Nests

[TRKYHTR]

I went for an afternoon hunt today and flushed a hen off her nest. There was 12 eggs in the nest. Hopefully she will return and hatch them. Anybody seeing any nesting hens.

TRKYHTR

[cannonball]

Great pic! Hope they all hatch

[hookedspur]

Great pic! Hope they all hatch

[TRKYHTR]

I got bad news. After posting this I went outside and checked the hen that was nesting in my pasture. I was worried when I didn't see her with my binocs. I walked up and saw the nest was disturbed, several eggs were busted and there was 1 hen feather a couple feet away from the nest. I was disgusted to say the least. I wish I would have put up the trail cam so I could have seen what did it.

TRKYHTR

[new2turkey]

That's too bad 

[Ol'Mossy]

I've been hunting spring turkeys for 16 years now and never found a nest

[Struttin Spurs]

Man that stinks. I wonder what got into them?

[bowhunter84]

i found a hen nesting last weekend. she was about 20ft off the road.

[Turkeyfan]

 I take it there is no ryme or reason why hens pick there nest sites. Does anyone know?

[MC]

I have always wondered how much the hen actually sits on the nest. As I understand it, she will return each day to lay an egg and will sit on the nest for a period of time. Then she will fly up to roost in the evening, return to the nest the next day. I also have always wondered what she does once the poults hatch in terms of whether she stays with them at night or leaves them until they are old enough to fly up with her.

As much time as I have spent chasing them around, I have never quite closed the loop on how the hen does her nesting.

[TRKYHTR]

I have always wondered how much the hen actually sits on the nest. As I understand it, she will return each day to lay an egg and will sit on the nest for a period of time. Then she will fly up to roost in the evening, return to the nest the next day. I also have always wondered what she does once the poults hatch in terms of whether she stays with them at night or leaves them until they are old enough to fly up with her.

As much time as I have spent chasing them around, I have never quite closed the loop on how the hen does her nesting.

You are correct that she will lay an egg every day or every other day but she wont set on the nest until her clutch is layed. Then when she starts setting in the nest she is on there 24/7. She does not roost because she has to set on the nest to keep the eggs warm. After 24 hours of 99.5 degrees the eggs start to incubate. Once that happens she will stay on the eggs for 28 days until they hatch. She will only get off the nest for a short period to eat and drink a little and then back on the nest before the eggs cool down. She does not roost during this period. Once the poults hatch the hen stays with them on the ground for about 10 days until the poults can fly a little and then they will start roosting together.

TRKYHTR

[bowhunter84]

I have always wondered how much the hen actually sits on the nest. As I understand it, she will return each day to lay an egg and will sit on the nest for a period of time. Then she will fly up to roost in the evening, return to the nest the next day. I also have always wondered what she does once the poults hatch in terms of whether she stays with them at night or leaves them until they are old enough to fly up with her.

As much time as I have spent chasing them around, I have never quite closed the loop on how the hen does her nesting.

You are correct that she will lay an egg every day or every other day but she wont set on the nest until her clutch is layed. Then when she starts setting in the nest she is on there 24/7. She does not roost because she has to set on the nest to keep the eggs warm. After 24 hours of 99.5 degrees the eggs start to incubate. Once that happens she will stay on the eggs for 28 days until they hatch. She will only get off the nest for a short period to eat and drink a little and then back on the nest before the eggs cool down. She does not roost during this period. Once the poults hatch the hen stays with them on the ground for about 10 days until the poults can fly a little and then they will start roosting together.

TRKYHTR

my uncle raises turkeys and thats the way i have seen them do when nesting.   

[MC]

Good deal!  Thanks for the info!

[Trevor2]

Idk if its true or not but I was told that a nests worse nightmare is a gobbler, was told he will bust the eggs in a nest, didnt say if it was on purpose or what. Again idk if there is any truth to it, maybe someone on here can say for sure.

[turkey slayer]

dang that sucks!