Turkeys are hatching in West Central Wisconsin
This photo was taken one day before the next one which shows four eggs.
In spite of wet, chilly weather wild turkeys are hatching all across West Central Wisconsin. Ground temperatures are more important than the air temperature in determining the timing of laying, setting and hatching. Recently hatched poults are being reported near their nests with the brood hen nearby watching over them.
Recently hatched wild turkey poults in West Central Wisconsin. June 11, 2016
Turkeys lay eggs one at a time, one per day in open woodlands or along the edges of fields.
Other broods that consist of fully feathered poults with limited flying skills have been seen along roadsides and in ditches feeding on insects. Insects are the most important first food items for the newly hatched turkeys. These poults are roosting in trees at night; this provides them much more safety than huddling on the ground with their brood hen.
When poults are a few days old and flightless, they remain frozen in place as their primary defense.
Poults can be very hard to see in all the lush springtime growth. More than likely poults have been hatching since early May when ground temperatures rose to 50 degrees.
Three wild turkey poults in this picture. Notice how well they blend into their surroundings.
If a brood or nest is destroyed, hens will re-nest until late August to early September, and this is why hunters sometimes see grouse sized poults in October.
Hens store sperm for about 90 days to make re-nesting possible. Gobblers can continue to breed hens through July; occasionally strutters will be spotted in fields during July with hens present.
Brood hen with poults. Courtesy of D Gordon Robertson
If you like what you see, I urge you to get out and see what is going on in your area and then let us know here in the comment section. I really enjoy being out at all times of the year.
FirstBubba says
AWESOME!
I really wanted to get out and do some photography but between the rains and other issues, I haven’t been able to get away!
Hopefully next year!
Charlie says
Bummer, I feel your pain in not being able to get out. Fortunately, I’m in a very rural setting which makes it easy for me to go for a walk whenever the mood strikes just to see what I can see. Too bad my good camera’s battery was dead so I had to use my cellphone camera. All of in motion pictures turned out too blurry to use.
WRC says
I had a hen cross the road in front of me yesterday afternoon on my way home from town. She had 13 poults with her, they crossed the road and went into a cut hayfield to feed, the poults were about the size of a crow. That’s the first big brood I’ve seen this year, most of the hens I’ve seen will have 3 to 5 poults with them.
Charlie says
That’s an unusually large brood. Perhaps a brood hen died and her survivors were adopted?
WRC says
Was wondering the same thing, but very one of the poults were the same size. Who knows?