Anybody ever seen this before??
Contributors to this thread:Turkey
From: t-roy
06-Sep-22
As I came down the county road, right near my mailbox, I watched a hen turkey walk out of the weeds, about 20 yds in front of me, followed by 2 baby chicks. I’m certain they were her chicks. They were so tiny, they could not have been more than a few days old, at most. Has anyone else ever seen turkey chicks that small, this late into the year?
From: fdp
06-Sep-22
I never have.
From: midwest
06-Sep-22
Her first 2 broods were eaten by a big cat. She's no quitter!
Seriously, though, that's crazy! I wonder if they'll survive?
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
06-Sep-22
I thought the same about 2-3 weeks ago Troy, these were eating in someone’s front lawn but we the size of baby chickens you get at tractor supply…I couldn’t believe it this late
From: DanaC
06-Sep-22
I've seen small, late-born chicks but in early summer, never this late.
From: JL
06-Sep-22
These yard birds came by the hood last week. I've been watching them for a few weeks. This is northern MI. They're not chicks but they seem pretty small for this late in the season.
From: t-roy
06-Sep-22
That’s exactly what size they looked to be, MA-PA. They had better start putting some feathers on pretty quickly! I don’t know if her brood was more than just the 2, but that’s all I saw. I have also been seeing a small flock of 2 hens with 4-5 poults that were noticeably bigger than the ones in JL’s pics, just up the road from the other hen.
From: Buckiller
06-Sep-22
Ive seen more small poults this year late into summer then I ever remember. This pic was taken yesterday 9/5
From: Huntiam
06-Sep-22
climate change=lateturkeyrut
From: Dale06
06-Sep-22
I’ve not seen them that small this late. Did see two hens together with about 10 poults a week ago. The poults were bigger than a rooster pheasant.
From: Glunt@work
06-Sep-22
That's super late but if a nest fails they can renest without Mr Tom's help.
From: sitO
06-Sep-22
Pretty sure they just wanted to give us something to talk about, other than politics
From: OTC_Bowhunter
07-Sep-22
I would be happy just to see some baby turkey chicks. Of all the hens I have seen and trail cam pics, only one hen had one chick. Predators are brutal on them! I hope they make it.
From: WV Mountaineer
07-Sep-22
I’ve seen them like that in mid august. Never September.
From: Shiloh
07-Sep-22
That’s definitely late, but likely at least a 2nd and maybe her 3rd nesting attempt. We have possibly had our best hatch in 25+ years down here. I’ve seen a bunch of babies this summer!!!
From: Brotsky
07-Sep-22
t-roy, they clearly identify as turkey nuggets, not "chicks". You need to be more sensitive :)
From: APauls
07-Sep-22
Ya well once that mountain lion got done snacking on 200" of velvet he started on gobblers.
From: Ermine
07-Sep-22
Late hatch I guess. I saw a calf elk with a cow today that was tiny. Had to be born just recently. Couple months later than usual
From: Sivart
07-Sep-22
I've seen a hen with very young fresh poults on Sept 15th. That was 2001. They looked like they hatched just days ago. I remember the exact date, because it was opening day of archery deer season.
From: goelk
07-Sep-22
No never have
From: nowheels
07-Sep-22
She may have lost a couple of broods to have small poults this late in the year. I flushed a hen off her nest on July 4th weekend one year with 14 eggs, and these look like they would have been hatched in the same time frame.
From: DanaC
07-Sep-22
Took pix of these a week ago, nearly grown. Central MA, mother hen on left for reference
From: fdp
18-Sep-22
