I have seen 3 different hen turkeys in the last day with zero babies. Has anyone started seeing babies yet?

All over the country, just not in our area, lots of pictures on Facebook. Takes 28 days after they start setting. They don’t set until all the eggs are laid.

Been seeing a lot of little ones the last 2 weeks ranging in size from tiny chicks 4 inches or so to the size of a banty chicken.

I have seen 2 different hens in my yard, one with 8 chicks and one with 6 chicks

WS

They keep them in thick cover if it’s available to them then you will see chicks all over if the hatches make it that far.

I saw a hen with little ones about 2 weeks ago...Last week I saw a gobbler 2x in 3 days strutting in a hay lot..the 1st day a hen was with him

In our area I think they can re-nest if the first clutch fails, so the hatching season can be over several months. Unlike migratory waterfowl the young don't need to be able to fly hundreds of miles by fall, but they do need to be old enough and big enough to withstand cold winters and ice covered fields etc. Waterfowl biologist state that if 25-30% of the nests succeed the population will be maintained even with the hunting seasons. I don't know what the success rate per clutch needs to be here in WI to maintain and or grow the turkey population.

Bryce

Have nine cages out for coons now to keep them off of the nests my Brother in law is running them he was up to 10 the last time I talked with him, that’s $100 in tails so good money for 10 coons today.