lossesbut I'm happy about the babies!

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Thanks! I am so glad that at least some of them might hatch.

 

[Warrior Creek]

Did she ever hatch any yet? Here’s hoping ....

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Did she ever hatch any yet? Here’s hoping ....

There are a lot of pips but no babies yet...

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Update: Three babies!! I just looked in her little nesting area and saw 3 babies climbing on her! I didn't really look that well under her because I didn't want to disturb any of the piping/zipping eggs. But so far YESSS!