Claire Thompson
The number of chicks a wild turkey hen has varies, as female turkeys typically lay between 10 to 15 eggs, with some hens laying clutches of 4 to 18 eggs. These eggs hatch into chicks, known as poults, after about 28 days of incubation by the hen. The poults are able to fly within three to four weeks of hatching but remain with their mother until they are about four months old. During this time, the hen feeds them until they can find food on their own. As summer progresses, the hen and her poults will join other hens and their chicks, while male turkeys form all-male flocks outside of the breeding season.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of chicks | 10-15, sometimes 4-18 |
| Number of eggs | 10-12 |
| Hatching period | 28 days |
| Ability to fly | 3-4 weeks |
| Time to stay with mother | 4 months |
| Chance of nests hatching | 10-40% |
| Chance of poults surviving beyond 4 weeks | 25% |
| Chance of poults surviving to adulthood | N/A |
| Predominant mating period | April-May |
| Predominant gobbling period | April-June |
| Winter flock size | 200 or more birds |
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What You'll Learn
Wild turkey chicks can fly at 3-4 weeks old
Wild turkeys usually lay between 10 and 15 eggs, with larger clutches of up to 18 eggs observed. After the eggs hatch, the chicks, known as poults, can walk shortly after hatching and typically leave the nest within 12 to 24 hours. The hen will feed them for a few days until they learn to find food on their own.
Poults are precocial, meaning they are ready to run and keep up with their mother hen as she leads them through her territory in search of food and while avoiding predators. Wild turkey chicks can fly at 3-4 weeks old, but they stay with their mother until they are about 4 months old. After eight to fourteen days, young poults can fly short distances and start roosting in trees.
As summer progresses, hens and their growing poults will join other hens and poults. At the same time, mature male turkeys, or toms, form bachelor flocks. By winter, turkey flocks may grow to 200 or more birds. As winter breaks up, hens start moving back to the breeding grounds, and bachelor flocks of toms start to split up.
The biggest threat to a young turkey's survival is within its first ten days of life. If their down gets wet from rain, hypothermia is likely. They are also vulnerable to predation by ravens, crows, hawks, skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and even stray cats.
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They stay with their mother until they're 4 months old
Wild turkeys usually lay between 10 and 15 eggs, with clutches of 4 to 18 also being observed. The female, or hen, incubates her eggs for about 28 days. During this time, if she senses danger, she will make an alarm call and flee, drawing attention away from the nest. After the eggs hatch, the chicks, known as poults, follow their mother, who feeds them for a few days until they learn to find food on their own.
Poults are able to run and keep up with their mother as she leads them through her territory in search of food and while avoiding predators, such as coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, mountain lions, golden eagles, and great horned owls. They are also able to fly within three to four weeks of hatching. Despite this, they remain with their mother until they are about four months old.
During the summer, hens and their growing poults will join other hens and poults, while male turkeys, or toms, form all-male flocks outside of the breeding season. By winter, these flocks may grow to include over 200 turkeys.
Poults that survive past six weeks have a much better chance of surviving to adulthood. However, studies have shown that only about 25% of hatching poults will make it beyond four weeks.
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They band into groups as they grow
Wild turkey poults are able to fly in about three to four weeks, but they band into groups as they grow. These groups can comprise several hens and their broods, known as flocks, which can grow to include over 200 turkeys in the winter. The young turkeys stay with their mother for up to four months, during which time they learn to find food and avoid predators. Turkeys and other ground nesters hatch with fuzzy feathers and open eyes, which enables them to keep up with their mother hen as she leads them through her territory.
As summer progresses, hens and their growing poults will join other hens and poults. At the same time, mature male turkeys, known as toms, form all-male flocks outside of the breeding season. These flocks are often composed of similarly aged birds.
The social dynamics of wild turkeys are complex, with birds fighting for dominance within a pecking order. This pecking order is stable within flocks of the same sex, and males and females have separate hierarchies. Wild turkeys are known to travel long distances, and biologists have attempted to transplant birds between existing flocks to fill in gaps and support population growth.
Poults that survive past six weeks have a much better chance of surviving to adulthood. However, studies have shown that only about 25% of hatching poults will make it beyond four weeks. Wild turkeys have a range of natural predators, including coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, mountain lions, golden eagles, and great horned owls.
