What do you notice about your turkey???

[crj]

My turkey hen laid her first 7 eggs and was nesting. No longer. The eggs are gone and she is now sleeping someplace else at night. I did notice some strange behaviors. She would walk around making noises before and after she had the first nest. Almost like a bark. It wasn't the chirp sound. Almost seemed as though she was testing for echos or something.

I noticed the same hen washing her feet in a water tub. Is this normal?? It was interesting to say the least. She drank out of it and then stepped in it moving her feet around. Stepped out, tapped her feet and back in the tub of water again. She did this a couple of times and then off she went to look for a new nest area.

Have you noticed things like this?

 

[ivan3]

The hen `whoot-whoot-whoot' (my inaccurate `sounding'), that plaintive call waiting for some unheard response from a potential/realized nest, is the signal to eyeball the hen's direction to the location (moves as if in a trance) to scratch to her satisfaction, lay an egg and return as if nothing had happened. If she's set up shop off of your radar she's probably going to be some pred's easy meat. Since she's spending her nights elsewhere I'd follow her, find her nest, place the eggs in a safe location (what do you think got the 7 eggs?) and lock the hen in the area with the transferred nest (she's probably already brooding and making brief appearances to forage and dirt bathe and straight back to the nest).
Hens will also converse with one another with nearly the same vocalization.

Both hens and toms appreciate cool water but, the hens seem particularly fond of standing/scratching in it when overheated (do have to change water in hog bowls by late morning as they also exhibit a proclivity to poop in the pan).

Hot:

Not:

ed: clarity

 

[crj]

Quote:
Yes, those are the calls she makes. The other hen pretty much ignores her...... lol. I did notice she went in the other direction this time. I have no idea what got her eggs. It could have been one of my dogs but I'm not real sure about that. Although she did lead me to the nest. The nest was undisturbed as well. I thought maybe she moved them but they don't have pockets to stick there eggs in.

I thought about it being hot but it wasn't that hot. I don't think it was 80* that day. It could have been, we had some nice days lately. Yes, I change the water often since the ducks like to sit in the bucket once in a while or fill it with dirt. Lucky for the birds I have several place they can get water.

I'll keep a look out to see where she goes. I don't have a spot just yet to put her in. I'll get something figured out.