Well, don't THAT suck ??

[Yoder409]

Saw 6 hens in a field bordering our property this morning.

Not a SINGLE poult among them.   

[Jimspur]

Yes, that's sad.

[mikejd]

Maybe it was girls night out and the kids where fending for themselves.

[Nate]

Don't no if you get FFG but it said State of bird report shows massive bird decline only exceptions were the waterbirds and ducks,  My guess is chemicals and the G5 EMF are causing havoc on all animals including human. Either or it still sucks.

[joey46]

Friend just sent me a picture of a hen with ten poults in an area we access in central Florida.  This forum is starting to be the "Doom and gloom forum".

[jmart241]

Very sad ive seen several hens no little ones either

[Paulmyr]

Considering on average 75 percent or more of wild turkey nest attempts fail, a guy is more likely to see hens without polts than a hen with polts.

[lunghit]

Friend just sent me a picture of a hen with ten poults in an area we access in central Florida.  This forum is starting to be the "Doom and gloom forum".

I agree this place is depressing. Every year all I read is how there are no poults and hardly any birds left but seems like most hunters gets their limits or have opportunities to.

Anyway I saw a hen yesterday crossing the street with a group of poults. Couldn't count them but they were there.

[Yoder409]

Considering on average 75 percent or more of wild turkey nest attempts fail, a guy is more likely to see hens without polts than a hen with polts.

There was a group of 5 then a single 150 yards away in the same field.  The single seemed like she COULD have been just stretching her legs off the nest.   But the 5 together appeared to be just feeding along as a group.

Being only the 2nd/3rd week of June, hens with unsuccessful first attempts SHOULD be workung on a second attempt, I'd think.

[Happy]

I sat on the back deck at my grandads and watched two big longbeards feed in his field most of the afternoon. They have been regulars for about a year now. They even come into his yard.He says he can talk to them, and they don't even get nervous or walk off.

[Paulmyr]

Considering on average 75 percent or more of wild turkey nest attempts fail, a guy is more likely to see hens without polts than a hen with polts.

There was a group of 5 then a single 150 yards away in the same field.  The single seemed like she COULD have been just stretching her legs off the nest.   But the 5 together appeared to be just feeding along as a group.

Being only the 2nd/3rd week of June, hens with unsuccessful first attempts SHOULD be workung on a second attempt, I'd think.

From what I've heard it's my understanding that second and 3rd attempts are rarely successful. Plus, not all hens will attempt a 2nd nest.  Being it's the 2nd / 3rd week of June, some If not all of the hens in the group you seen could have already attempted  second and even 3rd  nests.

Depending on the hatch in your area last year, it's possible  you have a group of 1st year hens hanging together. I've heard a couple biologist state 1st Year hens just aren't that good at hatching nests.

[Tnandy]

Not the best here either, done seen a lot of poultless hens around. Not trying to be gloom and doom, just the facts. I have never heard that about the first season hen struggles to hatch off successfully but could definitely see where that is the case. Hopefully things get better. 2 of my spots are still as good as ever, others not. We shall see........

[Yoder409]

Considering on average 75 percent or more of wild turkey nest attempts fail, a guy is more likely to see hens without polts than a hen with polts.

There was a group of 5 then a single 150 yards away in the same field.  The single seemed like she COULD have been just stretching her legs off the nest.   But the 5 together appeared to be just feeding along as a group.

Being only the 2nd/3rd week of June, hens with unsuccessful first attempts SHOULD be workung on a second attempt, I'd think.

From what I've heard it's my understanding that second and 3rd attempts are rarely successful. Plus, not all hens will attempt a 2nd nest.  Being it's the 2nd / 3rd week of June, some If not all of the hens in the group you seen could have already attempted  second and even 3rd  nests.

Depending on the hatch in your area last year, it's possible  you have a group of 1st year hens hanging together. I've heard a couple biologist state 1st Year hens just aren't that good at hatching nests.

Could be.

And very possible.

Guessing that the poults (peeps) we found 2 years ago were an anomoly.  But it was Labor Day weekend and they were no more than a week.outta the egg.   But likely less than that.

The group of 5 were smaller than the lone hen farther out.  Could very well have been late hatches last year.   Hope that's the case....  rather than 5 unsuccessful nests.

[WV Flopper]

 I can only speak of my local area.

I live in WV..... In my part of WV it has been a very cold, drawn out spring. Just within the last week we have had consecutive mornings in the 50's. We were running low 40's since first week of March.

Food for thought. I have had almost zero seeds come up in the garden. Only thing that half way came up was green beans and two of 6 squash. No cucumber, no butternut squash, almost no beets, had much better luck in brassicas in March! Had to resort to my house to start seeds I usually direct sow.

Friend seen poults here last weekend, you will see poults soon in PA.

[Howieg]

Possibly non breeding Jenny's