HOW MANY EGGS AND YOUNG DO WILD TURKEYS HAVE?
For the purposes of this question, let’s talk about the Eastern wild turkey only. There are a number of terms which are related to reproductive behavior. These terms are defined below and the appropriate values given. We need to understand these terms and the concepts they imply in order to understand the reproduction of the wild turkey and how reproduction influences the population. Turkey Poults “Clutch size” means the number of eggs in a “clutch” or group of eggs. This refers to the total number of eggs in the clutch after the hen has stopped laying her eggs. For the first 1 to 3 eggs, hens may skip a day between eggs. From egg #4 onward, eggs are generally laid daily. Eggs are usually laid in mid-day. Hens will renest if the first nest is destroyed. However, the clutch size for the second nest is often smaller than the first. Clutch sizes may occasionally– but not always– differ between adult and juvenile hens.
For the purposes of this question, let’s talk about the Eastern wild turkey only. There are a number of terms which are related to reproductive behavior. These terms are defined below and the appropriate values given. We need to understand these terms and the concepts they imply in order to understand the reproduction of the wild turkey and how reproduction influences the population. “Clutch size” means the number of eggs in a “clutch” or group of eggs. This refers to the total number of eggs in the clutch after the hen has stopped laying her eggs. For the first 1 to 3 eggs, hens may skip a day between eggs. From egg #4 onward, eggs are generally laid daily. Eggs are usually laid in mid-day. Hens will renest if the first nest is destroyed. However, the clutch size for the second nest is often smaller than the first. Clutch sizes may occasionally– but not always– differ between adult and juvenile hens. Clutch size for first nests in eastern North America have averaged from 10.3 to 12.
