Biology questions

[Marc]

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How do the birds break up the chicks/poults are grown?

I would assume that the hens stick around, and the jakes move off?  If the hens and jakes from the same clutches both stuck around, I would assume there would be significant inbreeding?

One a different note, I have watched the vast majority of birds on a 500 acre ranch use the same area for the whole season...  3 toms, 2 jakes, and about 30 hens....  (This is following an extremely warm winter, and an unusually cool spring).

All season, they fly off the roost into a large bowl-like meadow area surrounded by woods, and then walk or fly into a high-fence pasture on the neighboring property...  On the limb all the birds are very vocal, but once on the ground there is very little chatter.  I am assuming some of this behavior is dictated by heavy predator pressure.

The hens are already starting to sit on the nest (as I bumped a hen on the nest walking in last weekend)...  There are bachelor groups of 2-4 jakes on the property as well... 

Early in the season, I heard a lone hen yelping like crazy on the limb, and figured/hoped she was with a silent tom (and maybe other hens)...  I set up near her a bit after fly-down, hoping to call in the tom (I assumed she was with)...  She came in to my calling (yelping and cutting the whole time), as did 3 jakes from the opposite direction... 

The jakes were interested in her, but she was not interested in them.  It was an interesting interaction to watch unfold, but would love to understand some of the biology behind it...  What was she doing all alone (and so vocal), and why the disinterest in the jakes?

One of the things I enjoy about turkey hunting is trying to understand behavior and the science behind things... 

[eggshell]

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How do the birds break up the chicks/poults are grown?

BY fall the jakes will start to form bachelor groups and move around on their own. These groups will have jakes from several broods. Hens will stay around in mixed age groups and.

By mid winter large winter flocks will form and have birds of all ages and sexes at times. Late winter and early spring birds start to establish an order of dominance within flocks. About three - four weeks before breeding season hits a peak flocks start to break up into small groups and single birds. Dominate birds take the best spots and less dominate are pushed off into fringe habitat. Sometimes birds move a significant distance to nesting areas. Some birds will stay in a prime spot year round.

I would assume there would be significant inbreeding?

Genetic testing has shown there is enough versity within an area/flock that inbreeding is not a problem.

What was she doing all alone (and so vocal), and why the disinterest in the jakes?

she's female quit trying to figure out what she is doing (are you married?) Hens establish a dominance too. If you've ever pissed off the dominate hen in an area you know she will come looking to kick you arse. Other than that she may have been looking for a "real gobbler" and not some poke happy youngster.

[zelmo1]

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Boss hens have their pick of mates, so why settle for little Jakey poo, lol. We have some luck calling her in, there are usually some love struck teenagers and young sub dominant gobblers trying their luck.