Baby turkey orphaned by coyote

Varmint__slayer

Varmint__slayer

New member
I saw the saddest thing today. I was out in the woods killing time and saw a bunch of turkey feathers and a wing. I walked over and picked up the wing to examine it and when I lifted it, out came a young poult. It ran a few feet and huddled down in the leaves. I didn't feel right about leaving it there to starve so I picked it up and looked for the others. 30 minutes and I hadn't found another poult so I headed home with the young turkey.
So now I have a turkey and only a little knowledge about raising one.

It is 3 1/2 to 4 inches tall; and has all of it's down feathers. I went out and bought some chick starter feed for it and feeder jars. I also got a heat lamp and pad, (not sure whether I needed them or not). I now have the poult in a 12 gallon storage bin.

Has anyone had experience with this? Can someone offer me advice on something I haven't thought of? Also, are there any issues with the DNR? Permits?
This kind of thing really makes you want to hate coyotes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
I know for home raised turkeys you have to put something in their water. Put some fine gravel in it's box so it has something to help digest its food.
 
I would call DNR and ask them where to take it,nearly all states have lisenced people to raise orphaned babies.
 
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How do you know a coyote killed the hen turkey?



I am just assuming it was a coyote. It could have been anything. There were feathers and a wing strewn about.
I had the turkey drinking water last night but it still hasn't eaten. I am going to find some worms or crickets today and see if it will eat them.
 
Since you don't have the experience it raising it, and there is a possibility of illegal possession, I would contact your local wildlife agency and let them get it to someone equipped to promote it's survival.

I understand the desire to raise it, as I would have the same feelings, but it would be less ethical to attempt to keep it and then have it die due to malnutrition. And, you don't need the hassle if it turns out to be a state violation of the game laws..
 
Quote:
Quote:
How do you know a coyote killed the hen turkey?



I am just assuming it was a coyote. It could have been anything. There were feathers and a wing strewn about.
I had the turkey drinking water last night but it still hasn't eaten. I am going to find some worms or crickets today and see if it will eat them.



Quote:
This kind of thing really makes you want to hate coyotes.



Hey, don't be hatin'... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Lot's of things happen to turkeys, one of the least is coyote predation. Even if it was a coyote, that's nature taking its course, coyotes gotta eat too. It is easy to attatch value to cute and cuddly, or, in a hunters mind - tasty cuddly things. Over and above anything that competes with us as human hunters, or, that which may seem cruel to us as humans. When we do that, generally we are failing to see the big picture and not accepting nature for what it is. That's PETA's hang-up, they cannot accept that nature sometimes seems cruel to the human mind (animals don't know it - they're just being animals), and, that all species interact in a cycle of life and death. That includes us.

This isn't exactly your situation, but an example of what I'm saying. I worked as a State Park Naturalist for five years. One of the biggest problems I had within my park was people always wanted to "save" some poor unfortunate animal from nature. Maybe they were hiking a trail and found a fawn deer hiding among some brush within sight of the trail. The hikers coo and awww, take some pictures, and then begin to think about where the mother deer is. They conjure up all sorts of diasasters that befell the doe. In a heroic act they "save" the fawn by scooping it out of its bed and packing it into the park office smugly grinning and feeling as heroic as the new Spiderman. Made them feel good and they did this without any knowledge of deer biology. Little did they realize they endangered the fawn more than if they had simply left it alone. The doe was probably very near, maybe even watching as the hikers kidnapped the fawn. The fawn is near scentless and uses this, and, its spots for camo to hide from predators. The doe generally stays away from the fawn, but near enough to "supervise" and come nurse. As the little one grows they join and stay together. It's this time frame when people at the park would cause trouble. By removing the fawn they unknowingly were stressing the doe, the fawn, and the Park Naturalist that now had to take the fawn back to the area and set it back down hoping the mother doe would find it again. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
GC: Come on, you can't blame a guy for being soft-hearted. You're exactly right, but I couldn't just leave it there knowing that I was its only chance.

I've been doing research all day and I took the poult to a vet this morning to see if it was healthy. The vet said it was fine and that I was doing everything right. This vet was also experienced with turkeys so I think I'm on the right track.
 
Very nice of you slayer.
We recently tried to save a baby raccoon that someone had found on the road in a small town close by. We were trying to keep it alive till it could go to the rescue place, but the poor little bugger didn't make it. So young his eyes weren't open yet, maybe 3 weeks old?
If you aren't sure about what your doing, even the best intentions don't work out, theres probably a shelter/rehab for critters somewhere that can take care of him.
Good luck to you both /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Yep call the DNR and explain the situation there are shelters and professionals that will take care of it and do a great job at it.
 
Varmint_Slayer,
In this case I'd probably be doing the exact same thing. You jumped on the "hate them killin' coyotes" bandwagon pretty quick and with little information it seemed to me. Just thought I'd discuss it a little. Hey, what are the plans if you are able to raise this turkey to maturity?
 
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Hey, what are the plans if you are able to raise this turkey to maturity?




Turkey and Dressing??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Quote:
Varmint_Slayer,
In this case I'd probably be doing the exact same thing. You jumped on the "hate them killin' coyotes" bandwagon pretty quick and with little information it seemed to me. Just thought I'd discuss it a little. Hey, what are the plans if you are able to raise this turkey to maturity?



I only said that things like this make you want to hate coyotes. I don't hate them, the coyote just did what coyotes do. I was only pointing out how cruel mother nature can be at times. I have also thought about what I will do with it when it matures.
I don't know whether I'll be able to release it or not. It would probably be best if I didn't. There is a law in Indiana that says that wild animals that have been in captivity for more than two weeks cannot be returned to the wild. It is legal to keep wild turkeys just as long as they aren't "wild". Who's to say I didn't get the bird from a game bird farm?
Also the poult is going great. It's is eating fine and I have even noticed development of its wing feathers since I've had it.
The thing won't leave me alone. I can't leave for more than a minute or two, or it starts hollering; So I've got to sit by its pen, or carry it around with me under my shirt to keep it warm. Otherwise, its shrill, earsplitting whistle drives everyone nuts. It doesn't really bother me though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
You have become "Mama" to it. I doubt releasing it in the wild would be a good experience for it. Sounds like you might begin making a long term plan for your new youngster.
 
I could swear that this poult has grown an inch since I got it.
It's time for a new pen with a closed top because he's jumping over the side of this one to follow me. Of course, I knew this pen wouldn't last so I already have another one lined up. Yesterday I snuck into the back yard to shoot my bow and after about 4 arrows I heard "cheap cheap cheap;" So I look down and there he was. He had hopped the side of his pen, went down the hall, through the kitchen and out the back door, (we leave it open this time of year), down the steps and into the back yard. He has also started flapping his wings like he may try to fly soon, He doesn't quite have enough feathers yet but he's getting there.
It's amazing how fast they grow. I estimate him to be between 5 and 8 days old. I think next week I'll look into building a permanent enclosure.
 
Turkey and Dressing???

Ever see that episode of the Simpsons where Homar raises a lobster? Last scene of the show was him sitting at the table crying his eyes out and eating lobster!!!.

Thanksgiving might be interesting.
 
Wild turkeys fly Very early because they will roost with their Momma as soon as possible. The funniest site I ever saw was a hen and her brood up a small tree after I spooked them with my horse. Those little poults were mostly wings! Litle bodies that didn't have all the feathers out yet but the wings were!
 


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