Turkeys hatching
- Thread starter Bigfoot
- Start date
I'm not a turkey hunter but love watching them.
I saw a hen with about 7 or 8 little ones in the pasture a purple days ago.
By the time they get to about the size of a duck there will be around 4-5. Say we have a group of 5 or 6 hens you'll see about 30 young ones.
Next time when they are about jake size ill see 5 or 6 jakes and about the same hens.
When they get to decent beard size there will be like 3.
Of those one might make it where his beard will be dragging.
That's per about 150-200ac. Not sure how many if those leave vs die. It's changes a little year to year but that's generally what I see around here.
I saw a hen with about 7 or 8 little ones in the pasture a purple days ago.
By the time they get to about the size of a duck there will be around 4-5. Say we have a group of 5 or 6 hens you'll see about 30 young ones.
Next time when they are about jake size ill see 5 or 6 jakes and about the same hens.
When they get to decent beard size there will be like 3.
Of those one might make it where his beard will be dragging.
That's per about 150-200ac. Not sure how many if those leave vs die. It's changes a little year to year but that's generally what I see around here.
jasonleonard
Well-known member
I don't hunt turkeys, but I sure do like seeing them. I have gobs of them on my farms.
I have seen 2 or 3 groups of 50 birds on one 300 acre farm in one morning. I have heard that freezing rain on top of snow will starve them out up here; if it sticks around a while. When it is bad out, I will scatter some grain out for them when I am feeding roundbales to my groups of cattle. I also tell the deer hunters to kill every darn coyote they see on my ground.
I would like to think 50% make it to adults, but that is probably too high.
I have seen 2 or 3 groups of 50 birds on one 300 acre farm in one morning. I have heard that freezing rain on top of snow will starve them out up here; if it sticks around a while. When it is bad out, I will scatter some grain out for them when I am feeding roundbales to my groups of cattle. I also tell the deer hunters to kill every darn coyote they see on my ground.
I would like to think 50% make it to adults, but that is probably too high.
Pic from this last deer season. Not uncommon to see 60+ in a group at this place. Its pretty funny. They all walk in a staight line and its line watching a train. Your thinking... when is it gonna end. 
Kingfisher
Well-known member
jasonleonard":tl4gmhwg said:
Do you ever eat them? Just wondering,,
alisonb
Well-known member
I read Illumination in the Flatwoods: A Season with the Wild Turkey by Joe Hutto a couple of years back, amazing experience he must of had.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Bigfoot":3ou6j96f said:
Nesting on the ground and then being small I'd think predation would be pretty high.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
TexasBred":3cfmh1k2 said:
I don't know about turkey's read quail have a 90% mortality rate on the chick's/egg's.
I haven't seen a turkey since Rita in 2005. Had a small flock on my place I guess the storm killed them.
