Question about the hatch

[LBL HUNTER]

I found a nest with 15 eggs on April 16 so I'm sure those eggs are about to hatch or have already. I've also talked to other hunters who found nests on the opening weekend.
I really hate to even think about this, but I can't help but think that with all this rain (its rained 9 of the last 10 days here) that many newly hatched poults have drowned or their nests washed away. Just wondering what some of your opinions are? I hope I'm wrong.

[Multidigits]

I found a nest with 15 eggs on April 16 so I'm sure those eggs are about to hatch or have already. I've also talked to other hunters who found nests on the opening weekend.
I really hate to even think about this, but I can't help but think that with all this rain (its rained 9 of the last 10 days here) that many newly hatched poults have drowned or their nests washed away. Just wondering what some of your opinions are? I hope I'm wrong.

Takes 28 days after she starts sitting. Won't be long.

[Valley Station]

(15) eggs in the nest, she could have still been layin' , and not yet settin'.
I found nest with (18) eggs 4/23/06 and another poster found nest with (22) eggs. Hen can loose a nest if she lays in a floodable spot. Usually more common along flood prone rivers in western Kentucky(counties like Graves, Carlisle seem to have major hatch losses with flooding.
Critical time for poults to cold rains, is about two weeks after hatching. Theyr'e getting too big for hen to "brood over them" , begin roosting on the limb and generally their feathers haven't matured enough to protect them from the rain.
Cold rains around the 2nd of June is serious problem.

Another major nesting event loss is the first cutting of hay. I hate to even think about how many nest we lose to the mower and bushhog.

[turk2di]

Im sure there R some lil bumblebees runnin round out there, tho the main bulk maybe a week or so away. Rainy, cool weather is what we don't need right now. Unfortunately, that is what we r getting tonite & tomorrow!

[sirgiovanni]

The only eggs I ever saw were busted with yolk still in them. :(

[Multidigits]

That happens, hens will normally relay another batch.

[turk2di]

Folks, the reinforcement of yesterdays cold front passage just slamed thru Henderson, with brief rain. This will be devastating for any little poults currently out there! City cats will eat well tonite too:(

[ril7572]

Folks, the reinforcement of yesterdays cold front passage just slamed thru Henderson, with brief rain. This will be devastating for any little poults currently out there! City cats will eat well tonite too:(

In order for poults to hatch this weekend, the hen would have been setting on April 15th. Most birds I saw during the first week to 10 days of the season were "Henned up". I'm sure It's possible for some poults to be hatched this weekend, but I would guess the majority will be a couple of weeks in the future. I don't normally see many poults before the first of June.

[turk2di]

In order for poults to hatch this weekend, the hen would have been setting on April 15th. Most birds I saw during the first week to 10 days of the season were "Henned up". I'm sure It's possible for some poults to be hatched this weekend, but I would guess the majority will be a couple of weeks in the future. I don't normally see many poults before the first of June.
Read 4 posts up. Hope u r right tho;)

[slickhead slayer]

They say that the time period you don't want rain is the last part of may and the early part of June. I believe we are still a little early.

They recomend you wait until June 15 if you can to do any bushhogging.

[scratch]

the first nest i found this year was on april the 17th no doubt it was a older hens nest....olders hens usualy lay early....

[coondog]

I jumped a hen off a nest today. She was laying on 8-10 shiney, yellowish eggs. The field was about to be cut for hay and the nest was out in it. I told the guy who was about to cut it to avoid the area but I doubt there is much of a chance where the nest was. I have been seeing other hens nesting right now as well.

[Feedman]

On May 24th or 25 my father saw a hen with 15 poults that were already full feathered. I think that they have to be about 2 weeks old to get full feathered. If you count back, this hen was laying in March. I think that this is why hunting was tough at the end of the season. Hens were setting and breeding was complete.

[gobbl4me]

I cut around 75 acres of hay saturday and didn't see the first hen or any nests. Last year i saw plenty of nests while cutting and managed to avoid 99% of them. Now if the population is expanding like the experts say they are woul'nt you think a person would be seeing more nests and not fewer?

[CSS archer]

Most hens should be incubating by the first week of May, that puts them hatching by now. Many hens nests are broken up before they even start incubating, they will probably renest and are likely incubating now.

Once those hens start incubating the gobblers are easy to call. They will continue to breed whenever a hen is willing until late June or so.

[rick243]

I was checking a trailcam in Gallatin Co. last week when the landowners dog brought in a dead poult about the size of a quail. Don't know if he caught it or found it. I beat him over the head with it any way. Just in case.