Sunday, 29 December 2002

Cycle of life - Today one of the new turkey chicks somehow got away from its parent and has been killed by another fowl, presumably another turkey.  One of the other non-broody turkey hens had a near escape from a predator last night too. She has been disappearing for a few hours every day for the past week, and we thought she'd been building a nest and laying a clutch of eggs. Last night she didn't return at lock up time and this morning I discovered her looking very weak and tired. She had a couple of cuts [possible bites] on her back and feathers were found on the grass. Might be a dog about. The surviving turkey chick escaped into the chook yard during the search for his brother/sister and narrowly escaped death from the hens who were hell bent on killing it. Fortunately I managed to run around the enclosures and into the chook pen and rescued it before permanent damaged could be inflicted. I wonder if the hen's attack was motivated by i) moving food ii) different species or iii) not my chick. As a precaution of the broody turkey hens coming of the brood now that they have 2 oops 1 chick to care for, I have moved five of the unhatched turkey eggs to a surogate mother [a broody light sussex hen] in the hen house. Hopefully they will hatch and I can move them to the turkeys for nurturing. 1:40:51 PM    Comments ()