Cicadas as food

[Lcmacd 58]

I talked to a couple other turkey guys yesterday and they were saying we'll have a good bunch of poults here in Illinois because of the massive amount of cicadas this year. Whats everyone's opinion on this ? I will say the average amount of poults that I am seeing are more than in the past couple of years. I saw 1 hen with 19 pouts a couple days ago.

[Notsoyoungturk]

I am not a turkey biologist but I would think it would be a great source of protein and nutrients for growing poults.  Here is a link to an outdoor life article that talks about this same topic.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/cicadas-turkey-hatch/

Outdoor Life focuses on how the cicada will benefit the turkeys as a food source.  Turkeys for Tomorrow has and article that touches on the same thought but also discusses how predators will feed on this easy meal and hopefully spare some poults. Interesting concept.

https://turkeysfortomorrow.org/cicada-emergence-and-turkey-population-growth/

[Tom007]

Great news!!!

[Ihuntoldschool]

You were told the truth.
Without fail if you have good number of cicadas you're going to have good hatch.

[albrubacker]

I would agree. I said to my wife earlier that should have some fat turkeys for the  fall season.

[Shiloh]

The latest podcast on Wild Turkey Science speaks to this.  Not cicadas specifically, but bugs in general.

[wchadw]

I haven't really seen any in central Mississippi at all...


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[silvestris]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2024/02/02/cicada-brood-map-2024-brood-calendar/72421365007/

[Cowboy]

I'm sure that correct. I saw 2 hens and at least a dozen poults yesterday crossing our road. Growing good and doing well. 

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[ragin-cajun]

nature at it's best. now if the states would implement a incentives to kill predators