I got tired of waiting for my turkey hen to go broody and I didn't want to waste the fertile eggs so I put 14 eggs under a duck to hatch. She did a pretty good job hatching out and raising 8 of them. Of course, 5 days after I set the eggs under the duck, my turkey hen goes broody, so she has hatched out 12 on her own that are about 5 days younger than the duck's poults. I know that the duck can't raise the poults, so I added the duck's 8 to the turkey's brood. She seems fine having them there, but the poults have imprinted on the duck and won't stop peeping!! I'm worried they are going to cry themselves sick! Is that possible? Or will they eventually calm down?
This is our first year breeding turkeys (our third year raising them). I know about caring for the poults myself in a brooder since we've done that 3 times already. But parent hatching is something new to us and I'm afraid I've scarred these poor poults by switching mommas on them. Or am I over-reacting?
This is our first year breeding turkeys (our third year raising them). I know about caring for the poults myself in a brooder since we've done that 3 times already. But parent hatching is something new to us and I'm afraid I've scarred these poor poults by switching mommas on them. Or am I over-reacting?
