As the “turkey year” officially begins in the spring for hunters, let’s track turkey activity from spring through fall.
The peak of the breeding season has already passed by the time the spring turkey hunting season opens on April 15. Toms will breed with multiple hens throughout the spring and early summer. After the eggs hatch, the hen will build a ground nest close to a great brood habitat, usually a gap in the forest canopy, and in a location with enough cover.
When a hen reaches 24 to 32 hours of age, she will start laying; it will take her two weeks to lay a complete clutch of nine to thirteen eggs. To survive the upcoming incubation period between laying eggs, the hen will focus on eating and gaining weight.
The hen will incubate the eggs day and night for about 28 days after they are all laid. Incubation is interrupted only for an occasional mid-day snack of protein-rich insects.
After hatching, poults, or newly hatched chicks, can walk and usually leave the nest within 12 to 24 hours. After eight to 14 days, young poults can fly short distances and start roosting in trees.
If a hen loses a clutch soon after laying, she doesn’t have to mate again because the sperm from that initial mating can live for up to 30 days. Hunters may believe that a newly hatched brood of turkeys is the hen’s second or third clutch when it shows up in late August or early September. 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.
Unveiling the Secrets of Turkey Mating Rituals
As spring unfolds its vibrant tapestry across the land, the wild turkey awakens from its winter slumber, heralding the commencement of the “turkey year” for eager hunters. But beyond the thrill of the chase lies a fascinating world of turkey biology, where intricate mating rituals and remarkable adaptations ensure the continuation of these magnificent creatures.
Delving into the Depths of Turkey Breeding
In the midst of spring, when the breeding season is at its height, we start our investigation. Male turkeys known as toms compete fiercely with females for their attention by flaunting their feathers and making enticing gobbles. A single tom and several hens have multiple matings as a result of this intense courtship.
The Art of Egg-Laying: A Delicate Balance
As the eggs develop within the hen, she embarks on a meticulous quest to construct a secure nest, meticulously selecting a location with ample cover and proximity to suitable brood habitat. Once the nest is complete, the hen commences the egg-laying process, diligently depositing one egg every 24 to 32 hours. This remarkable feat continues for approximately two weeks, culminating in a clutch of nine to 13 eggs.
A Time for Nourishment and Incubation
In the intervals between egg-laying, the hen prioritizes her own nourishment, diligently consuming food to build up her energy reserves for the impending incubation period. Once the final egg is laid, she assumes the role of a devoted mother, incubating the eggs day and night for approximately 28 days. This unwavering dedication is punctuated only by brief mid-day excursions in search of protein-rich insects to sustain her.
The Miracle of Hatching: A New Generation Emerges
The culmination of the incubation period brings forth a spectacle of new life as the eggs hatch, revealing tiny, fluffy chicks known as poults. These newly hatched wonders possess an astonishing ability to walk shortly after emerging from their shells, and within 12 to 24 hours, they venture out of the nest, embarking on their journey into the world.
Precocious Poults: Taking Flight and Facing Challenges
After eight to fourteen days, the poults mature and gain the amazing ability to fly short distances. At night, they seek cover in trees. But because of their young age, they are especially susceptible to the dangers of nature. They are always in danger of dying because of predators like bobcats, coyotes, hawks, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and stray cats.
Navigating the Seasons: Winter Flocks and Migration
As summer transitions into fall, hens and their growing poults congregate, forming cohesive groups. Simultaneously, mature toms establish bachelor flocks, often comprised of individuals of similar ages. These flocks can swell to impressive numbers, reaching up to 200 or more birds during the winter months.
In regions with low elevations, such as valley floors, the mild winter conditions negate the need for migration. However, in areas with higher elevations, where severe weather poses a significant risk, turkeys exhibit remarkable migratory behavior, shifting between lower and higher elevations as the seasons change. This adaptation is particularly prevalent in parts of central and eastern Oregon.
The Delicate Balance of Survival: Facing Winter’s Challenges
The harsh realities of winter present a formidable challenge to adult turkeys, with prolonged ice storms emerging as the primary threat to their survival. The icy conditions impede their access to food, leading to a gradual depletion of their body fat reserves. However, these resilient creatures possess an extraordinary ability to endure these hardships, often remaining perched in trees for several days, weathering the storm and emerging victorious.
