Napoleona became broody a month ago having laid 16 eggs and so dutifully began to sit! The only problem was that when we candled them about two weeks in (which is half way through the incubation period) only SIX were fertile! We have no explanation as to why! Her laying did begin quite early, the others have only just started now, but we had seen Napoleon treading during the period of her laying!!?? We left her with the six fertile eggs and last night (bang on day 28) we heard the sounds of cheeping coming from underneath her!! This morning we were then rather chuffed to find four poults, including a yellow one, all looking fit and healthy and with Napoleona showing signs of being an attentive mum. We are leaving the five of them penned inside a few straw bales for a few days to make sure poults and mum thoroughy bond! Napoleona can jump out but she shouldn't as she should want to stay with her young. The poults themselves meanwhile will hopefully become stronger and so when we let them all out, they will be strong enough and bonded enough to all stick together!!
Turkey poults are far less robust than chicks and ducklings when first born. This is mainly to do with the fact that turkey egg yolks are huge and as these sustain the birds in their first 24/48 hours inside the abdomen, it makes them a little 'bottom' heavy. A turkey poult that falls over on its back, often cannot get up!!
Fingers crossed these little ones sail through their first few days!!