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Only 25% of chicks make it past 4 weeks
Wild turkey chicks, also known as poults, are extremely susceptible to weather and predators in the first four weeks after they hatch. During this critical period, only about 25% of poults survive. There are several reasons why wild turkey poults face such high mortality rates in the first month of life.
Firstly, poults are born without feathers and remain featherless for the first four weeks. This makes them particularly vulnerable to harsh weather conditions, such as cold temperatures and storms. They are also at risk of predation by a variety of natural predators, including coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, mountain lions, Golden Eagles, and Great Horned Owls. These predators pose a significant threat to young poults that are still developing their agility and camouflage.
Additionally, poults must quickly learn to keep up with their mother hen as she leads them through her territory in search of food. The turkey flocks often cover a lot of ground while foraging, and the poults' ability to keep up is essential for their survival. This mobility is crucial for their survival as it allows them to access food sources and avoid potential dangers.
The survival rate of poults also depends on the physical conditioning and nutrition of the mother hen. Research suggests that a hen's physical condition directly impacts her ability to take on the rigors of nesting and brood-rearing. Poor nutrition can lead to late nesting, affecting the survival chances of the poults.
Furthermore, the success rate of poults is influenced by the timing of breeding and nesting. Hens typically breed and nest during specific seasons, and late nesting can have detrimental effects on the survival of the poults. Environmental factors, such as severe weather or limited food availability, can also impact the success rate during the first four weeks.
In summary, only about 25% of wild turkey poults make it past the first four weeks due to various factors, including predation, weather conditions, the ability to keep up with the flock, the mother hen's health, and the timing of breeding and nesting. These challenges pose significant threats to the survival of young poults, making this stage of their lives particularly crucial for their long-term survival and the sustainability of wild turkey populations.
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If a hen loses her eggs, she can re-nest without re-breeding
A wild turkey hen lays one clutch of eggs per year, with clutch sizes ranging from four to seventeen eggs per nest. The number of eggs laid depends on the year and population, with clutch sizes averaging about 10 to 12 for wild turkeys. The hen lays only one egg each day, so if she lays 14 eggs, it takes two full weeks to lay the entire clutch. However, due to "synchronous hatching", all the eggs will hatch at about the same time, usually within an hour of one another.
Once all the eggs have been laid, the hen will incubate them day and night for about 28 days. During this time, she will only leave for a short period to feed, and she may remain on the nest for several consecutive days. The hen sits quietly and moves about once an hour to turn and reposition the eggs.
If a hen loses her clutch shortly after laying, she can re-nest without having to re-breed because the sperm from the initial mating remains viable for up to 30 days. This is why hunters may see a newly hatched brood of turkeys in late August or September and mistakenly believe it is a hen's second or third clutch. In reality, it is more likely that the hen lost a brood and simply re-nested.
After hatching, the young turkeys, called poults, can walk shortly after hatching and usually leave the nest within 12 to 24 hours. At this stage, they are already quite independent, learning to peck at food items by mimicking their mother's behaviour. By day two, poults are performing most of their characteristic feeding, movement, and grooming behaviour patterns. Within the first week, they regularly dust themselves like their mother, and by week three, they can roost in low trees with the hen. After this, their diet begins to shift from mostly insects to a higher percentage of plant matter.
Despite their early independence, young poults still face many dangers. Various studies indicate that only 10 to 40 percent of nests successfully hatch, and only about 25 percent of hatching poults will make it beyond four weeks. The biggest threat to a young turkey's survival is within its first 10 days of life. If their down gets wet from rain, hypothermia is likely. In addition, predators such as mink, weasels, domestic dogs, coyotes, raccoons, and skunks prey heavily on young poults. Their only defence is the ability to scatter and hide until the mother hen gives the all-clear signal.
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Frequently asked questions
A wild turkey hen lays a clutch of nine to 13 eggs, though this can vary from four to 17 eggs.
A hen lays one egg every 24 to 32 hours, taking about two weeks to lay a full clutch.
The hen incubates the eggs for around 28 days, after which they hatch. The hen then moves her brood to areas with plenty of insects so that the young, known as poults, can feed.
