Since springtime for hunters signifies the start of the “turkey year,” let’s follow turkey activity from spring to fall.
By the time the spring turkey hunting season begins on April 15, the breeding season’s peak has already passed. Toms will breed with multiple hens throughout the spring and early summer. When the eggs hatch, the hen will construct a ground nest near an excellent brood habitat—typically, an opening in the forest canopy—and in an area with adequate cover.
A hen will begin laying when she is about 24 to 32 hours old, and it will take her two weeks to lay a full clutch of nine to thirteen eggs. The hen will concentrate on eating and gaining weight in order to survive the impending incubation period in between laying eggs.
After all of the eggs are laid, the hen will spend roughly 28 days incubating them day and night. Incubation is interrupted only for an occasional mid-day snack of protein-rich insects.
Poults, or newly hatched chicks, can walk shortly after hatching and typically depart the nest in 12 to 24 hours. After eight to 14 days, young poults can fly short distances and start roosting in trees.
A hen doesn’t need to rebreed if she loses a clutch soon after laying because the sperm from the first mating can survive for up to 30 days. When a newly hatched brood of turkeys appears in late August or early September, hunters may assume that this is the hen’s second or third clutch. In fact, it’s more likely the hen has lost a brood and simply re-nested.
The biggest threat to a young turkey’s survival is within its first 10 days of life. If their down gets wet from rain, hypothermia is likely. Additionally, bobcats, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, ravens, crows, hawks, and even stray cats can prey on them.
For those of us who love to see wild turkeys strutting through the forests and fields, it’s fascinating to learn about their life cycle. From the moment they hatch as tiny poults to their adulthood, these birds go through a remarkable journey. Let’s delve into the world of wild turkeys and explore their year-round activities, focusing on the incubation period of their eggs.
Spring: A Time for Nesting and Breeding
As the spring season arrives, the “turkey year” begins for hunters. However, the peak breeding season for wild turkeys has already passed by April 15th, when the spring turkey hunting season opens. During this time, toms (male turkeys) mate with multiple hens (female turkeys) throughout the spring and early summer.
Hens, preparing for motherhood build ground nests in areas with good cover and close proximity to suitable brood habitat, typically an opening in the forest canopy. Once the hen starts laying eggs, she lays one egg every 24 to 32 hours taking about two weeks to lay a full clutch of nine to 13 eggs. Between egg-laying sessions, the hen focuses on feeding and gaining weight to endure the upcoming incubation period.
The 28-Day Incubation Journey
Once all the eggs are laid, the dedicated hen incubates them for approximately 28 days, day and night. This crucial period is interrupted only for occasional mid-day snacks of protein-rich insects. During this time, the developing embryos inside the eggs undergo remarkable transformations, growing from tiny specks to fully formed poults.
The Arrival of Tiny Poults
After 28 days of dedicated incubation, the miracle of life unfolds as the eggs hatch, revealing newly hatched chicks called poults These tiny creatures can walk shortly after hatching and usually leave the nest within 12 to 24 hours. Within eight to 14 days, the young poults develop the ability to fly short distances and start roosting in trees.
Interestingly, if a hen loses a clutch shortly after laying, she can re-nest without re-breeding This is because the sperm from the initial mating remains viable for up to 30 days So, if you see a newly hatched brood of turkeys in late August or September, don’t assume it’s the hen’s second or third clutch. It’s more likely that she lost a brood and simply re-nested.
The First 10 Days: A Critical Period
The first 10 days of a young turkey’s life are the most crucial for survival. If their down gets wet from rain, hypothermia is a significant threat. Additionally, they are vulnerable to predation by various animals, including ravens, crows, hawks, skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and even stray cats.
Summer: Flocks and Migration
As summer progresses, hens and their growing poults join forces with other hens and poults, forming larger groups. Meanwhile, mature toms form bachelor flocks, often consisting of turkeys of similar ages. By winter, these turkey flocks can grow to an impressive size of 200 or more birds.
In low-elevation habitats, such as valley floors, turkeys don’t need to migrate as the winter weather is relatively mild. However, in higher elevations where severe weather poses a risk, turkeys engage in seasonal migration between lower and higher elevations as the weather changes in spring and fall. This is particularly true in parts of central and eastern Oregon.
