How do I know if my turkey is broody?

Alison · **Posted:** Thu Sep 23, 2010 9:16 am

Hello All,

I have a trio of Bourbon Reds and the hens have started laying an occasional (very occassional!) egg. They don't seem to have decided on a nest though, and other than spending more time sitting down rather than roaming about things are much as they were when they were younger. I'm assuming that they will build a nest (or choose one of the options available to them already!) and lay in the one spot? Can you tell I'm new to this?

thanks,
Ali

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

The dratted things go broody very easily. Generally not until they've laid a clutch of 10 to 20 eggs however. Basically the hen will sit on the nest pretty much all the time, she may pick at you if you try to put your hand under to collect eggs.

Generally they will lay during the day and perch at night. When they go broody, they'll be on the nest in the evening when the rest of the flock are perching. Check then!

Alison · **Posted:** Thu Sep 23, 2010 10:13 am

Terrific, thanks Andrew!

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

Andrew you forgot to put - when she gets agressive abt you going near her nest [not pecking but full blown fluffed up and almost hissing at you as well as pecking] and she grabs yr hand = she IS broody

be very careful to give her some eggs to hatch as a broody turkey can sit for months waiting for poults to hatch - last year I gave a turkey goose eggs - she made a good goose mum

also make sure first that she is broody as if she isnt - after a few days she will be bored and just walk away

Alison · **Posted:** Sat Sep 25, 2010 7:18 pm

OK... so wait for her to have a personality transplant as well :-?

She is such a sweetie at the moment, too... At the moment neither of them are laying regularly, so maybe it is a little way off yet. Thanks for all the information :-D

LOOLOO · **Posted:** Sun Sep 26, 2010 11:10 am

soozorps wrote:

[not pecking but full blown fluffed up and almost hissing at you as well as pecking] and she grabs yr hand = she IS broody

That describes a few of my hens :lol:

some can really hurt :cry:

LooLoo

peter26 · **Joined:** Mon Sep 27, 2010 10:24 am **Posts:** 2

I had the same question so thanks Alison for asking

Alison · **Posted:** Tue Sep 28, 2010 7:07 am

A bit more information means I can stop following them around and watching with anticipation everytime they stop in one spot for more than a moment

I think they think I might be a bit odd...

MariaCreeksPoultry · **Posted:** Tue Sep 28, 2010 7:17 am

My turkey hens are very sneaky about laying. If they think I am watching, they will walk in circles for hours. I have to turn into a stalker to find where they are laying. Mind you, mine are free range so they have 300acres to hide their nests in.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

I forgot abt that!! yep they sure do hate it when you are watching - so you have to become a Covert Operations Commander and watch them 'without watching them'
dont get too close but watch them so they dont realise you are - if they even see you at a good distance with yr back to them they tend to think =
"Bugger I'm being watched"
but if they cant see you they think =
"TEE HEE i got the better of you mum/dad!" and off they go and lay an egg

New game for this coming Spring/Summer = SPOT THAT TURKEY [without being seen doing it]

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

How do I know if my turkey is broody?

Who is on the Forum