Poults

[Dover_Mike]

I have yet to see a poult on the lease and my farm at the house. The turkeys are split back up, been seeing 5-6 different gobblers together and about 7-10 different hens running together in the fields but, have not yet seen the first sign of a poult. Strange to say the least. I know they are bred because I watched a tom breed a few a hens before I took him. maybe they just haven't hatched....Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Boll Weevil]

Failed nests possibly.

I've seen a number of hens that are poultless (as well as those that had successful hatches). Based on the last couple of weeks observation it's about 50/50 on my farm...half the hens I see have little ones and half don't.

 

[TheLBLman]

I've seen a number of hens that are poultless (as well as those that had successful hatches).

Which is actually the norm, not that we wouldn't prefer all nesting hens to be highly successful.

Many nests are broken up by predators (which eat the eggs) often right as the chicks are hatching. Many more are killed shortly after hatching. I suspect the 1st egg that breaks gives off a nice aroma to a predator, and suspect even snakes kill more baby chicks than most would imagine during the first few days of a poult's life.

I would expect there still to be some hens sitting on nests, mainly those who had their first nests broken up, and there's probably many hens with baby chicks you are unlikely to see until those poults get a little older.

 

[Dover_Mike]

Update to the poults. Went to the lease this afternoon to check cameras and saw 3 different sets of poults. They are already starting to fly too. Had me worried....

Also saw the stud that I have been chasing for the last two years. This bird has became personal. I see him all year during the offseason, get pics of his beards all the time etc... when season comes, he pulls the Houdini and heads for higher ground. If I was a no good scoundrel, I would put the bumper to him lol.