Poults on camera, May 13 2018

[woodsman04]

Fairly early, but I have seen them on camera May the 5th at the earliest, which was two springs ago. This is the third year in a row that my small farm in Giles county has had some poults. I do all of my habitat work for wild turkeys, and it may be working some.
Couldn't tell how many for sure it was, I know I counted 7, so at least that many. Hopefully 3 will make it, but would not be surprised if 0 made it. Another cool tidbit, the hen has a beard....I legally coulda killed her if I would have ever seen her, which I never saw her hunting and wouldn't have anyways.....

Anyhow, The poults were no taller than where her spur nub would be, probably shorter than that. For easy math, let's say they are three days old. Hatched May 10th, minus 28 days(I believe incubation is 28 or maybe 26?) equals so incubation probably started on about April 12th. Let's say she had 12 eggs, which I believe is about an average clutch, lay an egg every 25 hours, (I think that's right) so we are looking at being fertilized sometime in late March.


In no way am I saying all poults are hatched now (which is what the TN turkey Facebook googans say.) I know this is early. I suspect most hatch in my area around Memorial Day.

I still propose season open around April 10th or so.


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[Boll Weevil]

Re: Poults on camera, May 13 2018

Good news and thanks for sharing. It does take a few years of habitat work and predator pounding to start seeing the effects but sounds like you're on the right track!

 

[turkeyhunter]

Re: Poults on camera, May 13 2018

Every nest I found this year in wayne co.. had been raided. In the early years when turkeys where everywhere you could walk up on 10 or 12 perfect eggs. I havent saw that in years. The hatch is killing us down here.

 

[Andy S.]

Re: Poults on camera, May 13 2018

In the early years when turkeys where everywhere you could walk up on 10 or 12 perfect eggs. I havent saw that in years. The hatch is killing us down here.

This is spot on for a lot of the areas I frequent. I cannot remember the last nest I found with turkey eggs in it, and I walk A LOT!

 

[woodsman04]

Re: Poults on camera, May 13 2018

Every nest I found this year in wayne co.. had been raided. In the early years when turkeys where everywhere you could walk up on 10 or 12 perfect eggs. I havent saw that in years. The hatch is killing us down here.

Exactly. If they could just hatch, seems like the hardest part of the battle is over, although they still have a LONG tough road ahead.

I found a single broken egg on this farm on a trail through the woods, and I found another single broke egg on a place I hunted in north alabama. I think they were on April 17th and April 21st.


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[woodsman04]

Re: Poults on camera, May 13 2018

Good news and thanks for sharing. It does take a few years of habitat work and predator pounding to start seeing the effects but sounds like you're on the right track!

I'm still not predator pounding, time and stuff has gotten away and it's hard to do. I plan to start trapping coons next February, since that's the closest to next nesting season.

I do casually shoot all armidillos I see up there though.


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[megalomaniac]

Re: Poults on camera, May 13 2018

I think your math is spot on, but I was thinking they actually ovulate every 26 hours, can't remember for sure.

Regardless, the birds certainly don't all go through the same reproductive cycle. There are a few hens that breed and begin laying end of March, quite a few breed beginning of April and lay 1st-2nd week of April, even more that breed 1st week of April and lay April 14th, then it tapers off. There's always breeding going on in mid May as well (but a minority)… these dates are for Region 2/ middle TN. I'm sure you could push those dates a week earlier for west TN, a week later for Region 3, and 2 weeks later for Region 4.