Tom Turkey Sitting on Duck Nest

[Yadigar]

I discovered something strange today. My very masculine and potent tom turkey has decided to start sitting on a nest of duck eggs. The three hen turkeys he's been palling around with are sitting on their respective nests. (I just started getting hatchlings from two of the nests today!)

He's hunkered down and when I would pull him up off the nest to look, he acts kind of upset like a broody hen and then promptly settles back down on the eggs. What's strange though, it that this is a somewhat established nest that one of my pekin ducks has made. There were about 3 days when one of my turkey hens laid an egg in it a few weeks ago, but she abandoned that for a new nest elsewhere on the property. I moved her eggs to her new nest and she hasn't been on the duck nest in over two weeks.

I'm thoroughly dumbfounded. Wrong sex and even wrong species!

Has anyone else ever heard of anything like this?

Thanks for your input!
--Marisa

 

[Texian]

That is amazing!! Nature never ceases to amuse!

 

[memphis]

I think a few folks here have experienced toms sitting on eggs. I'm pretty sure they didn't actually follow through with an actual hatch.

 

[Bluechick2u]

My tom is insisting on sitting on the nest that the broody hen keeps trying to sit on, he is more dedicated than she is about sitting on it. I have no idea if he's actually turning the eggs...? I have asked around about it, and some say that toms can help the hen with brooding duties, but he seems to be there all the time, no turns. I tried to move him, he will not allow it. Anybody else have this happen? He is very young, as is the hen.

 

[Yadigar]

My tom is insisting on sitting on the nest that the broody hen keeps trying to sit on, he is more dedicated than she is about sitting on it. I have no idea if he's actually turning the eggs...? I have asked around about it, and some say that toms can help the hen with brooding duties, but he seems to be there all the time, no turns. I tried to move him, he will not allow it. Anybody else have this happen? He is very young, as is the hen.

Let me know if he ended up hatching them! My tom ended up getting kicked off the nest by a goose. She had just finished hatching her clutch and for some reason wanted to take over. She then got bored of the duck eggs and then ate them. Oh well

 

[Bluechick2u]

He keeps getting kicked off the nest by the hens, but either waits patently for his turn or sits on the hens head, he has NOT given up and keeps vigil even when food is offered. But I DID remove all the geese from that area, so hopefully we will see some hatch. These are 1st year hen eggs, so no guarantee the eggs will be well enough developed.

 

[Bluechick2u]

None hatched, he wpuld not allow the hens near the nest, not sure if he turned the eggs either.

 

[Bluechick2u]

So found out from an experienced turkey breeder that toms should be removed from the hens pen while shes broody, toms will not actually help with the hatching, theyll just break the eggs.