Introducing chicks to broody turkey hen

[GoodKids]

I have a turkey who is broody and was happily sitting on a golf ball. I received a chick order on March 28th of day-old standard size chicks.

I attempted to give my turkey a couple chicks both in the dark and during the day. Both times she let them be under her for a few minutes, but then she began making a hissing noise and started pecking them! So, they are back in the house in a brooder box, which is what I had been trying to avoid.

The chicks are nearly a week old, and I'm assuming I've missed the chance of having her raise the chicks. Does anyone have experience with this and/or have suggestions on what I could have done differently?

 

[Kevin565]

Did you remove the eggs when you introduced the chicks? Now that they are a week old I doubt she'll accept them. The thing about introducing chicks to any type of hen is that it is a hit or miss situation. It may work wonderful for some people but for many she won't accept them or she ends up killing them. It sounds like you did everything correctly, the hen just chose to reject that brood.

 

[GoodKids]

Thanks for the reassurance. Yes, I tried to do a quick swap, an egg for a chick. I knew her eggs weren't developing because I don't have a Tom.

I did the same thing at the same time with my Silkie hen. She was more than happy to take any chick I'd give her! But she can only cover so many, lol, so it looks like I'm just going to have to put up with the dust of 5 chicks in the bathroom for a few weeks!

Thanks again!

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

Turkeys are picky I have found out. They only want baby turkeys. If those would have been baby turkeys I am sure she would have taken them