Poult production

[zelmo1]

What is the average poult survival rate? I have seen multiple hens with 2/3 poults recently. Thinking that is low. Could have been many things I guess. Egg stealers, predators or human interaction. Any thoughts ore data? Thanks , Al

[turkeymanjim]

70 % will die from egg to when they can fly to roost. That is around 70 days.

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[Mossberg90MN]

I heard a successful hatch is something like 1-2 poults making it. It's low unfortunately, but the birds have the odds stacked against them.


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[davisd9]

On my in-laws farm we have two hens going around with 12-15 poults. On this property that is not all that unusual, but predators are kept in check and there is ample food sources and nesting/cover for protection.

It all comes down to habitat and food chain balance, IMO.

Here is a photo from the other day, some popped into the corn before we could snap the photo.




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[3bailey3]

looks like some great habitat!

[bbcoach]

Turkeys have a very hard road for survivability.  They lay their eggs on the ground and those eggs are a meal for many predators.  If they do hatch, they have to make it until they can fly and or run fast enough to escape danger.  I've heard with the loss of eggs and predators getting some of the living poults, turkeys are lucky to have 20% make it to maturity.  That is why we normally see 2 or 3 poults with a single hen.  IMO, this is the primary reason turkey numbers stay low.  I saw 3 hens together this morning and they had 5 poults total.  If all three laid eggs this spring, that isn't very good numbers.     

[AndyH]

I read the other day the 10 year average in Ohio is 2.6 poults per hen and last spring it was 2.7 poults per hen. I would imagine it's probably fairly close to that anywhere you go


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[Dtrkyman]

Missouri has some great surveys listed on their MDC site, unfortunately they have been experiencing some low survival rates recently.

Think about it, a single hen has to produce at least 2 that survive to grow the flock, under that she is just replacing herself basically.

Poults can fly in as little as 8 days, to as many as 14, surely there is some variance but those are the numbers I remember, no way it is 70!

[nativeks]

We have been under 1 poult per hen for some time now.

[zelmo1]

Saw 3 bunches today. 1 hen with 5 poults, 2/3, 1/3. 3-4 average. That's only one area. Seems like less other areas

[Hook hanger]

2.5 poults per hen and you have a stable population.  Anything less its a declining population. Not all hens have a successful brood or hatch.