Winter: Challenges and Resilience
The biggest threat to adult turkeys during winter is prolonged snowstorms, where crusted ice prevents them from finding food. However, these birds are remarkably resilient. They can stay in a tree for several days, losing body fat but ultimately surviving.
Under ideal conditions, toms can live up to five years (although two or three years is more likely), while hens can live for six to eight years. An eight-year-old hen is a rare sight, comparable to a 100-year-old human.
Spring Returns: A Time for Change
As winter transitions into spring, the turkey flocks begin to break up. Hens start moving back to their breeding grounds, while bachelor flocks of toms disperse. Mature toms return to their strutting grounds, while young males (jakes) seek to establish their own breeding territories.
Interestingly, most older toms stay close to home, typically within a one-mile radius, to find hens. Hens, on the other hand, are more adventurous, traveling long distances to find a tom or a secluded nesting site. The older the tom, the closer he stays to his home range during the breeding season. This may explain why hens search out toms during breeding, rather than the other way around.
Hens may travel miles from their breeding site to find a secluded nesting site, but they often return to their breeding site to raise their poults. Some hens exhibit remarkable fidelity, returning to the same breeding, nesting, and brooding sites year after year. Once a hen finds a perfect nesting location, she may use it for life, as long as conditions remain favorable.
The Role of Jakes and Hens in Population Growth
Technically, jakes (immature male turkeys) can breed at one year of age. However, on the ground, they face stiff competition from mature toms. This can motivate jakes to travel long distances in search of mating opportunities.
The willingness of hens and jakes to travel has significantly contributed to the explosion of turkey populations in Oregon. Biologists leverage this behavior by transplanting birds between existing established flocks, allowing traveling hens and jakes to fill in the gaps and further expand the population.
The life cycle of a wild turkey is a fascinating journey filled with challenges, adaptations, and resilience. From the 28-day incubation period to the formation of flocks and the challenges of winter, these birds demonstrate remarkable survival instincts and adaptability. Their willingness to travel has played a crucial role in their population growth, making them a familiar sight in many parts of the country.
Winter flocks and migration
As summer progresses, hens and their growing poults will join other hens and poults. At the same time, mature toms form bachelor flocks, often of like ages. By winter, turkey flocks may grow to 200 or more birds.
Turkeys in low elevation habitats, like valley floors, don’t need to migrate when winter weather arrives because the winters there are generally mild. Turkeys will, however, migrate between lower and higher elevations as the weather varies in the spring and fall, especially at higher elevations where severe weather can endanger birds. This is especially true in parts of central and eastern Oregon.
Prolonged winter storms are the leading cause of mortality for adult turkeys, as the crusted ice prevents them from finding food. However, turkeys are resilient animals that can spend several days in a tree, losing a significant amount of body fat while still surviving.
Toms can live up to five years under ideal circumstances (though they usually live two or three), and hens can live six to eight years. An eight-year-old hen is rare, however, and comparable to a 100-year-old person.
They’re HATCHING!! Our Turkey’s FIRST EGGS are starting to hatch!
FAQ
How long do turkey eggs take to hatch?
How many eggs does a turkey lay before she sits on them?
Do turkeys sit on their eggs all the time?
What is the life cycle of a turkey egg?
What is the incubation period for turkey eggs?
Hence, the incubation period for turkey eggs is 28 days. The eggs, however, should be kept at 99.5 o F or 37.5 o C and 55-60% relative humidity (RH). Only fertile eggs can develop and hatch. To avoid wasting your time, energy and money, it is very important to check the fertility status of the turkey eggs that you want to incubate.
How long does a turkey egg last?
If you place your eggs in storage, you should add one hour for each day that the egg is stored. Therefore, when hatching turkey eggs, the normal incubation period lasts 28 days. If the egg has been in storage, say, for two days, then the incubation period would last 28 days and two hours.
How long do turkeys incubate?
A cool, dry place like a basement works well. Once you have a nice clutch collected, the eggs can go into the incubator at the same time. This works best because you can treat all the eggs with the same processes as incubation progresses, and all your poults will hatch on roughly the same day. Turkeys incubate for 28 days at 100.5 degrees F.