We have a broody ........

[Bramble-Poultry]

Yes we have a broody hen - Turkey hen, she is sat tight on I have no idea how many eggs I am not brave enough to make it past the male turkey guard dog to check!!!

I was going to remove the eggs and turf her off the nest but he's 3ft tall and weighs about 30lb and I couldn't even open the door to the run without being charged - so think I may just leave her to sit - not that I'm a coward you understand

[MaureenHall]

Who's being the wimp now then This should be interesting, following a broody turkey's progress

[Glutton4...]

I nearly didn't read this thread, glad I did now though!

Hope it goes well - do Turkey's get broody? Stoopid question, as obviously they do. Are the fellas worse than Chooks? If they are, then I don't blame you

Good luck with it/her/them, and remember, if it gets interesting we want pictures!

[its hilly]

Not got a suit of armour then wussie

[Hilary B]

You think HE'S bad, just wait until you need to move her with her babies!
If all goes well, you will have turkeys to sell for Easter....... (and of course you don't need telling about their talent for dying, comparable to sheep).

[Bramble-Poultry]

it appears that they are sharing the duties. she got off to have a drink and do the usual, so the stag got onto the eggs and settled down. didnt know they did that.

i have Katie Thear's book on Turkeys - very good - and it goes to great lengths explaining incubation, rearing etc. The section on natrual broodiness is worded along the lines of:- crap mothers, incubate in a machine.

very helpful!

well i will let you know. I have stabled them into a small run so that they dont get too disturbed and put a tarpaulin over the roof to stop the wet so if she wants to sit out there in all weathers she wont come to any harm. lets see what the day brings!

[Hilary B]

it appears that they are sharing the duties. she got off to have a drink and do the usual, so the stag got onto the eggs and settled down. didnt know they did that.

i have Katie Thear's book on Turkeys - very good - and it goes to great lengths explaining incubation, rearing etc. The section on natrual broodiness is worded along the lines of:- crap mothers, incubate in a machine.

very helpful!

well i will let you know. I have stabled them into a small run so that they dont get too disturbed and put a tarpaulin over the roof to stop the wet so if she wants to sit out there in all weathers she wont come to any harm. lets see what the day brings!

I twice had turkeys hatched under a turkey hen. Both did quite well at rearing what they hatched in their 'stolen' nests (the first one only hatched one, but that was more about bad nest-site selection, I think the hedgehog got the others. The second one hatched 8 and reared 8).
I think the real problem is that they don't go broody when it suits people.....

[HayleyB]

C'mon Bramble if Turkeys really are that thick I'm sure you can out think them have you tried the pincer/distraction movement?

Hilary B - I thought sheep are the only creatures on Earth born to find the quickest way to die

[Hilary B]

C'mon Bramble if Turkeys really are that thick I'm sure you can out think them have you tried the pincer/distraction movement?

Hilary B - I thought sheep are the only creatures on Earth born to find the quickest way to die

Turkeys run them a VERY close second!

We had to use 'distraction' techniques to bring home the turkey hen with 8 chicks (she'd made her nest in the field next door). OH kept her busy while i picked up the babies and put them in a bucket to carry home, then we just RAN! Managed to tip the brood into the pen we planned on keeping her in, and she put herself in, then we put the lid on.....

[Bramble-Poultry]

well she is off the nest again, eggs strewn all over the run - still intact though - and walter (the stag) is trying to gether them up again. I think he is going to take it upon himself to force the point with Florence.

i might just have to get in there and get the eggs out. They'll be no use to hatch now, but i need her to go back and lay a few more as our friends at "that place i went to at the weekend" have emailed me this afternoon and want half a dozen to rear!

this particular hen has been known to lay throug the winter, and Walter is certainly up to treading her so here is hoping!

[Bramble-Poultry]

Ok so update folks - mom and dad did share the brooding responsibilities and have been rewarded with some babies - I say some as I have no idea how many and we still have no idea how many eggs she sat on in the end, we currently think 3 as two came out and Charlotte thinks she saw a head!

We thought they were a tad vicious before they hatched they are really really really bad now, we got these piccies with two boomsticks and a plank of wood to move them around a bit. Think we will have to wait until she's off the nest and wandering around with them before we know how many we have!

Piccie 1 - mom having a go at Mike
Piccie 2 - two wee ones we managed to get a piccie of
Piccie 3 - very bravely taken from outside the pen after dad decided it was time for us to leave!!!

[Suechooks]

Love those Jen!!!!
Good to see you again and have a really good natter!

[its hilly]

Aww sweet, the babies that is, mom'n'dad look pretty fierce.
Didn't know broomsticks were part of a poultry keepers kit...or were they close to hand due to pre hallowen trials
Nice to have you back.

[Bramble-Poultry]

My broomstick is always parked up on the drive, find its conveinient that way when I want to nip out

Glad to be back - feel a lot better now - if still a little spaced out and tired.

[walldanzig]

that's brilliant I've always thought about hatching Turkeys and in this week of dog and fox attacks on here it's good to have some good news. congrats and thanks for sharing