The Circle of Life: Lifespans and Natural Selection
Under ideal circumstances, toms can reach a lifespan of five years, although a more realistic expectation is two or three years. Hens, on the other hand, exhibit a longer lifespan, typically ranging from six to eight years. However, reaching the age of eight is a rare feat, comparable to a human lifespan of 100 years.
The Rhythm of Spring: A Return to Breeding Grounds
As the grip of winter loosens its hold, the turkey flocks begin to disperse, heralding the return of spring. Hens embark on a journey back to their breeding grounds, while bachelor flocks of toms dissolve, with mature toms returning to their strutting grounds and young males, known as jakes, seeking to establish their own breeding territories.
Homeward Bound: The Allure of Familiarity
Intriguingly, older toms exhibit a strong tendency to remain close to their home ranges, venturing no further than a one-mile radius in search of hens. In contrast, hens demonstrate a remarkable willingness to travel greater distances, venturing far and wide in pursuit of suitable toms or secluded nesting sites.
This disparity in travel patterns may explain why hens actively seek out toms during the breeding season, rather than the other way around. The allure of familiarity draws older toms back to their established territories, while hens embark on extensive explorations to locate ideal breeding and nesting grounds.
The Legacy of Nesting Sites: A Place to Call Home
Some hens exhibit an unwavering loyalty to their chosen nesting sites, returning year after year to raise their poults. These sites, if conditions remain favorable, can become lifelong havens, providing a safe and nurturing environment for generations of turkey broods.
The Role of Jakes: Young Males on the Move
Technically, jakes possess the ability to breed as early as one year of age. However, on the ground, they face stiff competition from mature toms, often hindering their breeding success. This challenge can motivate jakes to embark on extensive journeys in search of mating opportunities.
The Significance of Travel: Expanding Turkey Populations
The remarkable willingness of hens and jakes to travel has played a pivotal role in the remarkable expansion of turkey populations across Oregon. Recognizing this behavior, biologists have implemented strategies to transplant birds between established flocks, facilitating the movement of traveling hens and jakes to fill in gaps and bolster populations in new areas.
The life cycle of a wild turkey is a captivating journey, interwoven with intricate adaptations, resilient survival strategies, and a profound connection to the rhythms of nature. From the fervor of the breeding season to the challenges of winter, these magnificent creatures exhibit an extraordinary capacity to thrive in a world brimming with both beauty and adversity.
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.
Because the winters in low elevation habitats—such as valley floors—are usually mild, turkeys there don’t need to migrate when winter weather arrives. However, as the weather varies in the spring and fall, turkeys will migrate between lower and higher elevations, especially at higher elevations where severe weather can endanger birds. This is especially true in parts of central and eastern Oregon.
Adult turkey mortality is primarily caused by extended winter storms because the crusted ice keeps the birds from locating food. Nonetheless, turkeys are hardy creatures that can live for several days in a tree, losing a considerable amount of body fat while still managing to survive.
Under ideal conditions, toms can live up to five years (though they typically 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.
How to Present a Turkey Hen to Tom for Mating
FAQ
How often does a hen turkey breed?
Do turkeys mate more than once?
How many times does a turkey lay eggs in a year?
How long do turkey hens sit on eggs?
How many eggs does a turkey hen lay a day?
The hen will lay one egg per day until she has a complete clutch before starting to incubate them. This process typically takes about 14-28 days, depending on how many eggs the hen lays. Male turkeys are not involved in nest building or incubation but play an important role in protecting the nesting area.
Do hens have to breed once a day?
No, the hen must breed once to fertilize all of her eggs. Hens typically lay one egg per day over a two-week period, with two or three days off during that time. She will not sit on the nest until the last egg has been laid. Then she stays on the nest for 28 days, perhaps leaving once a day to feed, water, and defecate.
How long does it take a turkey hen to lay eggs?
Our turkey hens started laying their second spring. They were about 10 months to a year when we first started seeing eggs. We raise heritage Black Spanish turkeys. It takes these heritage breeds a little longer to fully mature. Turkey eggs each have 10.8 grams of protein and 933 milligrams of cholesterol.
What factors affect Turkey breeding time?
Factors that influence breeding time Factors that influence breeding time: Day Length: Increasing daylight hours in spring trigger hormonal changes in turkeys, prompting breeding behavior. Weather Conditions: Mild weather and sufficient food supply influence the timing of turkey mating seasons.