Wild turkey question

[coyotehunter_1]

I know we have several experienced and knowledgeable turkey hunters here. After several dead ends (research) I have not found an answer to this question.  Maybe one of you will know?

Do hen turkeys stay on their nest at night (when on eggs) or do they leave their nest to roost in trees?

The reason I ask: Last week a friend found the remains of a dead turkey hen near a nest of broken eggs, he asked me the question above.   

[Bills Custom Calls]

The answer to the question is no a hen will not leave the nest

Eggs have to be kept a certain temp 99*  24/7 and turned a half a turn once a day
Therefore if the hen leaves the nest the eggs will cool off and never hatch

it takes 28 days for  a turkey egg to hatch

[Bills Custom Calls]

And more then likely the coon killed the hen and tore up the eggs

[coyotehunter_1]

That was quick... thanks, Mr. Bill. 


The fellow owns a section where Bop and I call coyotes occasionally. The area in question is on the Tennessee river and holds lots of coon, both red and gray fox but few coyotes. 

   

[Bills Custom Calls]

Your welcome Chet

Just a bit of knowledge that was forced upon me as kid 
One of those things Gramma just thought a young feller should know  Thanks Gramma

[coyotehunter_1]

  Thanks Gramma

[KySongDog]

Do hen turkeys stay on their nest at night (when on eggs) or do they leave their nest to roost in trees?

The answer to the question is no a hen will not leave the nest

Not necessarily true.   A hen lays one egg a day until she gets 10 or 12 eggs for a clutch.  While laying her eggs she will cover the nest with leaves and other debri and will not sit on the nest.    After the clutch is laid she will begin to incubate the eggs.  She will stay on the nest constantly but may leave for an hour or two to feed and water.  She is trying to get the eggs to all hatch at the same time.  If the eggs get too cool the embryo will die so she will not stay gone for long. 

Hope this helps. 

[nastygunz]

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/Articles/turkeynest.htm

" Most hens lay one egg a day, and have a clutch of 10 to 12 eggs. Laying hens cover the eggs with leaves or other material, while incubating hens leave the eggs exposed."

"Hens that are incubating may occasionally roost in trees for the night, even after incubating continuously for several days. "

[Bills Custom Calls]

Here is an interesting read

http://www.turkeymanagement.com/nesting/

I never would have guessed a hen to leave the nest to roost once she started setting on the eggs

[nastygunz]

I been hunting n studying turkeys since the very first season opened in VT and I did not know they would leave the nest to roost and I also did not know that they layed egs at intervals like that...I allus figured they knocked out a hatch and sat on em till they were done over easy...I guess you can teach a semi old dog new tricks

[iahntr]

I guess that's different then what I ( thought I ) knew too.    It was my understanding that they left the nest as they were laying the eggs,
one a day, then once they were done laying, and started to sit on the nest, and the incubation started, they only left the nest for short periods
(like an hour or less) to feed and drink, and that was during daylight hours, and they didn't leave the nest at night really at all. 

[KySongDog]

I have heard that nesting hens may roost while incubating but, if so, it has to be rare.  If the temperature is hot I could see it happening.   But she has to keep the eggs warm once the incubation starts, otherwise the eggs will die.  To spend a long cold night in a tree would doom her clutch, me thinks. 

[coyotehunter_1]

Thanks fellers... I reckon the answer to the question is...  maybe?

An interesting statement from the article: "Ground-nesting birds have an average success rate of about 15%, but the success of turkey nests can range from 0 to 50% depending upon habitat condition, predators, and environmental factors. "

[vvarmitr]

The reason turkeys have a higher success rate is they don't have turkeys raiding their nests.
   

[alscalls]

I can only speak for what I observed..... I have jumped them off the nest while coyote hunting at night.
I have seen em roost during the nesting season.
So I did the logical thing and called a wildlife Biologist friend and asked.

The answer was lengthy to say the least......  An adult hen will stay on the nest
An adult hen with a beard.....may lay an egg as she walks and abandon an egg not knowing what to do with it.
An inexperienced adult hen..... could do either
An immature hen will sometimes not be of age to breed and will roost.
There is more but I would suggest calling a biologist and speak in length.... I find it fascinating I hope you do as well.

[bambam]

Hens will roost while nesting. I have personally  seen it. My friend Kenny says they will too. He is a master turkey hunter and knows more about turkeys than 20 people.

[pitw]

  My friend Kenny says they will too. He is a master turkey hunter and knows more about turkeys than 20 people.

20 x Me = 0